=150. The Rise of Henry Clay.= Henry Clay was born in Virginia in the
year of Burgoyne's surrender (1777). His father was a Baptist preacher,
with a fine voice and a graceful way of speaking. He died when Henry
was four years old.
[Sidenote: =The "Mill boy of the Slashes"=]
Little Henry lived near the "Slashes," the name given to a low, flat
region, and went to school in a log cabin. When not at school he worked
on the farm, helping to do his share in support of the family. He could
be seen walking barefooted behind the plow, or riding the horse with
a rope bridle to mill. From this he was called the "Mill boy of the
Slashes."
[Sidenote: =Read books when other boys played=]
Henry was a raw-boned and awkward lad. The other boys laughed at him,
but he read books when not at work, and soon could speak far better
than the boys who made fun of him.
At fourteen he was a clerk in a store. But he seemed made for other
things. He was put in the office of a famous lawyer who was clerk in
one of Virginia's courts.
[Illustration: THE "MILL BOY OF THE SLASHES"]
The Chancellor of Virginia, a great judge, liked him and took him to be
his private secretary. For four years Clay wrote down the judge's law
decisions. The great man often talked with Clay on important subjects
and advised him about the kind of books to read.
[Sidenote: =Leader in a debating club=]
After studying law for a year, Clay began to practice in Richmond.
He had plenty of time, so he formed a debating club, in which he was
easily the leader.
[Illustration: HENRY CLAY IN CONGRESS
_Urging war in 1811, with England or France or even both if necessary_]
Finally he made up his mind to go to Lexington, Kentucky, and try his
fortune in the West. There his rise in the law was rapid. His fame
grew, and he became known as the lawyer who seldom lost a case.
He married a well-to-do young lady and lived near Lexington on a
beautiful estate called Ashland.
[Sidenote: =Favors gradual abolition of slavery=]
Henry Clay's first work in politics was to favor the gradual abolition
of slavery in Kentucky. Although beaten, he was always proud of his
stand on this question.
[Sidenote: =Too young to be a senator=]
When too young, according to the Constitution, to take his seat, he was
made a senator of the United States. But nobody called the attention of
the Senate to his age. After his term as senator was out he was elected
to the legislature of Kentucky, and was immediately made Speaker.
[Sidenote: =Speaker of the House of Representatives=]
Born during the Revolution, Henry Clay, like most Americans of his
time, grew up with hatred toward England in his heart. He was
sent to Congress in 1811, and was elected Speaker of the House of
Representatives. As Speaker, he did much to bring on a declaration of
war with Great Britain, in 1812.
[Illustration: INKSTAND USED BY HENRY CLAY]
[Sidenote: =The War of 1812=]
Clay made speeches in Congress and over the country, stirring up the
war spirit. "On to Canada!" was his cry. But the capture of Canada was
not so easy. Many generals failed, and only Harrison and Perry made
much headway in defeating the British in Canada.
[Sidenote: =The Treaty of Ghent=]
When the time for peace came President Madison sent Henry Clay and
other noted Americans to Ghent, in Belgium, to meet the British agents.
After many months of talking and disputing, they finally agreed on a
treaty. This treaty has since been called the "Treaty of Ghent." Great
Britain and America were both glad that peace had come.
[Sidenote: =The conflict over Missouri=]
From 1819 to 1821 Congress was debating over the admission of Missouri
as a slave state. The North opposed, and the South favored, the
admission of Missouri. The excitement spread to the state legislatures
and to the people. Many meetings were held. Resolutions strongly
favoring, or strongly opposing, the admission of Missouri as a slave
state, were drawn up and voted upon.
[Sidenote: =The Missouri Compromise=]
Wise men thought the Union was in danger and Henry Clay, by his
eloquence, succeeded in getting Congress to pass the famous Missouri
Compromise. This resolution provided that Missouri should be admitted
as a slave state, but that no other slave state north of the line of
36 degrees 30 minutes should ever be admitted. Both sides were pleased
and the excitement died out.
We have seen how South Carolina threatened to refuse to pay the tariff
in 1832, and how President Jackson hurried the army and the navy there
to make her people pay it, as the people of the other states were
obliged to do.
[Sidenote: =The Compromise Tariff Law=]
[Sidenote: =Henry Clay as a peacemaker again=]
Henry Clay came forward again and introduced the Compromise Tariff Law.
It was called a compromise because it gave each side a part of what it
wished. Calhoun and other Carolinians favored it, because by this law
the tariff was reduced very greatly. It was carried through Congress.
The law made unnecessary the warlike preparations of both the president
and South Carolina, and again Henry Clay was hailed by the people as
"pacificator" or peacemaker.
[Sidenote: =The founder of the Whig party=]
=151. Henry Clay the Founder of the Whig Party.= But Henry Clay was
not only a peacemaker. He was now a great statesman, and like Hamilton
and Jefferson he led in forming a part of the people into a political
party. It was called the Whig party.
[Illustration: HENRY CLAY
_From a daguerreotype owned by Garrett Brown, Jr., Chicago_]
In 1824, before there was a Whig party, Clay ran for president, but
was beaten. Again in 1832, just as the new party was being formed, he
ran a second time. Although he was beaten for the presidency by Andrew
Jackson, he was the life and soul of his party. It was his eloquence,
the music of his words, that made men Whigs.
On one occasion Clay spoke on the question of the abolition of slavery.
Some one said that this might hurt his chances of being president. Clay
replied: "I had rather be right than be president."
[Sidenote: =Unfortunate Henry Clay=]
Finally, in 1844, he was again the Whig candidate, but he was defeated
for the third time. When the Whig party had a good chance of electing
a president, they nominated somebody else. When they had a poor chance
they nominated Henry Clay!
[Sidenote: =Dispute over the new territory=]
War with Mexico had come, and with it a great victory for the American
army. The treaty of peace with Mexico, in 1848, gave the United States
all the territory then known as Alta (Upper) California and New Mexico.
But the North and South disputed over this territory. The North said it
must be free. The South said it must be open to slavery. The quarrel
grew so bitter that many men thought the Union would be destroyed.
[Sidenote: =Retires to Ashland=]
Henry Clay was now an old man. He had left the Senate, and had gone
home to his beloved Ashland for a few years of rest before the final
summons.
[Sidenote: =A unanimous call=]
=152. The Aged Peacemaker Returns to the Senate.= Kentucky was greatly
excited by the threats of disunion. Her legislature sent Clay back to
the United States Senate by a unanimous call, Democrats as well as
Whigs joining in the vote. It was a proud moment for the old man.
Now in the Senate, he offered the Compromise of 1850. This bill
contained a number of points in favor of the slave states, and a number
in favor of the free states.
[Sidenote: =Walks to the capitol on the arm of a friend=]
One day Clay made a great speech in favor of his Compromise. He had to
walk to the capitol that day on the arm of a friend. He was too weak to
climb the steps alone.
[Sidenote: =His audience=]
When he arose to speak, he saw before him an audience that had come
from distant parts of the nation to hear his thrilling words once more.
The people filled the Senate to overflowing. Outside they crowded the
corridors. When Clay arose the audience broke into applause, a strange
thing for the Senate to do. The people were not disappointed. For two
days the ringing words flowed on. Under the excitement he was young
again.
[Illustration: HENRY CLAY BEING CONGRATULATED
_In 1850 on his great plea before the Senate for the Federal Union_]
He pleaded with the North to give up some things for the love of the
Union; he pleaded with the South for peace. He told them that all the
territory the United States had purchased had been purchased for all of
them. "War and the dissolution of the Union are identical."
[Sidenote: =A remarkable scene=]
On the second day some one suggested that he rest, and the Senate
adjourn. But he refused; he might not be able to go on the next day.
After he had finished his speech, a great crowd rushed forward to
congratulate him. No such scene ever had been witnessed before in the
Senate.
[Sidenote: =The reunion of the Union=]
The debate went on. Now and then Clay took part in it. On one occasion
he said: "I believe from the bottom of my soul that this measure is the
reunion of the Union."
[Sidenote: ="This Union is my country"=]
On another occasion he said: "The honorable Senator speaks of Virginia
being my country. This Union is my country. But even if ... my own
state ... should raise the standard of disunion ... I would go against
her. I would go against Kentucky, much as I love her."
Congress finally passed the Compromise. Both political parties pledged
themselves to obey it. Public meetings in all parts of the nation
resolved to abide by it, and the country rested for a time from the
slavery question.
[Sidenote: =Died in Washington in 1852=]
Henry Clay's work was done. His body was worn out, but his mind still
clung to the Union. On June 29, 1852, Henry Clay died in Washington,
the place of so many of his triumphs.
A great monument at Lexington, Kentucky, testifies the people's love
for "Harry" Clay.