The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-09-12
Local Club to Mark Site of
Historic Clash Here in 1912
Plans Under Way Put Up Tablet Where Henry Clay De
lvered Fiery Speech in Answer to Petition
of Local Friends Committee

site of the famous Clay-Mendenhall
episode of 1912 recalls TO the mind OF
residents OF this city historic event
that had considerable effect in shap-
ing the policies of the political parties
of that day.
Hiram Mendenhall, a Randolph
county farmer, and distinguished by
his uncompromising devotion to prin-
cip!e. was a member of an abolition
committee sent TO present petition
TO Clay, asking that he free the slaves
owned by him.
Eliza D. H. Mendenhall, of q North
West Seventh street. Richmond, has
written a history of the episode which
covers the entire happening thorough
ly. Her father, DR.. Edwin Hadley,
was a first cousin of Hiram Men
denhall
MendenhalI's Biography
OF Hiram Mendenhall she writes: :.
Hiram Mendenhall was a man OF
only ordinary education but with good
ly presence and strong convictions.
He was defeated in 1893 in his nomin-
alton for the state legislature by a
rumor declaring that he had signed a
petition praying that "the negro popu-
lation be granted the right of suffrage,
and we have in our possession a copy
of The Palladium of Aug %, 1888, IN
which he personally denies this report
declaring that first they must be pre-
pared for the ballot by education"
Car, Scijurz has called Mendenhall
Y peasant farmer" and he was far
liner whose ancestors had their plough
lands taxed in the Doomesday Books OF
the Conqueror He served his sense
of justice as truly in homespun as his
ancestors ever did in armor.
The True Republican of Feb. 20,
1852, says concerning Hiram Menden-
hall:
"Hls name will go down in history
with Henry Clay in this affair.
"He was leading citizen of Ran
dolph county, man of radical views
generally, honest and pnilanthropic
but distinguished above all by his in.
domitable and uncompromising devo
ton TO principle-the very opposite OF
Henry Clay the great compromtser."
clay's Opinion
Henry Clay, ''the great compromis
err" declared the Abolitionist served
only to fasten the evil of slavery more
firmly upon the south.
Meeting in open convention at New
Port, the Indiana State Anti-Slavery
society named Daniel Worth, Peter
Croker, H. H. Way and Israel French
TO present a petition to Henry Clay al
the time of his visit to Richmond, cali
ing on him to liberate his slaves. The
committee drafting this petition was to
require reasons from Clay if he re
fused to accede to their demands.
Wing circles looked upon these
resolutions by the society as breach
of hostility" and an insult to Clay. Of
temper of the people at this time Eliza
Mendenhall writes:
The Anti-Slavery Chronicle of Sept
"a, 1912, said: I'VE hear there are
great threats of violence, if the com
mittee should attempt to present this
petition" And the newspapers warned
the anti-slavery people and discourag
ed these disgraceful threats" as i
termed them in an issue of the same
|ofate. ,,.,o,.,,.. .,,,r.n.
There was a muttering of "discon
tent and defiance" even in good ole
Wavne said the chief Whig paper
The spirit was preparing there thai
would have silenced a Whittier and 6
HARRISON SdlLC JPN a.
that mobbed Charles Sumner on the
streets of Boston and martyred &
Lovejoy.
Irwin Reed, DR.. James Mendenhall
fHiram Mendenhalrs uncle) and
James Raridan, member of congress
drove in a barouche to New Paris
where they met Clay and his delega
ton coming on horseback from Dayton
ooh Ia h cyh n q U
were an unknown quantity at tina
time.
During his stay in this city, Cha!
was a guest at the old Nixon house
afterwards known as the Huntington
on the corner of Seventh and MAR
streets. The great speech" was de
livered where st. Mary's Communit.
House now stands.
Send Note to Clay.
The abolition committee wishing Il
learn when Clay would receive them
sent him the following note:
1--WE, who are appointed COMMITTEES
by a large convention of people II
present to Henry Clay petition
signed by nearly two thousand citizen!
of Indiana respectfully ask him to com
municate the hour that such an inter
view would be most convenient"
Signed by Daniel Worth, Pete
Croker, Hiram Mendenhall and Sam
uel Mitchell The last two name
| were substituted by the committee in
|Atead of H H. Way and Israel French
>Tho we're absent.
Hiram Mendenhall, accompanied b,
Samuel Mitchell, handed the note t
Irwin Reed, one of the Clay committe
and they were informed after SOM
consultation that the petition could no
he received until Sunday morning a
his lodgings.
The plan was changed, however
This was due TO Raridan, who said
Let them present their petition" thel
turning to Clay. then give Their
hell"
Mendenhall Volunteers.
The Abolition committee, which ha
disbanded in the meantime hurriedl
got together. and seeing it would b
difficult to reach the speakers stan,
because of the CROWDS temper, calle
for a volunteer II was at this poin
that Hiram Mendenhall came to tn
front He said:
i slowly made my way to the stand
amid shouts and curses such as dam,
| him. Kill him. Shoot HIM"
Raridan took the petition from
Mendernall and read il in lou