of the Slashes." In 1792, his mother was married to Mr. Henry Watkins, and removed to Woodford county, Kentucky, with all her children, except Henry and his eldest brother. At the age of fourteen, we find him in a small drug store, kept by Richard Denny, in Richmond, Virginia. Soon after this, he entered the office of Peter Tinsley, clerk of the High Court of Chancery.

The venerable Chancellor Wythe, a gentleman of great worth and profound learning, attracted by his habits and appearance, gave him the benefit of his instructions, and made him his amanuensis. In 1796, he left the office of Mr. Tinsley, and went to reside with Bobert Brooke, Esq., attorney-general of Virginia. He now, with great success, availed himself of the opportunity to prosecute the study of law to greater advantage than before. Near the close of 1797, he was licensed to practice at the bar by the judges of the Virginia Court of Appeals. His talents, acquirements, and eloquence soon placed him in the first rank as an advocate, and procured for him continual professional employment. By the qualities

of his mind and heart, he was well fitted to conduct criminal cases; and it is justly regarded as a remarkable fact that, although many of these were intrusted to his care, he was never in a single instance defeated. One remarkable example may be cited in proof of his wonderful abilities. Two Germans, father and son, were indicted for murder, and were tried in Harrison county. The act of killing was proved by clear and strong evidence; and it was not only considered a case of murder, but a very aggravated one. The trial continued five days, at the close of which he addressed the jury in the most eloquent and impassioned manner. They were so touched by his pathetic appeals that they gave a verdict of manslaughter only. After another hard day's struggle, he procured an arrest of judgment, by which his clients were set at liberty. They expressed their gratitude to their deliverer in the most glowing terms; but an old ill-favoured woman, the wife of one of them, and mother of the other, returned her thanks in a different manner. Throwing her arms around Mr. Clay's neck, she repeatedly kissed him in the presence of the court and spectators. "Respecting her feelings," says one of his best biographers, "he did not attempt to repulse her, but submitted to her caresses with such grace and dignity as to elicit outbursts of applause."

HE career of Mr. Clay as a politician commenced as

far back as 1797. His early efforts in this new field sufficiently evince his philanthropy and patriotism. Though slavery, in Kentucky, assumed its mildest form, yet to his eyes it was a monster that "to be hated needs but to be seen." Its civil and social

tendencies he regarded as decidedly bad.

that frantic enthusiasm and misguided zeal

Without any of which are sure

to defeat their own objects, he laboured assiduously for its gradual abolition. He sought, by his feeling and eloquent descriptions, and by every other suitable means, to secure the introduction of a provision for that purpose into the new constitution then under consideration for adoption. He was always a lover of liberty. The odious Alien and Sedition Laws, enacted in 1798 and 1799, found in him one of their most formidable opponents. On one occasion, the people had assembled in a grove near Lexington to listen to a debate between the friends and enemies of these laws. They were first addressed by Mr. George Nicholas, an opponent of

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the laws, in a vigorous, logical, and effective speech, by which the people were wound up to the highest degree of enthusiasm. The speech of Mr. Clay, who followed him, seems to have been a most wonderful example of all the higher attributes of eloquence. Mr. William Murray next addressed the people in favour of the laws; but without effect, so clearly had their evil tendency been exposed by Mr. Clay. He would not have been allowed to proceed, had not the speakers before him urgently asked for permission. When another reply was attempted, the people could be restrained no longer. They rush furiously towards the place occupied by the speaker, who is compelled to retreat in haste to save himself from personal violence. Seizing Clay and Nicholas, they bear them upon their shoulders to a carriage, and, with enthusiastic cheers, draw them through the streets of Lexington.

R. CLAY'S love of liberty was again evinced, at a later period, by his efforts in behalf of struggling Greece, and still later by the interest which he took in the cause of South American independence. A bill prohibiting "our citizens to sell vessels of war to subjects of a foreign power," was opposed by him because, however disguised, it would be understood by the world as a law to discountenance any aid being given to the South American patriots. His speeches were often read at the head of the South American armies, and always served to increase the zeal and courage of the soldiers.

About the beginning of the year 1810, his attention was turned to the subject of domestic manufactures. From that time, he continued to advocate the doctrine that encouragement and protection should be extended by the general government to American industry, and if not the sole framer, was ever regarded as the father, and as the ablest champion of what is called the American System.

The Eleventh Congress commenced its session on the 3d of December, 1810. When the subject of rechartering the United States Bank was brought forward for discussion, Mr. Clay was opposed to a recharter of that institution. The dangerous tendency, as well as unconstitutionality of the measure, were shown by him in the most lucid and convincing manner. His powerful arguments prevailed, and the charter was not renewed.