Randolph on account of some strong remarks in the House of Repre sentatives : happily neither of the combatants was injured. Clay had many years before, when speaker of the Kentucky House of Assembly challenged and fought a political opponent who had expressed himself with too much freedom in a debate.
On the election of General Jackson in 1829, Clay retired for awhile into private life, but in 1S31 he was elected to the United States senate. In 1833 Clay was again an unsuccessful candidate for the presidency. He had now to renew the struggle for his protective tariff. The entire subject was reopened, and the country was agitated from end to end. South and north were almost in open conflict. At length Clay brought forth his ' Compromise bill :' it was accepted by both parties, and modified protection to national interests became the established law of the United States. His subsequent tour through the middle and eastern states was a continued triumph. Passed over at the presidential election of 1836, at that of 1839 his claims were again put forward ; but though his party was now in the ascendancy, at their convention he was set aside by them for General Harrison, who was accordingly elected. Clay remained a member of the senate till 1842, when, finding that his strength was insufficient to sustain I im in his arduous course of self-imposed labour, and vexed at President Tyler successively vetoing measures which he had succeeded in persuading Congress to adopt, he took a formal leave of the setae of his prolonged labours and triumphs in a speech which produced n powerful impression on the senate sod on the country. It was gene rally felt that the veteran statesman had scarcely been treated by his eonntrymers as his long and on the whole unquestionably popular course of public service deserved. It was acknowledged by his party that in their presidential conventions the honourable claims of their really great man had been pet aide, and the coveted honour bestowed on obscure mediocrity. 'Justice to Clay' was adopted as a rallying cry,
and in the election of 1811 he was put in nomination and supported by the full strength of his party. lint this time the majority was on the other ei he, and Polk was elected. Clay remained in retirement tall 1819, when he was again returned to the senate. To him was duo the famous slavery 'Compromise Act' of 1850, which for a brief space quieted the bitter strife which the question of slavery had enkindled in the union. Bat it only for the moment allayed the storm; and Clay lived long enough to perceive that as a permanent measure his project was a failure. lie had laboured beyond his strength in endeavouring to reconcile the irreconcilable, and now he longed only for rest But his was not to be a rest on earth. He resigned his office as senator, bnt before the day named for his resignation to take effect, he had ceased to live. lie died Juno 29, 1852, aged seventy five. lie was buried with unusual pomp. In the Chief towns of Kentucky every external honour was paid to his memory. At New York business was suspended in the city, the shops were closed, and the shipping carried their flags haltmast high during the day. Henry Clay was undoubtedly a man of powerful intellect, but ho will hardly retain the rank which his contemporaries too readily assigned him. lie was wanting in comprehensiveness. His views were at beat too strictly national, and, as in the case of the protective tariff, and in his general foreign policy, he too readily took for granted that what seemed togive an advantage to his countrymen was really for their benefit in the large view of things. As an advocate he had few rivals; his legal learning was but small. Clay was in a word a thoroughly able politician ; he is not likely to take permanent rank among the great statesmen of America.