HENRY CLAY.

THIS celebrated orator and statesman was the seventh child of the Reverend John Clay, a worthy divine of the Baptist persuasion, and Elizabeth, his wife. He was born on the twelfth of April, 1777, in a district commonly called the "Slashes," in Hanover County, Virginia. The death of his father in 1781, consigned him entirely to the care of his mother, who was rendered incapable of giving her children more than a common education, by the embarrassed condition in which her husband's estate was left. This circumstance, which compelled her to rely on her children to assist in the support of the family, did not prevent their receiving the benefits of the parish school. Young Henry was placed under the tuition of one Peter Deacon, with whom he acquired the rudiments of the English branches, and progressed in his arithmetic "as far as Practice"-to use his own words. He remained at home until he reached his fourteenth year, devoting himself, with his brothers, principally to the labors of the farm. It was during this period of his life that he won the title of The Mill boy of the Slashes.*

In 1791, he entered as a clerk in the drug store of Mr. Richard Denny, at Richmond, in his native State, but remained there only a short time. During the next year his mother was married to Mr. Henry Watkins, and removed to Woodford County, Kentucky, taking with her all her children except Henry and his eldest brother. Previous to this change of residence, Henry, through the instrumentality of his step-father, was placed in the office of Mr. Peter Tinsley, the clerk of the high court of chancery in Virginia, which position he found more congenial to his tastes and inclinations. Here he became acquainted with the celebrated Chancellor Wythe; by his steady and industrious habits soon attracted his attention, and finally became his amanuensis. In the employment now given him, of recording the decisions of the chancellor, and performing the various duties of a private secretary, he obtained much legal and general information, and acquired those habits of regularity and methodical application, which were of so much value to him in his subsequent career. After spending five years in the double service of clerk to Mr. Tinsley and amanuensis to the venerable Chancellor Wythe, he entered as a student at law, in the office of Robert Brooke, at that time attorney-general. The advantages of perfecting himself in the profession he had chosen, now became much better than he had heretofore enjoyed, and the assiduity with which he embraced them, showed how highly he appreciated their benefits. In 1797, after one year of study, he was licensed to practise, by the judges of the Virginia Court of Appeals. During the fall of the same year he removed to Lexington, Kentucky, and there established himself; "without patrons," said he, in reviewing this portion of his life, "without the favor or countenance of the great or opulent, without the means of paying my weekly board, and in the midst of a bar uncommonly distinguished by eminent members. I remember how comfortable I thought I should be," he continued, "if I

*This sobriquet had its origin in the filial and fraternal duty of Mr. Clay, who, after he was large enough, was seen whenever the meal-barrel was low, going to and fro on the road between his mother's house and Mrs. Darricott's mill on the Pamunkey river, mounted on a bag that was thrown across a pony that was guided by a rope bridle; and thus he became familiarly known, by the people living on the line of his travel, as The millboy of the slashes.-Colton's Life and Times of Clay, vol. 1, page 19.

could make one hundred pounds, Virginia money, per year, and with what delight I received the first fifteen shilling fee. My hopes were more than realized. I immediately rushed into a successful and lucrative practice." * An incident of this period of his life, which is considered as the occasion of the earliest development of his powers of eloquence and reasoning has been recorded by his numerous biographers; and deserves notice here. At Lexington he had been a member of a debating society some time, but refrained from taking an active part in its exercises, from a modesty inherent in his disposition. At one of the meetings of the society, a question had been discussed at considerable length, and apparently with much ability, on which the customary vote was about to be taken, when he observed in an under tone to a person seated by him, "the subject does not seem to be exhausted." The individual exclaimed, "do not put the question yet, Mr. Clay will speak." The chairman, by a smile and a nod of the head, signified his willingness to allow the discussion to be continued by him, who thereupon arose under every appearance of trepidation and embarrassment. The first words that fell from his lips were "Gentlemen of the jury." His embarrassment was now extreme; blushing, hesitating, and stammering, he repeated the words, "Gentlemen of the Jury." The audience evinced genuine politeness and good breeding, by seeming not to notice his unpleasant and trying position. Suddenly regaining his self-possession, he made a speech of such force and eloquence, as to carry conviction and astonishment at once to the hearts of his hearers. Subsequently he took a prominent part in the debates of the society, and became one of its most efficient members.

Mr. Clay continued the practice of law with increasing reputation. His success, especially in criminal causes, was almost unparalleled. In 1803 he was chosen a member of the Kentucky Legislature, in which body he served until his election to the Senate of the United States in 1806. Here he remained one year, at the expiration of which he returned to Kentucky and was immediately re-elected to the Legislature of that State. His career in that assembly is well described by one who was intimately acquainted with him. "He appears to have been the pervading spirit of the whole body. He never came to the debates without the knowledge necessary to the perfect elucidation of his subject, and he always had the power of making his knowledge so practical, and lighting it up so brightly with the fire of eloquence, and the living soul of intellect, that without resorting to the arts of insidiousness, he could generally control the movements of the Legislature at will. His was not an undue influence; it was the simple ascendency of mind over mind. The measures which originated with him, instead of being characterized by the eccentricities and ambitious innovations which are too visible in the course of young men of genius suddenly elevated to power and influence, were remarkable only for their plain common sense, and their tendency to advance the substantial interests of the State. Though he carried his plans into effect by the aid of the magical incantations of the orator, he always conceived them with the coolness and discretion of a philosopher. No subject was so great as to baffle his powers, none so minute as to elude them. He could handle the telescope and the microscope with equal skill. In him the haughty demagogues of the Legislature found an antagonist who never failed to foil them in their bold projects, and the intriguers of lower degree were baffled with equal certainty whenever they attempted to get any petty measure through the House for their own personal gratification or that of their friends. The people, therefore, justly regarded him as emphatically their own.t

In December, 1809, having been elected by the legislature, Mr. Clay again took his seat in the Senate. On the sixth of the following April, he avowed himself in favor of the policy of encouragement to domestic manufactures, in a powerful speech. Thus early did he become identified with those measures which were afterwards known as the American System. This seems to be the only speech he made during that session. His speeches on the Line of the Perdido, and the Augmentation of Military Force, which are regarded as among his most finished specimens of argumentative eloquence and logical reasoning, were delivered during the session of 1810-1811.

*See Mr. Clay's Speech at Lexington, June 6, 1842.

+ The Life and Speeches of Henry Clay, compiled and edited by Daniel Mallory, vol. 1, page 33.