Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-07-23
DEATH OF GENERAL CLAY.

DEATH OF GENERAL CLAY.
Hon. Cassius NJ. Clay, the "sage ,of
WHITEHALL" former minister to Russia
aud widely known Kentuckian, died at
his home, at Whitehall, near Richmond,
Ky., at $40 o'clock last night.
Cassius NJ. Clay was born in Kentucky
on October 10, 1910, liz Madison county.
His father was rich, owning immense
tracts of land, and the son had the ad-
valtage of the best education, ending in
Yale College, where he was graduated
in 1882, 1t was while he was a student
that he, the son of stakeholder working
hundreds of negroes on his plantations,
heard William Lloyd Garrison, the ia
nous Massachusetts abolitionist, making
one of his fiery speeches. From that
hour Clay was an abolitionist-That IS
why he became one of the worst-hated
men in Kentucky. He went to his ma
tive county of Madison to practice law
He was gifted with the silyery style OF
oratory and the personal magnetism pc
culiar to some Kentuckians, and in 1885
he was elected to the Kentucky legisla-
ture. In 1887 and 1889 he was mem
her of the convention that nominated
General Harrison, under whom his faith
er had fought, for the presidency. He
made Lexington his home in 1910 and
there ran for the legislature, but was de-
feated because of his radical anti-slavery
views He often addressed political
meetings, proclaiming his views freely,
but he never spoke without a bowie
knife concealed about his person and a
brace of pistols, with their butts pro-
truding, in the gripsack which he kept
at his feet. In the Mexican war he
served as captain of volunteer COM
pany. declaring that the reason why he
served was because ne thought a mill
tary title was necessary to success in a.
lighting state like Kentucky"
In order to attack slavery effectively,
in lS45 General Clay established at
Lexington, Ky, an abolition newspaper,
which he called the True American.
Frequent threats we're made against him,
and the following account in his own
words shows that he preparation trouble;
81 selected for my office" runs the ac-
count in his memoirs, "a brick building
and lined the outside door with sheet
iron to preventit being burned. pur-
chased two brass four-pOunder cannon
at Cincinnati aud placed them, loaded
with shot and nails, on a table breast
high; had folding doors secured with a
chain which could open upon the mob
and give play to the cannon. furnish
ed nv Office with Mexican lances and
limited number of guns. There were
six or eight persons who stood ready to
defend me. If defeated they were to
escape by trap door in the roof and /
had placed a keg of powder, with
match, which / could set off and blow
up the office, with all my effects, and
this should most certainly have done
in case of the last extremity" He
worked for General Taylor's nomination
in the convention of lS4S and carried
Kentucky for him. He called the con-
veDtion Of the emancipationists in lS4S,
Mt Frankfort, and in 1850 he separated
from the whig party and ran as
an anti-slavery candidate for governor,
receiving upward of 5000 votss
He worked for Fremonts election in
1856, and for Lincoln in 1860, and Lin
coin appointed him minister to Russia in
1861. Clay came back from Russia a
wear after he got there to serve as a
major general of volunteers in the army
of the north. He made famous speech
in Washington, declaring that he would
never draw sword while slavery was
protected in the seeding states. Then
he went back to Russia as minister and
remained there until 1869. In 1876 he
supported Tilden for president, but in
1854 he advocated Blaine's election.
General Clay was once enormously rich,
but his broad acres of fine Kentucky
land became less and less valuable to
him until the taxes we're drain ON his
resources. His fine old mansion was
built by his father at the beginning OF
the last century at cost of $50, 900, and
improvements were afterwards added
that cost $50, 900. General Clay's pri-
vate life was no less interesting than his
public career. He foughtA many duels,
killed four men and nearly killed fifth.
One of his most famous duels was with
Will Brown. who was said to have had
40 fights and never lost a battle. The
proslayery men arranged to have Brown
kill Clay. At political meeting Brown
called Clay liar and struck him with
his umbrella. What followed is told
in Claws own words; 81 saw at once
that it meant fight, and when recogniz-
ed Brown knew it meant fight to the
death. had a long, sharp bowie knife
in the breast Of my coat, and | jerked
this out, but before / couldstrike, Browns
friends grabbed my arms from behind
and hauled me back about Is feet from
Brown. Brown now pulled his revolver
aud told them to get out of the way and
to let him kill me. The crowd got back,
and / stood alone. Brown had his pis-
tol pointed at me, and l started toward
him. l could see him looking along
the barrel of the revolver. He took
aim and waited until he thought
was close enough to give him a sure sho
: and then fired. / felt the ball strik,
me in the breast and l thought it ha,