The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-24

years in state Of private war. His
sentimental complications, his part in
the old drama of January and May, his
castellated seclusion and the terror he
inspired are familiar enough to this
generation. The well-meaning wish OF
his relatives to have him regarded in
competent or insane was excusable; but
if he was mad at any time, he was mad
most of his life. He was a law to himself;
eccentric or extraordinary always; but
with noble courage, an absolute trust
in his own strong hand; with heroic
qualities, touched with whim and fan
tasy, and a will that never weakened.
In his arbitrariness. his violence, his
self assertion, the fierceness Of his wrath,
he was medieval
Sprung of a patrician Virginian stock
that followed DANIEL BOONE to the
dark and bloody ground, he belonged to
the Southern land-holding slaveAholding
class. He had in excess it's virtues and
some of it's faults. At Yale he took it
into his head TO be converted to anti
slavery opinions by speech which he
heard WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON make,
According to his later recolle ctions. he
then resolved to give slavery death
struggle Possibly his delight in battle
was caressed by the prospect of preach
ing abolitionism among the planters.
Whatever convictions he held he was
ready to die for, and to make his oppo-
nents die for. if they attacked him. The
Eastern abolitionists had q compare
lively easy time Of it while living and
have been gloriied dd nouseam and out
of all proportion for dangers they did
not undergo and results which they had
precious little hand in bringing about.
A mob or two; and GARRISON becomes q
hero and god. cash" CLAY goes
down among his Southern brethren,
fights with carnal weapons. takes his
life in his hand and is perfectly ready 10
| take the lives of others; and there is no
halo for his grand old unrepentant head.
No odor of sanctity breathes from him.
He was goat and not sheep. To the
| sleek, drab Eastern exhorters this terri
BILE, unregenerate, fire breathing, slash
ing and shooting aristocrat was unin-
| telligible Imagine RICHARD OF the Lion
Heart at a meeting of the New England
! branch of the Anti-Imperialist League!
Think of CESAR BoRGIA at a sewing
| circle!
Let us confess humbly that CLAY is 10
| us much more attractive and impressive
| figure; man and devil of a man, and
he looked his part always. His prime
was the prime of the bowie knife and the
revolver. He was no friend of arbitra-
| ton He believed in the custom Of the
country, and everybody who meddled
with him was likely to have his hands
full. Some lovely combats are de-
scribed in his autobiography. Take his
mild combat with one SPRIGG, when he
was member Of the Kentucky Legis-
lature, 1t was expected that SpRIGG
would challenge him on account Of GER
tain warm words. Now SPRIGG, when
the Bourbon was in, had told CLAY the
Sprigg method. 1t was SPRIGGs habit,
when a fight could not be avoided, to
come up to his man in mild and con-
ciliatory manner" Then, without decla-
ration of war, he would swat that man
nightly and keep on swatting him until
he was licked. Oblivious Of these fatal
condolences, SPRIGd, all mldness and
Cancellation, steps up to CLAY, who knocks
him down without a word, and keeps
knocking him down every time he gets
up, until SPRIGG is dragged away.
This was mere boys play: nor need
we mention Gen. CLAYs due!s according
to the forms. His fight at R,lssel's Cave
in ls4O with SAMUEL NJ. BROWN, gigan-
tic bully, is spe cimen of real strenuous
ness. BROWN, on the slavery side of the
argument, called CLAY damned liar and
hit him with his umbrella. CLAY knew
his man and at once pulled ont his bowie
knife Here is his account of the con-
troversy that followed
| Before could strike was seized from behind
and borne by force about ffteen feet from BROWN
| who being now armed with Colt revolver. cried
Clear the way and let nne kill the damned rascal
| The way speedily cleared. and stood Isolated
| from the crowd. Now. AS BROWN had his pistol
! bearing on me had either TO run or advance. So
turning my left side toward him. with my left arm
covering It, TO protect It TO that extent, ad
vanccd rapidly on him. knife in hand Seeing
| was coming he knew very well that nothing but
sudden and fatal shot could save him. So he held
| his Are, and taking deliberate aim lust as was
| within arms reach ne nrod at my heart. ] came
| down upon his head with tremendous blow which
| would have split open an ordinary skull, but
| BROWNS was as thick that OF an African. The
BRAIN indentIpg II, but not breaking the textures:
| but II 80 stunned him that he was no more able to
| nre and fecb,y attempted to seize me. His fellow
| consplrators now grasped me and held both arms
| above my elbows which only allowed me 10 strike
| with the forearm BROWN advanced upon me.
| l was also struck with hickory sticks and chairs.
| But, finding was likely 10 get loose, they threw
Brown over the stone fence. which, only two feet
high on our Side was or eight on the lower
| side So BROWN had q terrible fall which ended
| the contest. Raising my bloody knife. said: Il
repeat that the statement made by tho speaker be-
fore BROWNS ASSAULT has been proven falsrhood,
| and I stand ready 90 defend the truth But.
neither che speaker OF the day nor any Of the
| spirators taking up my challenge, somo Of my
! friends. recovering from their lethargy, took me
by the arm TO the dwelling house and on opening