The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-06-30
CLEMENT c. CLAY
GIFT RECALLS THE MEMORY OF
DISTINGUISHED ALBANIAN.
MRS. Virginia Clay CloptOn Presents ia
tae State Library Portrait
OF Her Distinguished
Husband


The portrait gallery of the Supreme
Court library has been enriched by a
life sized crayon portrait of Senator
Clement claiborne Clay.
The portrait, splendidly framed. was
presented to Librarian Junius Riggs
for the library by Mrs. Virginia Clay
Clopton, the brilliant and distinguish
ed woman who was the wife of the
great Alabamian. She was a ISIS
Tunstall OF Baldwin county, and al Ter
the death of Senator Clay she married
Justice David Clopton.
The receipt of the portrait calls to
the memory OF twentieth century Ala
bama one OF the most distinguished
men that the State produced. His ia
Their before him. Clement Conner Clay,
was O member OF the United States
Senate and to the son the brilliant
Clement Claiborne Lay was accorded
the homer of an election to the same
great body of law makers.
Senator Clay was a member OF the
United States Senate when Alabama
seeded from the union and with his
fellow Senator from Alabama, the Hon.
Benjamin Fitzpatrick, he left the Sem
ate to cast his fortune with his State.
Senator Clay's great speech on tAat
occasion has become almost q classic
in the South. He was a trusted dipio-
matte agent of the Confederacy during
the war 1t was given to him, too.
after the trials OF the war to share the
imprisonment of President Jefferson
Davis at fortress Monroe.
The life of Senator Clay is outlined
in tn following sketchi
Clement Claiborne Clay. a statesman
and citizen of national reputation,
was a native and a life long resident of
Madison county, and son of Clement
Conner Clay, sometime Governor and
Senator from Alabama. He was born
Dec. 1917, and was graduated at the
University of Alabama in 1884. He
read law at the University OF Virginia
and was licensed to practice in 1870.
He began the practice of law at Hunts
VILE, but soon turned his attention to
public questions and entered the gen.
eral assembly in 1912. In 1874 and Io45
he was again elected to that body, ana
by It elected Judge of the county court
IN 1846. This office he resigned two
years after and resumed the practice
of his profession. In 1853 he was a
candidate for the lower house OF Con-
gress but was defeated by Hon. w. r. W..
Cobb of jackson. When the Legislature
met that winter. his party in that body
nominated him for a seat In the United
States Senate over several distinguish
ed members of the party and he was
elected for term OF six yars. to sue
coed Col Clemens, receiving IS votes.
to 81 for Hon. r. w. Walker. He at
once took his seat in the federal SEN
ate. where he remained nine years. He
was reelected in 1859. receiving every
vote cast When Alabama dissolved
her relations with the federal union,
he withdrew with his colleagues. The
LEGISLATURE OF 1851 elected him a Sem
ator in the First Confederate Congress.
| the vote standing Sc for him to SO for
| Col. Watts OF Montgomery. and for
George P. Beirne, Esq. In this ca
| pacity Judge Clay was unremitting In
! his efforts for the Southern cause. He
served two years and went before the
general ASSEMBLY, of 1868 for re- election.
he was opposed by Col. Seibels of
| Montgomery, and ]. L. NJ. Curry of Tai
IadA1a. and after several baIlotinR,
Withdrew in favor of Hon. r. w. Wal
ker. who was chosen. In April, 1854,
he departed on a secret and confden-
tia1 mission to the British provinces Of
| this continent, and only returned in
| January. 1865.
= when the surrender of the Confeu-
crate armies in Virginia and North
| Carolina, took place, he started on
/ hOFgRhack TOT 1SAdSs Jul NHdA
he was charged with completely, in the
murder of President Lincoln and that
a reward was offered for his appre-
hension, he rode $50 miles to surren-
DIR himself to the federal authorities
at Macon, Ga. -.
Instead of appreciating this manly
v:7dication of his honor. the federal
authorities immured him in the case
mates of Fortress Monroe and retain
ed him there twelve months without
bringing him to trial on the false
charges OF treason and assassination.
He was cruelty and disgracefully
treated and released in broken health.
After that time he was a planter in
Jackson county. VIII ere he-died a num-
Der Of years ago.
Judge Clay was of ordinary height
and fran and thin appearance
His features were OF the refined and
intellectual mold. his eyes brown with
a meditative expression.
HIS manner was easy without corr