The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-09-20

however, hated the Great Commoner bitterly,and he and Thomas H. Benton | glared at MT. Clay all the time he was delivering his great speech. MT. Clay | had been speaking but a few minutes when nearly everybody in the crowded | room began to shed tears except Ben ton and my uncle. I remember how Daniel Webster sat and drank in eve ny word that fell from MT, Clay's lips. l was looking straight at him when he brushed away tear as MT. Clay began to grow pathetic and a few minutes later tears were flowing freely from Webster's eyes. I felt that I could not restrain my tears any longer, and yet know that If my uncle saw me crying he would reprimand me. But, fortu- nately, he never took his eyes off MT. Clay's face, and the tears ran down my cheeks uninterrupted for I was afraid to betray by emotion by wiping them away I think I will write out the ex- act language of MT. Clay. I have seen it garbled long enough. That was the most remarkable scene I have ever wit messed, and, although It was fifty-five years ago, the incidents and the words of MT. Clay burned themselves into my brain so indelibly that I can see and hear 1t all now. For intensity of atten- tion and sympathy of auditors I doubt if there was ever a case like it on rec ord. Mark Anthony when extolling the virtues of the dead Caesar could not have had more sympathetic audience. The enemies of the great Roman were many and bitter, but in MT. Clay's case even his enemies Wept as he delivered with almost inspired tongue that mag nificent address. It was full of patrio- | tism devoid of selfishness, rich with the milk of human kindness, replete with the loftiest sentiments, and being delivered in style which Cicero never l excelled, and with an earnestneSs that carried conviction with it. the speech swept away ever particle of resentment that might have lodged in an enemy's mind, and with one accord the vast as semblage, barring Benton and my uncle Blair gave the Great Commoner that sympathy his worn heart craved, and | that love which he himself bore to man. kind.
 AS an illustration of the unselfish character of Henry Clay I will tell you how he virtually threw away one hun- Edred thousand dollars rather than to have 1t tainted in the smallest degree. James Morrison, Revolutionary sol dier, who emigrated to Lexington when it was a little village, became immense ly rich. There was scandal in the United States consuls office at Liver pool and at MT Clay's suggestion the President appointed MT. Morrison commissioner to go to Liverpool anc
 make report of the trouble. Before
 leaving MT. Morrison came to MT. Clay
 and told him he wanted him to write
 his will. He devised his property equit
 ably to his relatives and after MT. Clay had reduced the will to writing MT
 Morrison said: MT. Clay, I find that have yet one hundred thousand dollar worth of property undisposed of. Yol and I have been friends for years. To,
 did me the honor to name your son
 John Morrison Clay. for me. As {
 slight testimonial of my regard for you
 and as an expression of the gratitude owe you for the many kindnesses vol : have shown me, wish to make you
 son my residuary legatee.'
 MT. Clay, straightening himself u in his chair and looking MT. Morrison
 sauarely in the eye,4said with much de liberation, yet in q kindly tone: MI Morrison, I appreciate the propositio 7 you have just made, I named my SO for you because I want to nam him for an honest, patriotic citizer !. Whatever I may have done for you wa , done for no selfish motive, and, while , fully realize the value Of the proposi !, tion you have made, I must respectful ! decline to allow my son to become you
 residuary legatee.
 5 MT. Morrison looked very much dis 2 appointed, and he1pIessly asked what h should do with the one hundred tho, sand dollars worth of property. Cutie . as a flash MT. Clay came to his rescu = and said: MT. Morrison, you can leay . the property to Pennsylvania Univers
 ty It will be one of the most endurin 5 monuments that could be erected - your memory, and, besides, it will be ( e inestimable value to Lexington, Il V town you helped to establish in tf :, wilderness W
 C "Mr. Morrison was buried in thougl ', for a moment, when he replied: M u Clay. I accept our proposition. Wri '- it down in my will, there, and while '- am sorry you would not accept my pr' t position, hope that you are right ar = that I am wrong
 t "As a result of this unselfishness ( l. the part of Mr Clay, Pennsylvania Ul :, iversity's successor, Kentucky Unive
 sitv. has one of the finest college sites
 America. and on it. erected with u
 money that Mir Clay would not allo
 his beloved son to touch, is that mas
 nificent old pile, Morrison college, a
 enduring monument not only to Jam4
 Morrison. the patriot and soldier, but
 Henry Clay, the unselfish citizen ar
 incorruptible statesman, who thre
 away fortune rather than write
 will and make a kinsman the residual
 legatee.
 q could tell you many other inc
 dents of MT. Clay's life which haN
 never been printed that would show h
 utter unselfishness, but I think this
 sufficient. This characteristic of u
 great man was so well known tn
 when he said in his farewell speech tn
 he could with unshaken confidence a
 peal to the divine arbiter for the tru
 of the statement that in all his publ
 acts he had been uninfiuenced by al
 selfish motive, the truth of this stat
 ment burst with full force upon
 auditors and they wept like little ch
 dren.
 "Yes, hope to write full account
 that memorable day in the sena