CLAY, HENRY ( 1777-1852 ) . An American statesman, known, from his skill in devising com promises, as the 'Great Pacificator.' He was born April 12, 1777, in a neighborhood called "flue Slashes,' in Hanover County, Va. His father, a Baptist clergyman in humble circumstances, died when Henry was only four years old; and his mother, who seems to have been a woman of forcible character, was left ill provided for. Mrs. Clay married again in a few years, and her second husband secured for Henry the position of clerk in a retail shop in This care ful stepfather, however, noting the brightness and promise of the lad, usod his influence in ob taining for him an appointment in the office of the clerk of the High Court of Chancery, where lie remained for four years. Here he attracted the notice of the Chancellor, George Wythe, and was employed him to copy documents. The intimate association with Chancellor Wythe was an important influence on ('lay's life and devel opment: for he had received almost no schooling. and he never studied regularly, save for one year in the office of Robert Brooke, then Attorney-Gen eral of Virginia. Clay was admitted to the bar at twenty, but he soon left Richmond, and sought the fuller opportunities of the West, at Lexing ton, Ky. Here his attractive personality and his skill as a speaker won him friends, and made him a leading jury-lawyer. It was not long before he turned his attention to politics, and when, in 1799, the revision of the Kentucky Con stitution was undertaken, Clay was found play ing an active and honorable part with the minor ity, and risking his personal prestige by his advocacy of the gradual abolition of slavery. This stand might have cost him dear, had he not soon afterwards been able by his eloquence to aid his State heartily in opposing the Alien and Sedition Laws. Tie married in 1799, rose steadily in his profession, and was elected to the State Legislature in 1803. In 1806, having been appointed to represent Kentucky for an unex pired term in the United States Senate, lie took from the first a conspicuous part in the pub lic business, bringing in a number of resolutions and sitting on several committees. His first speech—one on the bill for a bridge across the Potomac—indicates his future course as one of the most earnest advocates of the policy of internal improvements. Scarcely had he returned to Kentucky when lie was reelected to the State Legislature and made Speaker. It was at this time that, sharing the rapidly growing hostility toward England, and desiring to foster domestic manufactures, he introduced the resolution that all members of the Legislature should wear no clothing made in foreign countries—a proposal that Humphrey Marshall, a Federalist, stigma tized as the utterance of a demagogue. Angry
words were passed, a challenge followed, and in the duel that was fought both parties were slight ly wounded. In the winter of 1809-10 Clay was again sent to fill a vacancy in the Senate, where he continued to be the champion of the protection of home manufactures. When the question of chartering the 'United States Bank came up, Clay opposed the measure as corrupt and unconstitu tional; and his remarks on this occasion were treasured up to be used with great effect against him when, in 1816, a revival of the matter made manifest an alteration in his views.
Entering the National House of Representatives in 1811, Clay was chosen Speaker as soon as he appeared, and as leader of the vigorous de mocracy sprung up since the Revolution, lie prac tically forced the war with England, speaking with rash confidence of the ease with Canada could be overrun by' his fellow Ken tuckians. He supported the war with all his eloquence, in and out of Congress, and was in con sequence 1:.11 OW11 as the 'War Hawk :' lie advocat ed an increase of the army, and aroused much enthusiasm for his measures. When the war seemed nearly a failure, lie was one of the com missioners to arrange terms, resigning the Speak ership in January, 1814. In spite of the disap pointment the war had brought to his hopes, lie contributed much to the success of the commission ers. who were far superior to the British represen tatives opposed to them, and who secured the best posaible terms in the Treaty of nein. He resist ed especially the British claim to the right of nav igating the Mississippi. On his return in 1815, Clay, as the leading war statesman, was royally welcomed. During his absence he had been re elected to the house of Representatives, and, de clining the offer of the mission to Russia, he took his seat and was chosen Speaker—an office which the later tender of a Cabinet place did not induce him to resign. The tariff of 1816, which was moderately protective, was urged by Clay, on the ground that certain industries must be built up for the nation's safety during war. This same year lie advocated the rechartering of the Na tional Bank to renew specie payments and to prevent further distress, and with Calhoun he helped to pass the bill for internal improvements vetoed by Madison. The Fifteenth Congress met December 1, 1817, and Clay was again elected Speaker. In this session he continued to assert the power of Congress to construct internal im provements, and lie pleaded earnestly for the recognition of the South American republics, a cause always dear to his warm heart.