Statesmen . the Presi-dency by James K. Polk, in 1844, the grief of hisfollowers was so great that in those portions ofthe country where his vote was strongest onewould have supposed a great national calamityhad settled upon the people. Abraham Lincolnwas one of those who idolized Clay, and he neverforgot the profound sorrow that overwhelmedhim when, to their utter amazement, he and hisneighbors learned that Henry Clay was defeatedfor the Presidency. Such was the turbulence of Clays politicalcareer that those who are old enough to recalleven the traditions of his memorable contests in-variably
Statesmen . the Presi-dency by James K. Polk, in 1844, the grief of hisfollowers was so great that in those portions ofthe country where his vote was strongest onewould have supposed a great national calamityhad settled upon the people. Abraham Lincolnwas one of those who idolized Clay, and he neverforgot the profound sorrow that overwhelmedhim when, to their utter amazement, he and hisneighbors learned that Henry Clay was defeatedfor the Presidency. Such was the turbulence of Clays politicalcareer that those who are old enough to recalleven the traditions of his memorable contests in-variably remember two grave charges that werefreely bandied during his political was held up to public execration, especiallyin the North, as a duellist and a gambler. His firstexperience in the duello was provoked by theinsulting conduct of Colonel Joseph HamiltonDaviess, one of the magnates of Kentucky, whowas then District Attorney of the United the course of a suit in which Clay defended a. Henry Clay between Thirty and Forty.(Engraved by D. Nichols, from a miniature in possession of John M. Clay, Esq.) 20 STATESMEN man who had provoked the wrath of Daviess,Clay was notified by Daviess that he had betterdesist from his defence. Clay promptly repliedthat he would permit no one to dictate to him asto the performance of his duty and that he heldhimself responsible after the manner of thecode. Daviess sent Clay a challenge, which Claypromptly accepted. The hostile parties had ar-rived on the field of honor when friends in-terfered and brought about an amicable settle-ment without bloodshed. A more serious affairwas that with Humphrey Marshall, who de-nounced Clays first efforts in favor of a protec-tive tariff as the claptrap of a demagogue. Afierce altercation ensued, challenges were ex-changed, and the two men actually did meet onthe field of battle and both combatants wereslightly wounded before the seconds could inter-fere to prevent further mischief. But the
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