The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-19
THE OLD LION or WHITEHALL.
Henry WattersOn's Paper OH Cassius NJ.
Clay and on Kentucky.

From me LOHisriHc tnnr'tr-JOnrhdf
Some one said the other day OF Gen Cassius
Marceus Clay. "Of course. he's crazy. but it
would not be safe for anybody to tell him so. "
The words sound smart enough for an cpl
gram: but both their suggestions are open
10 question The old Lion Of Whitehall lies
low now: he ~ a menace no longer to friend
or foe. hardly a terror. but as the admring
rcict Of the prizenghter undefeated save by
death, observed as she took last fond look
upon the cold features of the defunct, He
was boss in his day.
Ave. and what day had the wonderful
mona genarian. who still tarrles there in his
castle outside the good city Of Richmond.
in Madison county. which. with Mercer and
Boyle. laid t he foundation of Kentucky's
claim to priority in the production Of heroes.
statesmen and saints
Truth to say except in the inarmities
Of his declining years, Gen Clay is no crazier
now than he ever was This il not to Ques-
ton the proceedings Of his next kin and the
ruling of the court which has adjudged him
matters and in the worldly sense. he Ger
n Ee 10 h9 % o when read d Of those Hns
ton and their day Here was one living
long after, one Of Barharossas men I leit our vi
of Richard Yea-and- Nay, strangely omitted
from the roster displayed in that queer old
cathedral Of Meanx a cheyaiier o. Arthur Arthur
gne and the Middle Ages These last
two centuries he could have existed nowhere
else on the face OF the globe than IN Ken
lucky: for Kent lucky time out Of mind has
been the h ONE of all that is nobly barbara
the last refuge of the battle-axe In hnma
nature and destiny Justly earning and that
n many aspects. the sohrlpuet oil the DARK
and bloody ground "
The outbreaks of violence in other parts
of the country are as frequent and as fragrant
lawry OH the other side of the Ohio River
as on this. Yesterday Illinois furnished the
horrid example; to-day i + lndians To-
eous States from Rhode Island to Delaware
that are so handy IN the matter OF the casting
OF stones
At least in Kentucky We order these things
differently and Cassius Marcellus Clay led
the procession three-scorc-and-ten wears
ago: at once fren2ied and feurlesS: conceiv-
ing himself an emissary Of heaven: god-like,
YET n walking arsenal; aggressive, dangerous,
intolrrant the armed apostle of the gospel
of freedom and force; the arrogant bellg-
his word on his tongue, his knife and his
gun in his belt his life in his hand-such was
Cassius Marc"lu- Clay from 1899 TO 1851
at the front He was handsome, distin-
guished man in appearance. But even as
high diplomatst. and subsequently as
soldier, h, lacked moderation and sell,re;;
straint His character, spirit and method
belonged TO feudal times, He was by no
means without ability and culture. Manic
man. he was away above the average.
His failure to improve the opportunity
which had come to him through such strenu-
Gus events. and had been so long coming.
was ascribnbe to his inability to adj nst him
kind Of discipline. partcul arly any kind OF
subordlnation. Mr., Lincoln regarded him
with alternate admiration and amaztment:
but he soon discovered that he could not
trust him with responsibility requiring either
decncy of touch or self-effncement.
We live in emmy times. In times OF opu-
do and the world. we fancy, is adjusting
itself to the changed conditions. Certainly
men of the kind who live to shoot and who
shoot to kill as distinguished from the
criminal classes, admittedly inconvenicnt az
nrighb0rs and visiting ncquaintancea are.
happily. becoming fewer and fewer. Their
final going will not be the occasion OF very
Yet no one Of us can withhold a certain
admiration of the spirit which has burned
hall, even AS We are bound to confess certain
irresistible awe in his majestic presence.
Who shall fathom the depths of that over
pOwcrng personality. that bottomless ABYSS
of trnnscendcnt Qnixotism2
WORE HIS HAT IN THE CARS PRESENCE.
From the Lsringtoa Democrat
In the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New
Court Of Russia at the time. Cgssus NJ, CLAW
was the representative Of this republic
thereat. The scene is one Of unusual brill
liancy. and portrays the Car In HIS imperial
robes, with feathers hying from his headRear.
while around him are stationed all foreign
Ambassadors attendant upon his court,
In the picture. Clay and the Car arcthe only
two standing with their heads covered II
is said that clay was requested to remove
his hat in Difference to being in The presence
Of the Gar, but this CLAY refused to do. say
ing; y only take of my hat TO those who
take of their hats 20 me" Had the Gar
uncovered his head. IL IL 10 be presumed that
CLAY would have followed suit, but 30 long
as the Russian monarch kept his head covered
before Clay the latter would not uncover
before him.