Life of Henry Clay, the statesman and the patriot : containing numerous anecdotes ; with illustrations . him to those most likely to be of benefitto him. One evening, as the debate was about toclose, Mr. Clay remarked to those who sat nearhim, that ^he did not think the subject had beenexhausted. The observation was overheard, andby universal consent, Mr. Clay was called uponto speak. He had never spoken in Lexington,and probably never in Richmond, except in thedebating club there; and the call of his friendscaused him no small feeling of embarrassment. Mr. Clay will speak! said one or two mem
Life of Henry Clay, the statesman and the patriot : containing numerous anecdotes ; with illustrations . him to those most likely to be of benefitto him. One evening, as the debate was about toclose, Mr. Clay remarked to those who sat nearhim, that ^he did not think the subject had beenexhausted. The observation was overheard, andby universal consent, Mr. Clay was called uponto speak. He had never spoken in Lexington,and probably never in Richmond, except in thedebating club there; and the call of his friendscaused him no small feeling of embarrassment. Mr. Clay will speak! said one or two membersto the chairman; and as he had hinted that thereremained something y^i to say, he was placed ina dilemma from which he could only escape bysaying it. The chairman nodded to the newmember — all eyes were turned upon him in ex-pectation, and all voices were hushed as he rose.^Gentlemen of the jury—Mr. Clay commenced,and ashamed of his ludicrous error, could notproceed. But the politeness of the chairman,and the courtesy of the members, who withheldeven the pardonable mirth which such a mistake. THE DEBATING SOCIETY. HENRY CLAY, 33 might well occasion, reassured him. But hebegan again Gentlemen of the jury—and yetagain made the same inappropriate commence*ment. As he must now speak, having risen, hepersevered, and convinced his hearers that thesubject was not, indeed, yet exhausted. Manywho heard him that night, and others who heardof the awkward commencement of a brilliantspeech, were in the habit, while they lived, ofcontrasting this maiden effort with the uncon-strained and brilliant speeches which afterwardfell from Henry Clay, the finished orator and ablestatesman. This first speech in Lexington, notwithstandingits awkward commencement, must have been avery striking performance, and no doubt didmuch in opening Mr. Clays path to the practiceof his profession. One of the gentlemen w^hoheard it, was in the habit of declaring that thedebating club speech was the best th
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookpublis, booksubjectstatesmen
