Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/269

 CLAY

CLAY

from making reprisals upon French property because of the non-payment by that government of indemnity due the United States; and em- ployed every means to restrict the removals from office for political reasons and to repeal the Presi- dential tenure of office act. In the 24th congress he favored the reception of anti-slavery petitions against the exclusion of anti-slavery literature from the mails, but opposed the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. He was chairman of the committee on foreign affairs, and when Texas applied for admission as a state he delayed action. The 2r)tli congress met in extra session, Sept. 4, 1837, to provide some relief to the country from the existing financial crisis, and upon the introdviction of President Van Bu- ren's sub-treasury jjlan Mr. Clay opposed it as calculated to '' unite the power of the purse with the power of the sword," and urged the restora- tion of the United States bank. He succeeded in putting off the adoption of the measure for three sessions. In 1840 he was disappointed at not re- ceiving the nomination to the presidency and upon the election of General Harrison he declined the portfolio of state. Upon the accession of John Tyler to the presidency Clay opposed his admin- istration, and in tJie 27th congress secured the repeal of the sub-treasury act and caused to be passed two bills providing for the incorporation of a new United States bank, which were vetoed by the President. He offered three amendments to the constitution, one limiting the veto power of the President, another providing for the ap- pointment of the secretary of the treasury and the U.S. treasurer by congress, and a third for- bidding the appointment of members of congress, when in office, to executive positions. On March 31, 1842, he resigned his seat in the senate, eleven months before the end of his term, and was suc- ceeded by John J. Crittenden. He at once made a tour of the states and was received by his ad- mirers with great enthusiasm. His appearance before the people and his eloquent speeches won for him the Whig nomination in 1844. He had written a letter declaring his opposition to the admission of Texas, and the Democratic party, in nominating James K. Polk, made tlie Texas ques- tion an issue. This brought from Mr. Clay another letter stating that he had no personal objection to its admission, but New York refused her support and Clay was again defeated, receiv- ing 105 electoral votes to 170 for Polk. His favorite son had been killed in the war with Mexico, falling at Buena Vista, and this, added to financial troubles, greatly embittered his life. Mr. Clay had previously warned the country against the danger of giving place to the ambition of conquest, and now declared that the war had been waged only to fix the boundaries of Texas,

and not to acquire foreign territory for the pur- pose of the propagation of slavery. In 1848 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Whig nomination and his disappointment prevented his taking any part in the campaign. In December, 1848, he was unanimously re-elected to the U.S. senate and took his seat, Dec. 3, 1849. He recommended to the state convention, which met to amend the constitution of Kentucky, a provision for the gradual emancipation of the slaves. On Jan. 29, 1850, Senator Clay proposed his " comprehensive scheme of com- promise," which resulted in the compromise of 1850. This gave him renown as a states- man and for a time restored quiet to the country, but it failed to satisfy the demands of the radicals, north or south. To make the measure more effective, forty-four senators and representatives, led by Senator Clay, issued a manifesto in January, 1851, declaring that they would not support any man for political office who would not pledge himself against disturbing the matters settled by the compromise. In Feb- ruary, 1851, the capture of Burns, the fugitive slave, in Boston, called from Mr. Clay a proposi- tion to confer upon the President extraordinary powers in order that the fugitive slave law could be enforced. After the adjournment of the 31st congress, Mr. Clay's health began to fail. He journeyed to Cuba and on his return to Ashland impoi-tuned his friends not to present his name as a presidential candidate at the coming con- vention. He went to Washington to take his seat in the senate, Dec. 1, 1851, but his illness prevented and only once during the session of the 32d congress was he in his seat, and then only for a short time. He received Kossuth in his room and made a short speech to the patriot. Before his death he learned that both great politi- cal parties had accepted at their national conven- tions in 1852, his compromise measure of 1850 as the final settlement of the slavery question. George D. Prentice wrote a " Life of Henry Clay " (1831). His speeches were collected and pviblished by R. Chambers in 1842. James B. Swain published " Life and Speeches of Henry Clay" (1843); Epes Sai-genfs "Life of Henry Clay," published in 1843, was edited and com- pleted by Horace Greeley in 1852; D. Mallery wrote " Life and Speeches of Henry Clay," 1844: new edition 1857; the Rev. Calvin Colton pre- pared " Life and Times of Henry Claj', " published in six volumes and including his speeches and correspondence (1846-57). This work was revised in 1864. His name was given a i^lace in the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, in October, 1900, in Class M, with John Adams, Fi-anklin, Jeffer- son, Lincoln, Washington and Webster. He died in Washington, D.C., June 29, 1853.