The of the Read books when other boys played THE THREE GREATEST STATESMEN OF THE HENRY CLAY, THE FOUNDER OF THE WHIG PARTY AND 150. The Rise of Henry Clay. Henry Clay was born in Virginia in the year of Burgoyne's surrender (1777). His father was a Baptist preacher, with a fine voice and a graceful way of speaking. He died when Henry was four years old. Little Henry lived near the "Slashes," the name given to a low, flat region, and went to school in a log cabin. When not at school he worked on the farm, helping to do his share in support of the family. He could be seen walking barefooted behind the plow, or riding the horse with a rope bridle to mill. From this he was called the "Mill boy of the Slashes." Henry was a raw-boned and awkward lad. The other boys laughed at him, but he read books when not at work, and soon could speak far better than the boys who made fun of him. THE MILL BOY OF THE SLASHES' At fourteen he was a clerk in a store. But he seemed made for other things. He was put in the office of a famous lawyer who was clerk in one of Virginia's courts. The Chancellor of Virginia, a great judge, liked him and took him to be his private secretary. For four years Clay wrote down the judge's law decisions. The great man often talked with Clay on important subjects and advised him about the kind of books to read. After studying law for a year, Clay began to practice in Richmond. He had plenty of time, so he formed a debating club, in which he was easily the leader. Finally he made HENRY CLAY IN CONGRESS up his mind to go Urging war in 1811, with England or France or even both to Lexington, Ken if necessary tucky, and try his fortune in the West. There his rise in the law was rapid. His fame grew, and he became known as the lawyer who seldom lost a case. He married a well-to-do young lady and lived near Lexington on a beautiful estate called Ashland. Leader in a debating club slavery Favors Henry Clay's first work in politics was to favor the gradual gradual abolition of slavery in Kentucky. Although abolition beaten, he was always proud of his stand on this question. of When too young, according to the Constitution, to take his seat, he was made a senator of the United States. But nobody called the attention of the Senate to his age. After his term as senator was out he was elected to be a to the legislature of Kentucky, and was immediately senator made Speaker. Born during the Revolution, Henry Clay, like most Americans of his time, grew up with hatred toward England Too young Speaker in his heart. He was sent to Congress in 1811, and was spirit. "On to Canada!" was his cry. But the capThe War ture of Canada was not so easy. Many generals failed, and only Harrison and Perry made much headway in defeating the British in Canada. of 1812 The Ghent When the time for peace came President Madison sent Henry Clay and other noted Americans to Ghent, in Treaty of Belgium, to meet the British agents. After many months of talking and disputing, they finally agreed on a treaty. This treaty has since been called the "Treaty of Ghent." Great Britain and America were both glad that peace had come. flict over Missouri From 1819 to 1821 Congress was debating over the admission of Missouri as a slave state. The North op-. The con- posed, and the South favored, the admission of Missouri. The excitement spread to the state legislatures and to the people. Many meetings were held. Resolutions strongly favoring, or strongly opposing, the admission of Missouri as a slave state, were drawn up and voted upon. The Wise men thought the Union was in danger and Henry Clay, by his eloquence, succeeded in getting Congress Compro- to pass the famous Missouri Compromise. This resolution provided that Missouri should be admitted as a slave state, but that no other slave state north of the mise line of 36 degrees 30 minutes should ever be admitted. Both sides were pleased and the excitement died out. We have seen how South Carolina threatened to refuse to pay the tariff in 1832, and how President Jackson hurried the army and the navy there to make her people pay it, as the people of the other states were obliged to do. Tariff Henry Clay came forward again and introduced the The ComCompromise Tariff Law. It was called a compromise promise because it gave each side a part of what it wished. Cal- Law houn and other Carolinians favored it, because by this law the tariff was reduced very greatly. It was carried through Congress. The law made unnecessary the warlike preparations of both the president and South Henry Carolina, and again Henry Clay was hailed by the people as "pacificator" or peacemaker. Clay as a peace maker 151. Henry Clay the Founder of the Whig Party. again But Henry Clay was not only a peacemaker. He was now a great statesman, and like Hamilton and Jefferson he led in forming a part of the people into a political party. It was called the Whig party. In 1824, before there was a Whig party, Clay ran for president, but was beaten. Again in 1832, just as the new party was being formed, he ran a second time. Although he was beaten for the presidency by Andrew Jackson, he was the life and soul HENRY CLAY From a daguerreotype owned by Garrett Brown, Jr., Chicago The founder of the Whig party Unfor tunate Henry Clay Dispute over the new ter ritory Retires to A unanimous call of his party. It was his eloquence, the music of his words, that made men Whigs. On one occasion Clay spoke on the question of the abolition of slavery. Some one said that this might hurt his chances of being president. Clay replied: "I had rather be right than be president." Finally, in 1844, he was again the Whig candidate, but he was defeated for the third time. When the Whig party had a good chance of electing a president, they nominated somebody else. When they had a poor chance they nominated Henry Clay! War with Mexico had come, and with it a great victory for the American army. The treaty of peace with Mexico, in 1848, gave the United States all the territory then known as Alta (Upper) California and New Mexico. But the North and South disputed over this territory. The North said it must be free. The South said it must be open to slavery. The quarrel grew so bitter that many men thought the Union would be destroyed. Henry Clay was now an old man. He had left the Senate, and had gone home to his beloved Ashland for a few years of rest before the final summons. 152. The Aged Peacemaker Returns to the Senate. Kentucky was greatly excited by the threats of disunion. Her legislature sent Clay back to the United States Senate by a unanimous call, Democrats as well as Whigs joining in the vote. It was a proud moment for the old man. Now in the Senate, he offered the Compromise of 1850. This bill contained a number of points in favor of the slave states, and a number in favor of the free states. One day Clay made a great speech in favor of his |