The Washington times., 1903-07-23
A KENTUCKY ESTIMATE
OF GEN. CASSIUS NJ. CLAY
A Unique Character Who Belonged to
Feudal Times.

Some one said the other day OF Gen.
Cassius Marcellus Clay, "of course. he's
crazy. but il would not be safe for any
body to tell him So" The words sound
smart enough for an epigram; but both
their suggestions are open to question
The old Lion of White Hall lies low now;
he is a menace no longer to friend or
foe; hardly a terror; but as the edmiring
relict OF the prizehghter. indicated
save by death. observed as she took a
last. fond look upon the cold features
of the defunct. 'He was a boss in his
day."
Aye, and what a day had the wonder
full nonagenarian, who still tarries
there In his castle outside The good
city Of Richmond. in Madison rounty,
which, with Mercer and Boyle, laid ths
foundation OF Kentucky's claim to prior
ity in the production OF heroes, states
men, and saints
Truth to say. except in the inhrmities
OF his declining years. General Clay is
no crazter now than he ever was. This
is not TO question the proceedings Of
his next kin and the ruling Of the court
Incompetent. as TO worldly matters. and
in the worldly serse, he certainly is.
though when. in these regards, was hs
not? We often read OF those living be-
fore their time, in advance of their gen.
Grafton and their day. Here was one
living long after; one OF Barbarossa's
men left out in the final muster; one
OF the Clan-na-GaeI Of Richard Yea
and Nay. strangely omitted from the
cathedral OF Meaux: a chevalier OF Ar
thur and the Table Round; a paladin Of
! Charlemagne and the Middle Ages.
These last two centuries he could have
existed nowhere else on the face OF the
globe than in Kentucky; for Kentucky
time out OF mind has been the home
of all that Is nobly ba,baric-the last
refuge of the battle-axe in human ma
ture ami destiny-justly earning. and
that in many aspects. the sobriquet Of
''the dark and bloody ground"
The outbreaks OF violence in other
parts OF the country are as frequent and
as fragrant as they are with US. There
is as much outlawry on the other side
| of the Ohio River as on this. Yesterday
Illinois furnished the horrid example;
/ today II is Indiana Tomorrow. It may
! be-which of the seIf-righteors States
from Rhode Island to Delaware that are
so handy in the matter Of the casting OF
stones7
At least in Kentucky we order these
things differently, and Cassius Marcel
lus Clay led the procession three-score-
andten years ago; at once frenzied and
/ fearless; conceiving himself an emissars
OF heaven; god-like, yet a walking ar
senal: aggressive. dangerous intolerant;
the armed apostle of the gospel Of free
dom and force; the arrogant belligereEt
minister of the lowly and the poor; his
word on his tongue. his knife and his
gun In his belt. his life in his hand
such was Cassius Marcellus Clay from
1886 TO 1861.
When Lincoln came in, the old lion
stood at the front. He was a handsome.
distinguished man in appearance Put
even as high diplomatist, and subse-
quently as a soldier. ne lacked modera-
ton and self-restraint. His character,
spirit. and method belonged to feudaI
times. He was by no means without
ability and culture. Man to man he
was away above the average.
His failure TO improve the opportu-
nifty which had come to him through
such strenuous events. and had been so
long coming, was ascribable to his in
ability TO adjust himself to any fixed
condition imposing any kind of dis
Lot 81
bordination. Mr.. Lincoln regarded him
with alternate admiration and amaze
ment; but he soon discovered that he
could not trust him with responsibility
requiring either delicacy of touch or
lself-effacement-
We live in uncanny times, in times OF
opulence and peace: that is to say, We
think we do-and the world. We fancy.
is adjusting itself 10 the changed con-
ditions Certainly men OF the kind who
live to shoot ana who shoot TO kill-as
distinguished from the criminal classes.
admittedly inoonvenient as neighbors
and visiting acquaintances-are happily.
becoming fewer and fewer. Their final
going will not be the occasion Of very
much regret
Yet no one of US can wi hhold q
certain admiration of the spirit which
has burned within the bosom CT this
old lion OF White Hall. even as we are
bound to confess a certain irresistible
awe in his majestic presence. Who shall
fathom the depths of that overpOwering
personality, that bottomless abyss q
transcendent QuiXotism Henry Wat
terson in the Louisville Courier Jour
nal