The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-12-06
HENRY CLAY.
REMlNlSCENCESOF THE GREAT
KENTUCKIAN.
One of the Foremost Statesmen and Or
ators of the Country Whose Works
Live After Him.
Special Correspondence of the Gold Leaf.


Special Correspondence Of the Gold Leaf
Henry Clay, the great Kentuck;
orator, was sometimes called " Harry
of the West" He was a man oi
transcendent abilities, and the ac-
knowledged leader in his party. He
possessed oratorical powers of which
renowned orators of antiquity might
have been proud. He left Virginia
when young for his future home in
Kentucky, and built up for himself a
reputation it is rarely the lot of man
to acquire. In troublous times in his
country's history, his voice of wisdom
was heard calming the disquiteted ele
ments and restoring harmony 10 his
country. He has been for years in
his grave and his sage council is
missed in the land. When Calhoun
tried to influence the public mind and
bring on civil strife his harmonizing
voice calmed the gathering storm.
He saw that feelings of sectional
hatred would, in coming years, plunge
the nation in civil strife, and he
prayed that he might be gathered to
his fathers before the curtain should
be raised upon the fearful scence. A
kind Providence heard his prayer and
the booming cannon that ploughed
the soil of his beloved country, greet
ed not his ear. He witnessed not
the fratricidal strife when alienated
brethren imbued their hands in their
brothers. blood with intensified feelings
of hatred. He saw not the enemies,
cavalry horses stabbed in portions Of
the South-the homes of widows and
orphans consumed by the torch of the
invader, nor the vilest white men and
ignorant negroes sitting in our legis-
lative halls, once occupied by the il
lustrious ones of the past. But | di-
gress. Henry Clay was truly 4 great
man-one of the brightest lights of our
political sky. l doubt whether this or
any other country ever produced
much greater statesman. Towering,
like Saul, head and shoulders above
his compeers, the divergent rays of his
luminous mind kindled feelings of
wonder and admiration in the breast
of listening thousands at his feet. He
did much for his country, and it was
the much he did that stirred the NAL
ice and envy of less gifted aspirants
around hi.., He deserved the highest
position within the gift of the people
of his country. But others less quail
fed for the office of Chief Magistrate
reaped the honors of the high position.
Noble man! His duty to his country
was his absorbing idea, and for man
fully performing it his ungrateful coun-
trymen reaped the benefits without re-
warding him as they should nave done.
Extending protection to the infant in
dustries of our rising country was the
work OF his hands. He saw that the
struggling manufacturers of our coun-
try needed protection against the
crushing weight of Europe's mammoth
concerns, to enable them to spring up
and give strength and activity; and
he inaugurated the protective system
under which our manufacturing inter
ests have grown and prospered. As
we travel through this great country
and see the myriad spindles whizzing
and whirling in protected security we
think of the great statesman whose
wisdom suggested and urged the idea
of throwing the aras OF government
protection around them. Clay's pol
icy was the true one and the party
that tries to remove protection from
American industries, and bring them
in unprotected competition with Eu
ropean concerns run by the starved
out paupers Of the old world will learn
a lesson they will not soon forget. AS
l SAID before Henry Clay was man
of gigantic powers of mind-the great
leader of his party. They were proud
of such leader. To-day as you meet
an old citizen whose bending form
and wnitened locks tell you he is near
ing the end Of liie's journey, the fash
of admiration and pride may be seen
in his eye as he tells you he was an
"Old Henry Clay Whig.''
Henderson, n. c. r. W. II.