CLAY, HENRY, an American states man; born in "The Slashes" district, Hanover co., Va., April 12, 1777. Becom ing a student of law, in his 21st year, he was admitted to the bar, and began prac, tice at Lexington, Ky. His success was signal and immediate. About 1804 he en tered politics, and in 1806 became United States Senator for a single year, to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Adair; and in 1811 was elected to, and chosen speaker of, the House of Representatives, remain ing in that post till 1814, when he was sent abroad as one of the commissioners to negotiate the treaty of peace with England at Ghent. On his return he was again sent to Congress, and re-elected to his old position as speaker. In 1824 he was a candidate for the Presidency against J. Q. Adams, General Jackson, and W. H. Crawford, and no choice being effected in the Electoral College, when the matter came up to the House of Representatives, Clay and his friends voted for Mr. Adams, thereby securing his election. During the entire period of the Adams administration, 1825-1829. Clay was Secretary of State. In 1831, he returned to the United States Senate, and became the leader of the opposition to General Jackson's government.
In 1832, he was again the candidate of his party for the Presidency, though with little chance of success, owing to the over whelming popularity of General Jackson, who was re-elected. In March, 1842, he resigned his seat in the Senate, and re tired into private life, till 1844, when he came forward a third time as a candidate for the Presidential chair. In one of the
most exciting political contests that ever occurred in the United States he was again defeated, but by a very small nu merical majority, obtained mainly through the influence of the administration—then in the hands of his political opponents— and the obstinacy of the so-called "liberty party." The immediate consequence of this defeat was the annexation of Texas, a measure to which he had given his strenuous opposition. This was virtually the termination of his public career, though, in 1849, he consented to resume his seat in the Senate, in view of the perilous contest which was then impend ing between the slave-holding party and its opponents, on the California and terri torial questions. He was the author of the celebrated "Compromise of 1850," as it was termed, by which, after a long and vehement struggle, this dispute was, for the time being, adjusted.
This was the third occasion in his i career in which, by giving the whole weight of his abilities and influence to an intermediate course between two ex tremes, he put an end to a violent con flict of opinion, which menaced the peace of the country, and the duration of the Union. On the question of slavery, he always favored moderate counsels, and a pacificatory policy. The excitement and exhaustion occasioned by this last great controversy gave the final blow to his already enfeebled constitution, and he died in Washington, June 29, 1852.