CASSIUS M. CLAY, "LION" - The Filson Historical Society

CASSIUS M. CLAY, "LION" OF WHITE HALL 

SOME UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF AND ABOUT 

EDITED BY CASSIUS M. CLAY 

Paris, Kentucky 

Part II 

There is here presented a further instalment of letters relating to 

Cassius M. Clay, known in his old age as the "Lion" of White Hall. 1 

I 

The letters published in the January, 1957, issue of The Filson Club 

History Quarterly show him an early convert to the anti-slavery cause, 

and how when his views on slavery precipitated a crisis in his political 

career, he determined not to retreat from his position, but freed his 

slaves and resolved to force into the open the discussion of the slavery 

question. To do this in Kentucky, a border state, in the 1840's meant 

constant threat of assassination. Though most of his immediate family 

and family connections were slaveholders and active in the Whig party 

then ascendant in the State, it also entailed social ostracism. The freeing 

of his slaves likewise touched off personal economic problems which 

were to plague him for many years. 

Though he had opposed the Mexican War, when once war had been 

declared by Congress he promptly volunteered for service, for the 

avowed reason that because of "the deep-seated fondness of Kentuckians 

for military glory" he hoped thereby so to strengthen himself 

"that he could (upon his return from the war) take the stump, where 

he could be an overmatch for his foes. ''2 He had previously held commissions 

in the State militia,a 

After the short-lived publication of his anti-slavery paper The True 

American in Lexington, Kentucky, it continued to be published for 

more than a year thereafter in Cincinnati, but with a Lexington dateline. 

The papers of his brother, Brutus J. Clay (1808-1879), throw light 

on the man's seriousness of purpose in the course he had set for himself. 

It was one which involved him not only in imminent peril of his life 

but into which he threw, with equal recklessness, his private means. 

When he liberated his slaves, it had been necessary for him to purchase, 

in order to bring families together, thirteen others, half of whom 

had never entered his service, at a cost of about ten thousand dollars.4 

Though he knew that The True American would be a losing business, 

he willingly made the sacrifice. These with other debts he still owed 

when he went off to the Mexican War, leaving the paper in the hands 

122

1957] Cassius M. Clay 123 

of his friend John C. Vaughan, previously Assistant Editor, with Paul 

Seymour as its business agent, and a power of attorney to his brother 

Brutus J. Clay to manage his affairs in his absence.6 

Before setting forth a number of letters from and about his service 

in the War, we shall include some correspondence about the business 

of The True American. The letters from his wife, Mary Jane Clay, 

not only reveal her sympathetic understanding and approval of her 

husband's course, but likewise reveal the sacrifices he made and their 

impact upon his family during his absence in the Ward 

Within a few weeks after his enlistment and while he was still in 

camp at Louisville, the question how the bills for publishing the paper 

were to be met became of pressing urgency to his business agent m 

Cincinnati. 

June 17th, 1846. 

Dear Brutus, 

Today I received a letter from Mr. Seymour saying it was very 

necessary to pay the bills that he sent over a few days ago, which you 

saw. Mr. Clay told me before he left to call upon you if subscription 

money did not come fast enough to pay bills as they were presented & 

you would attend to it. I had no idea there was such a hurry about 

it as I would have asked you about it at once. The amount due is 

$499.95 cts. Can you send the money to Paul Seymour? Whether you 

do or not please let me know. I have not yet put those notes in any 

one's hands for collection but expect to do it today. Mr. Goodloe has 

promised to send me up a responsible man today. I heard from Mr. 

Clay yesterday. He said he was well. Love to Ann. 

Yrs. affectionately, 

M. J. Clay 

Louisville, Ky. 

June 22, 1846 

Camp Oakland. 

Dear Brutus. 

I have just now placed in the W. Bank of Ky. here $1500, fifteen 

hundred dollars to be transferred and placed to your credit in Paris 

free of charge, which you will use for my debts to the best advantage. 

I drew on you for $500 which this will replace. 

My company is in good order and is the brag com. in camp, so 

admitted on all hands. We are full and all things right. I hope to 

remit to you again in 2 months about same amount. 

If you could spare the money it would be well for Wilkersons to buy 

about 50 more cattle perhaps.

124 The Filson Club History Quarterly [Vol. 31 

Mary Jane is here and will stay a few days longer. 

We will go to San Antonio in Bexar in Texas as a rallying point, 

by water I suppose to Memphis or Alexandria and thence by land. 

I have seen Gen'l Wool our Briga-General and he promises me fair 

play 

Your bro. 

C. M. Clay. 

Lexington, Ky. June 26th, 1846. 

Dear Brutus. 

I have just returned from Louisville having been on a visit to Mr. 

Clay but he is so much engaged with his men that I felt but little 

inclined to remain long feeling as if I was an incumbrance. Upon his 

business I said very little for that is never an agreeable subject to him. 

He told me had deposited $1500 in bank for you. I hope you received 

my letter last week asking you as a great favour to send Paul Seymour 

[Mr. Clay's agent at Cincinnati] $400 & some odd dollars & to let me 

know if you could, would & should send it. I have not received an 

answer from you & I rec'd yesterday another letter from Seymour praying 

to have it there by the 27th of this month. I will be very much 

obliged to you to send me an hundred dollars for my own use if you 

can, that is out of that fifteen hundred dollars above spoken of, as 

Mr. Clay's deposit in your hands for his bills. I want to pay for some 

groceries to the amount of 50 odd dollars & buy wood, etc., etc. But 

if I am mistaken do not send it for I will prefer to wait longer for 

money that is due. Goodloe sent up a man to collect those debts I 

showed you. He is an old collector in this County. He says the principal 

ones of them are not worth a cent, many of the men he does not 

know & advised me to address the most of them through the P.O. which 

I have done today. I saw your Mother, indeed she went to Louisville 

to see Mr. Clay & returned the day she got there very much pleased 

with the Boat & the trip.9 Give my love to Ann & Martha1° and 

believe me sincerely 

Yrs. affectionately 

M. J. Clay 

Lexington, June 29th, 1846. 

Dear Brutus. 

I have rec'd another letter from Seymour & another bill from 

Ochiltree, calling for $290.00 which you will please send him from 

Paris or send here but I should think it best to send directly to him from 

you & he can send me receipts. I suppose you have rec'd my letter asking 

for 100 dollars for my own use. Discontinuances for the paper are


coming in rapidly & subs. few & far between. I fear Mr. Clay's going 

to the war has been a fatal blow to the paper's prosperity. Several of 

the Northern papers are quite warm against him. 11 

Adieu 

Yrs. Affectionately 

M. J. Clay 

I have received your 1st check for $449 etc. 

Lexington. June 29th, 1846 

Dear Brutus. 

I have just sent a letter off to you written today & when I carried 

that to the P.O. I received another from Poor Seymour. He is in great 

distress about not having rec'd the money in time. I have just sent it 

off this morning as soon as Bank opened, as I received it late Saturday 

afternoon past Bank hours. He sends afiother Bill in, that will fall 

due on the 6th of July & he wishes me to have the money there in 

time, $550, together with a bill from Butler & Bro. of $204.00 for 

paper. I send you the note from Butler & Bro., to Seymour & see if 

you do not understand it as I have stated above. Seymour does not and 

neither you see does Butler say what the 550 dollars is due for. I received 

a letter from Mr. Clay this morning. He does not say anything 

about leaving. Let me know Brutus if you please your answer to these 

bills and whether you have rec'd the check Mr. Clay sent you. 

Adieu 

yrs ever affectionately, 

M. J. Clay 

Lexington, July 9th, 1846. 

Dear Brutus. 

I rec'd the bill for $204.00 yesterday & immediately attended to it. 

Last week I wrote to Seymour concerning the $550 mentioned in one 

of his letters & have as yet received no answer. After I rec'd your 

letter yesterday, I went to Mr. Clay's desk & got his agreements with 

the men in Cincinnati & therefore can tell you as well as Seymour 

what the expenses are yearly & monthly. He agrees to pay Brooks & 

Ochiltree for Printing $50 for every 3000 copies of the T. A. & 40 

cents a token or quire for all over that number, said payment to be 

made at the end of every month. He agrees to pay Seymour $500 

annually to be paid semi-annually--He agrees to pay Vaughan $1000 

annually to be paid monthly & then he has to pay for Paper (I suppose 

judging for the bill I have seen) about $200 monthly on an 

average. I have made a rough calculation & the amount a month for


all expenses pertaining to the Press, comes to $552.40 cents monthly. 

You see the money you sent me was to pay bills for May & June. The 

sum total for year I calculated to be $6,636.00. I have no doubt Mr. 

Clay would object very seriously to stopping the paper. I wrote to 

him before he left Louisville, somewhat concerning the business of the 

paper. He answered that letter the day he was to embark on the boat 

"Vesta" in a hurry, mentioned he had rec'd my letter & would write 

again from Memphis. My dear Brutus yon do not know how distressing 

it is to me that Mr. Clay is so troublesome to you concerning 

his business & with how much gratitude I receive your kind attentions. 

I hope for a change for the better. I looked over his papers again this 

morning & find Charles Searcey's note for $275.00 is now due, the man 

that rents his mills in Madison. I hope to receive money from the 

North due from Mr. Clay's agents to whom I have written. I mean to 

see Mad. Johnson this morning about some notes I see he has to collect 

for Mr. Clay & hurry him in the collection of them (if possible) & hope 

before the end of July by some means to have the money ready for 

Seymour. As for my family expenses it takes but little to furnish them. 

I would not for any consideration take upon myself the responsibility 

of stopping the issue of the T. A. & therefore say nothing about it to 

Seymour. 

I am in continual receipt of this discontinuances, no subscribers. 

Will you write to Searcey about the money due now? I wish you 

would, or shall I? How do you feel about your election?m Pretty confident 

I hope. Give my love to Ann & Martha & believe me, ever yrs, 

etc. 

M. J. Clay 

Saturday, 5th Sept. 

Dear Brutus. 

As Ann has told you I suppose, I went to your house late Sunday 

to get from you again $500 for Cincinnati. Besides I wished to consult 

you about receiving books for Finch & Weed's debt. I send you the 

letter Seymour sent me two weeks ago I believe which I then Postponed 

sending to you thinking it most probable I would ride down & see 

you myself. A debt of $1000 is due this day in the Northern Bank & 

a man brought me a note of Mr. Clay's for $55 to be paid in Nov. l 

think & offered it to me for $50 if I could pay it then. I hope all the 

money Mr. Clay paid out for the Volunteers1 will not fall due before 

he receives something from them to pay with! I have now had Seymour's 

bill for a week & as the money has to be paid I always like to 

meet the debts more promptly. You will gratify & oblige me very much


Brutus if you will hereafter send me $500 on the 25th of every month, 

unless I write you to the contrary, if it does not put you to too much 

inconvenience. I have no doubt I can get an amount of money from 

Mad. Johnson which would perhaps save you the trouble of borrowing! 

What think you of it? I shall look for Ann on her way to Richmond 

next week tell her. As the children are neither of them at home I send 

Jerry with this note. 

Adieu, 


M. J. Clay 

P.S. Brutus I want $117 for City Tax if you please. 

Monday, Lex. 28th Sept. '46 

Dear Brutus. 

I have seen Mr. Vaughan & received a letter from Seymour upon 

the business of the True American & will ride down to see you as 

soon as I am able. My little Cassius14 is not well now--as soon as his 

health is again established I will come. Sallie Ann Goodloe & her husband15 

are now quite ill with Fever. I have taken all their children 

in charge until their recovery. Your mother is here waiting on her. 

I have not heard from Mr. Smith's1° family... Tell Ann I received her 

note and attended to it accordingly. I neglected to send the letter to 

Miss Field1¢ as I promised Ann the morning she left & since then my 

own children & the charge of Sallie Ann's together with sitting up with 

my [son] four nights to alleviate his cough, visiting Sallie Ann as often 

as possible & attending to the Paper has almost set me wild & I have 

not thought of that promise except at times when it was impracticable 

to attend to it . . . Seymour has sent me his bills. They amount to 

$488.23-1/3 cents. As soon as convenient please send the check. 

Love to Ann 

Yrs affectionately 

M. J. Clay 

II 

The decision as to what should be done about the True American 

in the absence of Cassius in the war and the receipt of further 

advices from him, was a heavy one for his wife and brother to make. 

As the above correspondence clearly shows it was losing money at 

the rate of $500 a month, an amount which could not readily be spared 

in view of other obligations to be met. Factors which may have entered 

into the decision were his wife's dread of debt as well as his brother's 

lack of confidence in the Cincinnati business agent's ability to put the 

paper on a paying basis. The correspondence warrants the construction


that the decision to discontinue the paper, which was made as soon 

as the two could meet to discuss the matter after the receipt of the 

letter of September 28th above set forth, was influenced by both of 

these factors, for on October 11th we find Mary Jane writing to Brutus: 

"'I have determined that it is best that I should go over to the Farm 

& pass the winter, until March. It is impossible to live in town on the 

same means that I can in the country & I have determined to go. It 

may be but a drop in the bucket toward liquidating Mr. Clay's debts, 

but many drops fill the bucket after a while & debt oppresses me.''is 

The decision, however, was not made until after, upon request 

of Brutus, Seymour had furnished the following information, dated 

October 6th: 

"We have on our books at this time 4150 subscribers, all of whom, 

with some exceptions in Kentucky, have paid in advance. Of this number, 

1400 have expired between No 52 of the 1st vol. and 7 of the 2d, 

and have entered on the second year, and will of course renew their 

subscriptions. 600 will have expired between now and the 11th of 

Nov., the remaining 2000 will expire at various periods, as their subscriptions 

commenced--say 1000 from the 11th of Feb. to Sept. '47. 

From this you can gather some idea of Mr. Clay's indebtedness to the 

subscribers. 

"When the paper was brought here there were 3000 subscribers on 

the books. Of that no. 1200 have discontinued. Just at that time a 

great recession was made in our list; what course the subscribers then 

gained will pursue with regard to receiving subscriptions is hard to 

say. I look for a proportionate decrease. 

"I have sent, enclosed in the paper, bills to all subscribers whose time 

has expired; except the cities and larger towns of the East & Kentucky; 

the former must be collected by agent. I have discontinued the agencies 

of Caleb Hartshorn and Finch & Weed. They are delinquent; the 

former owing over $350, the latter $180. Mr. Clay took the management 

of these persons upon himself. 

"The whole expense of the paper per month is $480. This embraces 

paper, printing, etc., editors and agent's salaries. 

"Here is a list of post-offices in Kentucky that owe the paper. 1 

Richmond $50 Hopkinsville $9 

Frankfort 20 Georgetown 4 

White Hall 39 Danville 3 

Yarnalton 15 Versailles 9 

Paris 9 Caseyville 3 

Manchester 3 Bardstown 3


Chilesburg 6 Augusta 3 

Stanford 6 Winchester 

Griffith 3 Owensboro 3 

Bloomfield 3 Tompkinsville 3 

Morelands 3 Portland 3 

"Out of Kentucky, I do not think there is a hundred dollars due the 

paper, except that owing by the agents. 

"I think it would be judicious for you to come over here; you could 

then learn more exactly how matters stand.''2° 

Found in the Brutus J. Clay papers is the following sharp answer 

of Seymour to the instructions of Mrs. Clay to discontinue the paper: 

Cincinnati, Oct 22 '46 

Madam, r 

Yours of the 19th came to hand yesterday. Your letter bearing date 

of Oct. 9th was duly received, too late, however, to follow the instructions 

it contained, namely to announce the discontinuance of The True 

American in the number then publishing. The T. A. though dated 

Wednesday, goes to press, or has gone, rather, every Tuesday at 7 o.c. 

A.M. I did not receive your letter until noon on Tuesday. More than 

half of the edition was then printed; besides, paper for the then coming 

no. was delivered by Butler, and I believe "wet down" for use; consequently 

we had to print. 

I did not reply to yours of the 9th, because the supposition gathered 

from it was, that you left immediately for your farm, and that that 

• note was to end our correspondence. I therefore addressed B. J. Clay, 

acknowledging receipt of the notice, etc. 

I regret that a step, so fatal to the fair fame of your husband, should 

have been deemed necessary, and so unwisely and hurriedly carried out. 

I would have written you on receipt of the notice, pointing out to you 

the injudiciousness of thestep, had the letter been less urgent, and did 

I think my motives would have been truly interpreted, which I had 

reason to believe would not, from the absence, from the beginning, of 

that entire and honorable confidence, essential to the harmony and 

success. 

My own interest in the continuance or discontinuance of the paper is 

to me a small matter. But I deplore the unnecessary destruction of an 

absent, brave man's reputation. I do solemnly believe that had fifteen 

hundred dollars been handed to Vaughan to carry on the paper, coming 

out in his own name, and taking all the responsibility of fulfilling its 

contracts & etc, that it would have saved what Mr. Clay can not in 

ten years of the hardest struggle regain. I hope you will not mistake


the spirit of this letter. I write, faithful to my feelings and conviction, 

not to dash the hopes which must be so near your heart . . .21 

I have the honor to remain 

Your obdt servant, 

Paul Seymour. 

The Farm, Madison Co., Ky. Nov 8th '46 

Dear Brutus, 

Last night I received your note dated the 5th of Nov. & from its 

contents judge the Mr. Clays who was here from Bourbon Co, looking 

at the cattle did not purchase them from you. They mentioned that 

you had written to me but I have not received a note from you except 

the one of the 5th of Nov. & that date is since they were here. I shall 

have to wait to pay all the bills in Cincinnati until the cattle are 

sold... Will it be too much to ask of you, to give me a list of all of 

Mr. Clay's debts to you & to the Bank and any other you know of. Since 

coming to the farm I have made a rough calculation of the amount of 

money necessary to carry on the Farm & pay all expenses of Town and 

Country. All things included, it amounts to "$3000 thereabouts, used 

economically. All other income, to whatever amount as long as I have 

a word to say in the matter, shall be exclusively devoted to the payment 

of Mr. Clay's debts &.with my consent I will never leave the Farm till 

every debt is paid. I would not, if it can possibly be prevented, at a 

good deal of sacrifice, give up our place in town. Except the keeping 

of it in repair, it will not now cost anything & that I think I have made 

arrangements to do, from its own income, save the tax. I received two 

letters, from my dear husband yesterday. He desires me to remember 

him to you & Ann, affectionately. He has been generally well, but was 

suffering from a cold. The date of the last letter was the 8th of Oct. 

The Monday after the letter was written they were to march from 

Camargo. He says he hopes from there to be able to send me $1500. 

I suppose he would like to have that used to payment of horses & all 

the other debts incurred for the troops. Very likely he will mention, 

how be would prefer having it disposed of, & so it shall be done. I 

have had no other bill presented for payment of horses, except the 

one I mentioned to you some months ago. Brutus if it accords with your 

judgment I would prefer keeping sufficient funds at my command to 

pay monthly expenses & have no account, none at all. The amount of 

money for that purpose would be $ 80 - 50 without including any 

incidental expenses; such a additional help in the'spring, corn cutting 

time, etc.... 

My desire is, that the money for cattle be deposited in Bank subject 

to my order, which I hope will amount to $3000 & the rest of Mr. Clay's


income to be used according to your judgment in paying off debts. I 

will hand it over to you as it comes in. This management is to be 

according to my judgment & my pleasure; I hope it will accord with 

yours..... .. . • 

I have not been able to get in Mr. Clay's desk here, having never 

found the key of it. He said it was in Lex. I have looked wherever 

I could think of. There may be some important papers, may be some 

debts due, now in the desk. Do you not think I had better have the 

desk lock picked ? 

I get letters from the P.O. in Lex. every week & am returning all 

moneys sent as subscription to T. A. as fast as it comes in... 

Yr. affectionate sister, 

M. J. Clay 

III• 

In almost the same mail, came a long letter from Cassius: 

Camp near Vavaca on 

the Gulf of Mexico, Texas 

Oct 12, '46 

Dear Brutus 

I suppose that you have often heard through Mary Jane of our 

whereabouts, and of the hardships of our march. We are now in the 

most unhealthy part of Texas, with half of our command unfit for 

service. But luckily we are to move for Camargo on the Rio Grande 

tomorrow, and though we march through a desert it is preferable to 

this inglorious inaction. 

It is believed here that the truce of two monthsm will terminate the 

war, if so we have lost many valuable lives withou ttiking a blow. 

I was sorry to hear of your defeat, 2B but such is the fate of war, and 

sooner or later all politicians meet the same fate; but as you have 

phi!osophy enough to bear all those things easily it is unnecessary for 

me to say anything. 

I suppose my business is troublesome to you especially the calls for 

money for the paper, etc. I expect to send you about $1500 in five 

weeks and the sale of stock at the farm and some debts may keep you 

going till I see you. 

I want Wilkerson to stock the farm as usual. I want the paper continued 

till my return, when I will take such action as I deem thost 

advisable all things considered. The more I see of slavery in the south 

the less I like it, and I think the annexation and war of Texas will 

not strengthen the "peculiar institution." I am sorry you have so 

much invested in slaves as troublesome times are ahead. Could it 

not be well to lighten off the vessel somewhat for the rough seas?

132 The Filson Club History Quarterly ['Col. 31 

I learn that a strong anti-slavery feeling mingles with the convention 

question.24 

Texas is a miserable country. The Eastern part pine and hickory 

and sandy--the western, prairie, muddy and quicksands and mesquite-the 

whole state is not worth six cents an acre, as the climate is warm 

and sickly and enervating and must ever be inhabited by a semi-civilized 

and degenerate people. 

I had a long journey through the Northern part on a buffalo hunt, 

some of which I killed. I had a very adventurous and exciting time 

of it. 

We see here sometimes sixty deer together and they cease to excite 

us they are so plenty. 

Between here and the Rio Grande we shall see plenty of deer and 

wild horses, but be in no state for amusement as water is scarce and 

we shall have to make forced marches for many days without water 

or horse feed except grass. 

I have been so fortunate so far as to have lost not a single man; 

though now half of my company are unfit for service, and several 

have been discharged. My company has maintained its ascendancy for 

good deportment and military bearing, so that Gen'l Wool desires the 

honor of selecting us out of the ten to accompany him to Chihuahua, 

where we would have gone but for some obstacles unforeseen at the 

time of the order. 

Colo. Marshall25 was ordered to move by water to the seat of war; 

and so we might have been in Monterey at the fight. There is very 

great dissatisfaction shown about it and a heavy responsibility upon 

him for the loss and inaction of our regiment! 

Tom Marshall2e is under arrest for fighting a duel with my lieutenant 

James J. Jackson2r of Woodford and is as usual drunk and 

unpopular. Some of his men have left him and joined my company 

and more would do so if he would let them, which he will not do as 

he hates me as a rival. 

Owsley2s has gained nothing by his base ingratitude to his tried 

friends, as not one of them have proven themselves fit for command. 

They say I could get seven votes to Marshall's one for Colo. if it was 

put to the men, so that I am very much content with the good opinion 

of the men. Lieutenant Colo. Field29 fills his place very well and is 

popular---Gaines8° not so much so. 

Ed Fieldzl and Clay Smithz2 are well and in fine spirits and seem 

as if they would stand the campaign very well. 

The particulars of the taking of Monterey you will receive no doubt 

long before you get this as there is no post office here and no regular


means of conveyance. If you write to me address your letter to "Gen'l 

Butler's Command, Colo. Marshall's regiment, at "Camargo, Mexico." 

It would be well for you to make the sales of the stock on the farm 

and pay Wilkerson the money to rebuy when the time comes for laying 

in a new stock of cattle. Wilkerson is a good fellow but his responsibilities 

ought not to be increased more than is absolutely necessary. 

We are in a hurry preparing for the move tomorrow so that I must 

close this letter. 

Thanking you for your repeated kindnesses and sacrifices for me 

I remain ever your 

bro. 

C. M. Clay 

My love to Ann and the children. 

Due to the irregularity of the mail service, family and friends were 

often dependent upon word brought home from the War by returning 

soldiers, furloughed home because of sickness. 

October 29 - 1846 

Dear Brutus, 

•..James Jackson a is here. I have seen him. He is just three weeks 

from Port Vavaca. He left Mr. Clay well, thinner than usual & perfectly 

disgusted with his Commanders. It was all a lie as I said and 

supposed about his going to San Antonio for an order from Gen'l Wool 

to join his command. He got lost in the hunt & by means of his compass 

found his way to San Antonio... 

Affectionately yrs, etc. 

M. J. Clay 

November 14th 1846 

Saturday 

Dear Uncle 

Grand Mother received a letter from Uncle Cassius on yesterday at 

Vavaca. This is the first letter Grand Ma has received from Uncle 

Cassius and I think it has been very gratifying to her, he spoke of their 

long and tedious journey, but said he had been well himself although 

so many of them had suffered from sickness. He also spoke of Col. 

Marshall's intemperance (which by the by is mentioned in all the 

letters to this place) and appeared to regret not having been in the 

engagement at Monterey. 

The negro man who went as Clay's * attendant passed through here 

yesterday with two of the Madison company returning home on account 

of sickness. I understand James Stone3 is coming home also---


he has had two violent attacks... 

I remain in haste and affection 

Your niece 

Sallya6 

The next letter was brought back to Kentucky by a returning soldier: 

Camargo, Mexico 

Dec. 13, '46 

Dear Brutus 

I sent you a few days ago $2000 in Treasury notes payable to the 

order of John Tilford to prevent abstraction and fraud. I now send 

you by W. McCalla another note of same endorsement for $500, one 

hundred dols. of which belongs to Mr. John McCracken of Lexington 

sent by me from his son, which you will please pay over as soon as 

possible. 

I hope this amount together with other debts will prevent you from 

any additional burden. I am economizing and hoping to get out of 

debt after awhile. 

We are at present inactive as Gen'l Taylor seems to be awaiting the 

action of the Mexican Congress and the impression seems to be that 

we have made a false move in the war and that it is impracticable to 

advance farther by land and get supplies. The more I see of war the 

more I hate it in all its consequences. I am in good health and tolerable 

spirits. The bearer is about starting and I must bid you adieu--My 

love to Ann and the children. 

Yours ever. 

C. M. Clay 

The next letter is of interest principally because of its mention of 

cattle prices, etc. then obtaining in Kentucky, though it does contain 

the last word of Cassius perhaps received prior to his capture by the 

Mexicans on January 20, 1847. 

Feb'y 4th 1847 

Dear Brutus 

Mr. Wilkerson returned last night from buying cattle & brought 50 'head 

with him. He went through the counties of Lincoln, Garrard & 

Mercer. Before he left home he bought 15 head for which he paid 

$135. They however are too young for next Fall sale. So also are some 

of the 50 which he brought home with him yesterday. Previous to his 

leaving home he sold to Chenault 4 head of the cattle which were ready 

for market at $30 a head 2.. He counted the shocks of corn & on the 

1st of January he had 1451 shocks averaging 1 barrel to the shock. I


heard from Mr. Clay yesterday through some gentlemen of Richmond. 

He had marched through Camargo on his way to Saltillo to join Gen. 

Worth. I hope he has left Marshall's command. He was in high spirits 

the writer said. Let me know whenever you hear from him if you 

please. Love to Ann & Martha. When are you coming over? 

P.S. Mr. Wilkerson says cat!le worth buying are high and scarcer than 

he ever knew them to be. 

Good bye 


M. J. Clay 

Patrick Boyle, the writer of the next letter, was a former tenant of 

Brutus J. Clay, who had moved to Hardeman County, Tennessee: 

March the 31, 1847 

Mister Brutus J. Clay, 

On this morning I take my pen to inform you that your Brother 

Casies Clay is taken Prisnor By the Mexicans. But they are giving him 

good treatment, as I am told. I have heard from there lately. Buy a 

young man that cum from there. And young Henery Clay got killed. I 

have not heard from Mister Fields that is your Brother in law and made 

every inqiry aBout him. Mister Clay i would be wiling to go back to 

Kentucky to live with yu again if youre not engaged with any other 

man and if yu dont want me i shall not go back there, there is no 

other man i would go back to. I hope this leter may find you and family 

in good health. Let me know have yu any man living with yu now. 

I have no more to say But remain yours Respectful 

Patrick Boyle 

Direct your letter to Whiteville, Hardyman county, State of Tennessee 

Next is a letter from an uncle of Mrs. Clay: 

Lexington, March 31st, 1847 

Mr. B. J. Clay 

D Sir, 

After you left town today, Mr. Jno. Brand rec'd a letter from New 

Orleans of date 23rd by the Sultana, the same boat that brought the 

ac't of the action at Buena Vista, from his grandson Wm. H. Brand. 

After it had been sealed and closed, there is a postscript on it in these 

words, to wit "C. Clay has been exchanged. IVm. Tu/ts for FT. H. 

Brand"-- 

Mr. Tufts is the Capt. of the Sultana & carried Wm. H. Brand to 

New Orleans--We therefore infer after the letter was written & deposited 

to be sent on the Sultana Brand went to the Capt. & had the 

endorsement made from information then rec'd--it is taken as a fact--


I thought you would be pleased to hear it therefore write you--the 

postscript is dated 23rd March. 

Yrs. Truly, 

Ben Warfield 

B. J. Clay, Esq. 

Bourbon Cry. 

April 25th 1847. The Farm 

Dear Brutus, 

I rec'd a letter from Mr. Clay near a month ago giving me a minute 

account of his captureY He was well & treated as well as could expected 

to be. I am looking anxiously for another letter hoping he will 

tell me he will be with us as soon as possible after the 6th of June. I 

saw that foolish letter of H. Marshall, in the Louisville Journal, saying 

the prisoners "can get home in a few days after you receive this letter." 

Of course it inspired a hope, although I tried to convince myself the 

man was not thinking about what he was writing.... 

Wilkerson has bought a few more cattle since you were here. He 

will have planted his corn by next Thursday, 140 acres. I have not 

yet rec'd the money for the carriage but it is now promised in May. 

Tell Ann she must come by to see me when she comes over to Richmond 

either coming or going. I expect to go up [to Richmond] in 

a few days & will see Martha 

Adieu 

Yrs affectionately 

M. J. Clay 

I saw Vallandingham & Kimball about their leases. Vallandingham 

was willing to say that he would shuck the corn to be put in the crib, 

but was not willing to shock it so as to secure it from rotting as he 

does not understand shocking. He also insists upon raising hogs for 

his own meat. Kimball says he had the land he rents two years free 

of rent for clearing the timber. So I did not close either of the leases 

until I could hear from you. 

The Farm, May 3d. 1847 

Dear Brutus, 

An hour-or two since I received a letter from Mr. Clay & your letter 

too. He says he is coming home that "the probabilities are that no 

letter from you will reach me before my final return." But Brutus my 

great joy is damped by the date of his letter 28th of March, St. Jago, 

Mexico, and he also writes, "The revolution continued here till the 

arrival of Santa Anna who had the address to reconcile both parties.


He is now in Jacabago his place of residence, a village a few miles from 

Mexico, whence he will go in a few days to join the army at Jalapa 

against Scott. Scott is bombarding Vera Cruz which must soon fall; 

when we trust he will take prisoners to exchange us." What does this 

mean? What treachery is this by Santa Anna? Did he not promise on 

the field of Buena Vista to send an express to the Capital with orders 

for liberating all American prisoners & that they be delivered to Gen. 

Scott? I so understood; and yet Santa Anna has had time to March 

800 miles since the battle & this promise made & yet on the 28th of 

March the prisoners still immured in the walls of Castle St. Jago. Mr. 

Clay says that they "are "allowed 50 cts a day as our pay which with 

the addition of a little more from our private purse with a negro cook 

(who had married a Mexican woman) enables us to fare well enough 

in the eating way; I sleep on a Buffalo rug & my saddle blanket & 

cover with another rug, with my big coat as a pillow, so that in the 

sleeping also, I do well enough, as I am used to hard fare." 

I am glad you are coming over next week. The reason I did not 

go down to see you I was too unwell. I got so restless at home not 

hearing from Mr. Clay & not being well enough to engage my mind 

in reading that I felt I must be moving to breathe even. So off I started 

Monday morning if I was made ill by the trip I did not care much & 

I had the kindest relatives to nurse me & I would go any how & I had 

liked to have been knocked up or down. But on my way over I met 

a letter from Mr. Clay which Pa sent me by a negro man &. this I know 

kept me out of sickness. Come over soon. I want to know what you 

think about the prisoners being detained. I cannot think, think for 

me? Mr. Clay sends his love to you and Ann & each of your children. 

I will read his letter to you when I see you. Love to Ann & believe me, 


M. J. Clay. 

Madison Co, Ky. July 14t '47 

Dear Brutus, 

•..As you pass over to Martha Rodes s wedding I hope you will 

stop to see me. I received a letter from Seymour yesterday in which 

he says "From the many letters received by me from various parts, 

relative to the completing of the subscriptions of those whose time 

had not expired, with the T.A., I am led to think that it would be 

well to take council upon the propriety of making an arrangement with 

us to have 'the Examiner' sent to those persons to complete their 

time. The amount on the books of the T.A. for their incomplete subscription 

was $1300. We would agree to furnish the paper to them 

for simple cost of paper & printing. I will not express an opinion as


to the policy of taking this step, as others more deeply interested in 

Mr. Clay's welfare can advise with you. "a° 

Today I received a letter from Pa saying that a committee of gentlemen 

in Gaines' district had written to him, concerning what Mr. Clay 

had said in his letter to me relative to the surrender of Gaines at 

Encarnacion.4° Mr. Clay said nothing discreditable to Gaines, but it 

was reported in Frankfort from Mr. Dudley41 reading the letter to 

some of his friends contrary to my earnest request, that no one should 

see it but your Mother, that he had spoken harshly of Gaines. I feel 

very much agitated, distressed that through my indiscretion Mr. Clay 

will have to suffer in any way. Come to see me & talk with me about 

it if convenient. Pa insisted very much upon my going over to Lex. 

but I thought it was more, just to have me with him, than regarding 

any answer to the Committee. I sent him word by Mrs. F. N. Hunt, 

(my sister) that if he desired to see me about the business of the letter 

I would go over Saturday. He could write by tomorrow's mail. I sent 

him Mr. Clay's letter to use if he thought proper. My little Brutus 

has been quite ill, though he is now much better. I had a good deal of 

company last week & had just returned from Lex. on a trip of two 

weeks, near three weeks ago, so that the children, of course, have been 

without instruction near a month. I do not feel as if I were doing my 

duty in thus neglecting them, having taken them from school for my 

own gratification. It distresses me, when I am compelled to do so. 

You will find me at home, therefore, most likely, but ! wish, as you 

pass through Lex. you would inquire at our house if I am in Lex. & 

stop to see me. I shall not be there unless it is necessary I should be. 

Give my love to Ann & Martha. All are well. 


M. J. Clay 

Mexico, June 18, 1847 

Dear Brutus, 

We the officers taken prisoner at Encarnacion and other places are 

still prisoners. The common soldiers were sent to Tampico about a 

week ago without our knowing it. What design they had in keeping 

it secret I don't know. They say that Santa Anna won't exchange us 

because he fears the imputation of being a friend of the Americans.4= 

Others say we are not exchanged because Scott and Worth have refused 

to recognize Santa Anna in any manner because he forced the prisoners 

on parole taken at Vera Cruz to serve at Cerro Gordo, so between all 

these difficulties we may be kept during the war. There seems to be 

an impression that when Mexico is taken there will be a peace, but 

intelligent men here think there will be no peace, and that armed


possession of the country will have to be resorted to. We are on parole 

confined to the bounds of the City, and except that we are continually 

liable to assassination by the "greasers" or common people, we spend 

our time very agreeably. Living in this City is higher than in any 

place in the world and in consequence we are somewhat troubled to get 

the means of support. E. W. Smith, a NEw Englander has accommodated 

us with money so far; and we have given him a draft upon 

Coleman of Louisville for eleven hundred dollars $300 of which is 

mine, which I trust you will take means immediately of placing at his 

command at Louisville, as I do not want to put him to any inconvenience 

on my account. The Mexican government only pays us fifty cents per 

day. I have received a letter from Mary Jane dated April 3rd, which 

I answered, but as the regular intercourse between the countries is 

cut off I am discouraged about writing as there is no certainty of my 

letters coming to hand. As it is very uncertain when I shall get home 

I wish you would press and close all my suits as some money is owing 

me and it would thus lighten my debts. What has become of my suit 

against the mob? I wish you to make some contract with the N.Y. 

Tribune and fulfill the obligations of our subscription book--that is 

where we owe papers to substitute the Tribune for the unexpired time. 

Either so, or refund, which is much more difficult and expensive. I 

suppose the country now regards this war as no trifle---ruinous--if not 

infamous. Can any man tell me why all this expenditure of blood and 

money. Have we not land enough? Do we want eight millions of 

revolutionary Indians and half breed, to increase the difficulties of the 

elective franchise and the stability of the Union? Surely this administration 

will have a heavy load of responsibility to carry. I hope they 

will every where be defeated. They have carried their party feelings 

into the military appointments and attempted to disgrace eminent men 

who were risking all for their country--Will our people stand all this? 

How can they expect volunteers to reenlist when civilians are put over 

the heads of war worn soldiers ? Is not such conduct sufficient to disgust 

all men?4s 

Taylor is said to be advancing upon San Luis and Scott and Worth 

are at Pueblo and expected every day to march upon this City--but of 

these things you will know better and sooner than I. And I am not 

allowed to write of the preparations or arrangements of the-Mexicans 

as it would be a violation of my parole. Give my love to your wife-and 

Mary Jane and the word that you have heard from me. Believe 

me ever truly and aff'y 

Your brother 

C. M. Clay


Frankfort, Sunday 1 o'clock P.M. 

[Dec. 6] 

Dear Brutus, 

We look somewhat for Mr. Clay at two o'clock in the stage. We 

will go on to Lex. Tuesday morning & reach there by 12 o'clock. He 

is to have a great reception. I know he will want to see you, so write 

these few lines that you may be there to welcome him home again. 

Bring Ann along with you. 

Affectionately yrs. 

M. J. Clay 

If he comes not today he will be here tomorrow certainly without some 

accident. 

Frankfort, 9 Dec. 1847 

D. Brutus, 

With the brightest degree of pleasure, I announce the arrival of Capt. 

C. M. Clay, at my house at 12 o'clock this day, where he met his wife 

and four sons44--He will remain here until Saturday morning and 

reach Lexington between two and three o'clock on Saturday next when 

and where they all desire to meet you and family . . . All well 

J. Dudley 

[Inscribed on the cover of the above letter] The P. Master will please 

send this immediately---C. M. Clay is here and goes up to Lex. on 

Saturday. 

J.D. 

IV 

In evaluating the letters contained in this article, it must be kept in 

mind that while they do justice to Mary Jane they fail to do justice 

to her husband. They contain little to explain his absorption in public 

matters to the exclusion of personal interests. It is right, and only fair, 

to her that they do, particularly in view of the family differences of 

later years. 

It is equally fair to her husband, Cassius M. Clay, to say that, taken 

out of their context as they necessarily must be in a short article such 

as this, the letters nevertheless are an integral part of the evidence, 

which shows that Clay had dedicated himself to ultimate victory, no 

matter what the cost over the political domination of the State and 

Nation by interests which had a selfish stake in the perpetuation of 

slavery. With him this end became an enveloping and all-consuming 

emotional drive. Mary Jane, at this point in their married life, thoroughly 

understood that, and was in sympathy with it. She met without 

complaint the sacrifices demanded of her, as the letters show.


Though opposed to the Mexican War, Cassius regarded his going to 

the war as an opportunity to put him in a position to exert a more 

decided influence in favor of the cause of emancipation. This, no less 

than the publication of an anti-slavery journal, The True American, he 

regarded as but means in the cause of emancipation of the slaves by 

constitutional methods, viz.--its abolition by appropriate action on the 

part of the electorate. 45 

In justice to him, it should be kept in mind that in this he set himself 

apart from the Northern Abolitionists, who viewed slavery purely 

as a moral issue, disregarding that it had also become a highly charged 

political issue as well. It may well be that Clay erred in staking his 

political future (and without doubt he had the confidence in himself 

to believe he had a political future) on winning over a majority to the 

cause of emancipation. Events were to prove him too optimistic. The 

institution of slavery was destined to be eradicated only by civil war 

and reconstruction, rather than at the ballot box. 

Be this as it may, Clay achieved, in some measure, what he sought 

to accomplish by volunteering in a war which he had opposed in principle. 

During his absence in the war, a better feeling developed toward 

him, even in the pro-slavery Bluegrass. Sentiment towards him inevitably, 

underwent a change in the 16 months which had elapsed since 

that August day in 1846 when the mob raided the office of his press in 

Lexington.46 

Upon his return to that City he was accorded a public reception, at 

which an address of welcome was delivered by Robert S. Todd, the 

father-in-law of Abraham Lincoln. One of the Committee of sixty who 

had stormed the office of The True American even undertook to be the 

grand marshal at the event.47 Tenders of political preferment were 

made by others of the Committee who had been its leaders, if only he 

would discontinue his attacks on slavery.4s The Whig party at the 

time was split over the coming Presidential campaign. The friends of 

Henry Clay, who had lost the election in 1844 by such a narrow margin, 

hoped to see him a candidate again, but influential party leaders felt 

that, if nominated again, he could not win. Cassius Clay had a hand 

not only in carrying the home delegation from Fayette County to the 

Whig State Convention in favor of making General Taylor the nominee, 

but was one of the majority of seven Kentucky delegates committed to 

Taylor at the Philadelphia National Convention, where, though Clay 

in April had announced he would again be a candidate, much was made 

of the fact that he could not command the delegation from his own 

State. 9 Taylor's nomination was resented by Henry Clay and many 

of his followers, who for a while talked of running their leader as an 

independent candidate. 5°


Letters which Cassius Clay had written to the newspapers during 

this canvass and a personal attack upon the beloved leader of the 

Whig party which he had imprudently addressed to the New York 

Express did nothing to salve a coolness which had grown up between 

the elder statesman and his brash young kinsman. 1 In Kentucky, where 

Henry Clay was a popular idol, this and Cassius Clay's resolute refusal 

to compromise his anti-slavery principles52 destroyed any chance of his 

advancement within the old line Whig party. When delegates came 

to be elected to the Kentucky Constitutional Convention of 1850, 

Cassius Clay was not even among the list of candidates. 

The advocates of slavery, who were represented by powerful leaders 

in both the old parties, s were everywhere triumphant. When, in 1851, 

Cassius Clay ran as an anti-slavery candidate for Governor54 he received 

less than 5,000 votes. 

His fight in Kentucky against slavery had, however, made him 

known throughout the North and given him political stance as an 

Outspoken anti-slavery politician from south of the Mason and Dixon 

line. 55 

For him, the years leading up to the Civil War were to be years of 

persistent agitation by him of the slavery issue in his home State, in 

constant peril of his life and fore-armed against violence by a wellearned 

reputation for a proficiency in self-defense with a variety of 

weapons. Attention to his business affairs were to be interrupted by 

calls on the lecture circuit and on the political stump from outside of 

the State. 

For the venerable sage of Ashland, the few years remaining to him 

were to see him, while absent for the winter in New Orleans, elected 

again by the Kentucky legislature to the United States Senate---this 

time practically with unanimity--where he was to perform his last 

great service for the Union in exercising the masterly leadership which 

made possible the great Compromise of 1850. That Compromise, the 

last of the three great Compromises, which had saved the country 

from the threat of disunion and with which his name will be forever 

associated, proved even less durable than the two which had preceded 

it. It did, however, postpone the Civil War for a decade, thus insuring 

the ultimate triumph over disunion, by enabling the North far to 

outstrip the South in population and in industrialization. 

Editor's Note---It is hoped that additional unpublished letters of and about the 

"Lion" of White Hall will be edited by Mr. Clay for the History Quarterly at 

an early date.


FOOTNOTES 

1 The present editor will be pleased to hear from persons .having additional lette.rs 

which throw light on Clay's career, partlcul ly his pubhc servzces and role m the antas 

avery controversy that ended in the Civil War. Since most of Clay's own papers for 

this period were destroyed during the Civil War, information as to the existence of other 

letters, etc., would be of special value. 

*The Li/e o] Cassius Marcellus Clay, Memoirs, IVfitin.gs, and Speeches, p. I10 (hereinafter 

referred to as Memoirs). See The Filson Club Htstory Quarterly, VoL 31, No. 1 

(January 1957), p. 20, ff 4. 

*Late in life, Clay summed up his military service record in a lettat to A. E. Allen, 

December 25, 1892, in collection of the present editor, as follows: 

"I was Corned 'Major General of Volt signed 'A. Lincoln'--(to take effect on 

Ap. 11 previnusly)--Ap. 15, 1862. 

"This reached me at St. Petersburg, (Russia]. 

"I resigned (after my recall) this command on Sept. 29, 1862, to return again as 

Min. etc., to Russia [see Memoirs, p. 315, Vol. 1--2d Vol. yet unpublished]. 

"P.S. I was commissioned by the Governors of Ky. consecutively--before I was 23 

years old---Captain as aid to Maj. Gen'l (1833) Estill. 

'2) Captain of Light Infantry 1842--Dec. 30. 

i'3) Colonel of Uniformed Regiment, Jan. 22, 1844. 

'4) Capta n of Mounted Volunteers for the Mexican War corned [Light Inf. of the 

1812 War] in Col. Humphrey Marshall's Regiment [See Memoirs, Etc., Vol. 1] in 1846. 

"5) At Washington in 1861, I acted as Maior by election and recognized--without 

commission b the Government--in command of my and Jas. Lane's volunteers [See 

Memoirs, Etc.I. 

"6) The Colt's revolver given me in honor of the successful defense of Washington 

by President Lincoln--.and presented to me by Simon Cameron, Sec'y of War--is now 

owned as a gift from me by James Woods Caperton, Esq., of Richmond, Ky. 

"7) The commission of Major General was then at my command--but I declined 

it [See Memoirs, Etc.]. 

"8) It was accepted in 1862 as seen above. 

"You see I am the only man ia American History who was raised from private to 

Major General!--the highest regular rank." 

*MemoirJ, p. 560. 

*Ibld., p. 106. 

•With the power of attorney, he left with Brutus a memorandum of his business matters, 

which showed, besides ther debts, debts to Brutus and his mother of "about 

h10 O00 " Th s sum incidentally corresponds with what he said in his Memoirs, p. 560, 

e paid" out for the thirteen s ayes purchased and liberated m order to bring fam'l'es 

together. The thirteen slaves in question belonged, it would appear, to other members 

of the family. 

* Though these letters contain much of purely domestic or business matters, this 

material does have a human value for lack of which much formal biography of the last 

century is unreadable. In this respect General Clay's opinion on the Lile o[ John I. 

Crittenden edited by his daughter Mrs. A. M. Coleman, expresses a surprisingly modern 

point of view: "The correspondence with his "contemporarms . . . gives more secret history 

of the times than most other works I know of. Much of the matter is Boswellian; 

but all the more interesting on that account. Who cares for the eternally repeated generalizations 

of the great? What interests is the inner life of men and women, which, 

various as the human face, presents ever novelty at least." Memoirs, p. 215. 

*"Mr. Wilkersoa manages the farm--no agreement. Last year's wages $250 due-wages 

this year $300. All books in his possession." Memorandum of C. lcL Clay's 

business--May 24th 1846, left with his brother, in the Brntus J. Clay papers. 

* Apparently at this time some travelers still preferred to make the trip from Frankfort 

to Louisville by water; and you could return on the day of your arrival there by the same 

route. Query; by an overnight Boat? 

**References in these letters to "Ann" are to Mrs. Brutus J. Clay; and to "Martha," 

to his only daughter. 

,1 The war was distasteful to many good anti-slavery people in the North, who, in the 

words of Horace Greeley "were hardly more averse to Slavery and Annexation than to 

W , and especially offensive War.' See 1Vrltings o[ Cassius M. Clay, edited by Greeley, 

Harper & Brothers (N.Y. 1848), p. xiv. This work is hereafter referred to as IVritings. 

For Clay's own answer to the criticisms made of him for gnmg into the war, see his


letters to the New York Tribune and the Christian Reflector, published in IVritlngs, at 

pp. 4 7-479, 483-487. 

**At the urging of his brother-in-law, Col. J. Speed Smith, who thought he might 

be a candidate before the legislature for the United States Senate in the succeeding year, 

Brat,as had become a candidate for the State Senate. He had served a term in the House 

in 1839. In the August, 1846, election he was defeated. Letters in the Brutus J. Clay 

papers. 

u Among the debts Cassius had left behind him were for homes he had contracted for 

use by his mounted company. In the Mexican War, and later to some extent in the 

Civil War, volunteer companies in the State militia were outfitted by private subscription. 

For the dispatching of the Kentucky volunteer regiments to the seat of war Wm. PFeston 

(of Lexington) procured a subscription of $50,000 in Louisville, in May, 1846. The 

Northern Bank ofKy. at Lexington "tenders Gov. Owsley $250,000 for the same purpose." 

Cdil ns Htstory o/Kentucky, Vol. I, p. 53 (1882 ed.). 

**A commentary on the high rate of infant mortality of the times is that two sons of 

General Clay, successively named Cassius, beth died in infancy; and two sons of his 

brother, successively named Brutus, likewise died in infancy. For this reason, pe chaps, 

the only son of General Clay who survived him, bore the name Brutus, while the youngest 

son of his brother was given the name Cassius. 

uSally (or Sallie) Ann Smith, who had married David Short Goodloe of Lexington, 

Ky., was a niece of Cassius M. Clay, of White Hall. Filson Club Publications No. 14, 

p. 166. 

*' Col. J. Speed Smith, the father of Mrs. Goodloe who lived in Madison County. 

XCA sister of Mrs. Brutus J. C ay. 

aiM. J. Clay to Brutus J. Clay. Letter of Octobe 11, 1846, in the Brutus j'. Clay 

papers. 

*SAt the time postage stamps bad not come into general use; and delivery of The 

True American was arranged for by making advance payments to the local postmasters. 

*'Paul Seymour to M. J. Clay. Letter of October 6 1846 in the Brutus J. Clay papers. 

* Young Seymour's concern that his employer's standing would be damaged if the 

obligations to paid-up subscribers were not carried out, proved unfounded for it was 

later arranged with the assistant editor, John C. Vaughan, for him to take over the 

unfilled subscriptions by sending them The Examiner, published and edited by him at 

Louisville, Ky. See IVritings, pp. vii and 488-489. 

raThe truce for eight weeks, which had been requested by Santa Anna and agreed to 

General Taylor provided his government would give its consent, was terminated on 

Nov. 13 by Taylor, on instructions from Washington. Ellis, The History oJ Our Country, 

Vdi. III, pp. 791-792 (H. W. Knight Co. 1899). 

**In the August, 1846, election. Supra, note 12. 

*4A bill to take the sense of the people upon the calling of a convention to revise 

the constitution had failed of passage in 1846 in the Kentucky legislature. But when 

renewed, it was to pass in January, 1847. Collins, Hirtory oJ Kentucky, Vol. I, pp. 52, 54 

(1882 ed.). 

Col. Humphrey Marshall, Clay's regimental commander, in charge of the 1st Reg. 

of cavalry (Kentucky Volunteers), Ibid., 53. 

**His cousin, Capt. Thos. F. Marshall, oPf the 4th Co. (from Woodford Co.). Clay 

was Co. commander of the 3rd Co. (from Fayette Co.) Ibid., p. 53. 

Before leaving Kentucky, Thos. F. Marshall had been Jackson's second in a duel the 

latter engaged in with Robt. Patterson, near Bethlehem, Ind. The duel between Marshall 

and Jackson occurred at Port Vavaca. Jackson, later a member of Congress from Kentuck-y, 

and a Brigadier-General in the Union Army, fell at the battle of Perryville in 

1862. Ibld., pp. 53, 54, 113, 114, 552. 

** Win. Owsley, then Governor of Kentucky, "from whom I had the promise, through 

his son-in-law, Judge Wm. C. Goodloe that I should be made Colonel of a regiment" 

in return for political support of Owsley for the Whig nomination for Governor. Memoirs, 

p. 117. 

*D Lieut. Col. Ezekiel F. Field, a first cousin of Mrs. Brutus J. Clay, was a son of Willis 

Field, her father's brother. Johnson, History o/ Kentucky, "The Field Family," p. 758- 

760 (1912). 

*'Major John P. Gaines, of Boone Co., one of the ranking o cers of the scouting 

party (which included Capt. Clay) captured by an overwhelming force of Mexican 

cavalry at Encamacion on January 20 1847. Gaines, nominated for Congress while still 

a prisoner in Mexico and elected, was later a Governor of Oregon Territory. Collins, 

supra, pp. 55, 351, 358.


Mrs. Bnztus J. Clay's brother, Dr. Edmund Irvine Field, who died without issue 

in 1894. Stopping over on his return from the war to visit his brother, Christopher 

Irvine Field, at the latter's plantation in Bolivar Co., Mississippi, he later made his 

home in Bolivar County. 

** Green Clay Smith was a member of Congress from Kentucky during the Civil War 

and later first Governor of Montana Territory. 

m Lieut. J rnes J. Jackson, of the 3rd Co. Ist Reg. See supra, note 27. 

u "Clay," presumably Green Clay Smith (supra, note 32) a first cousin of the writer 

of this letter. The reference in this letter to Col." Marshall is evidently a slip for 

Ca t. Thos. F. Marshall. 

James C. Stone, of Madison County, Kentucky, was a colonel of one of the regiments 

of Kentucky Volunteers. He was also a first cousin of the writer of this letter, 

being a nephew of her father, Col. Win. Rodes. He was the father of Samuel H. Stone, 

State Auditor of Kentucky in the Bradley Administration and a candidate for the Republican 

nomlnat/on for Governor in 1899. See Miller History and Genealogies, p. 273 

(Transylvania Co. Press 1907). 

'* Sal y Redes Watson, the writer of this letter, a daughter of Col. Win. Rodes, and 

Brutus J. Clay's sister, Pauline Green Clay Rodas, who had married John Watson of 

Frankfort, Ky., where they lived, as did Brutus J. Clay's mother, Mrs. Sally Dudley. 

**These details are given in full in 1Vritings, pp. 480-482, 493-495. After the surrender 

at Encarnacion, Capt. Clay gained the "golden opinion" of the enlisted men in the 

captured detachment, interceding successfully that they not be massacred; and, on the 

long march to Mexico City letting the ragged, barefoot soldiers . . take turns riding 

his own mule," etc. See Townsend, Lincoln and the Bluegrass, p. 139 (Univ. of Ky. 

Press, 1955). 

** Martha Green Rodes, a daughter of Col. Win. Rodes and his wife, Pauline Green 

Clay Rodes, married Rev. Robert L. Breck. For account of his father, Judge Danie Breck, 

whose wife was n aunt of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln, and who, in November, 1860, urged 

upon Lincoln the appointment of "conservative" men and told him that the appointment 

of Cassius M. Clay as Secretary of War would be "a declaration of war upon the state 

[of Ky.]." See Collins History o[ Kentucky, Vol. II, pp. 533-534 and The Lincoln' 

Herald, Smiley, Abraham Lincoln, etc., Winter, 1953, issue, pp. 17-18. See also Memoirs, 

pp. 215-216. 

** In Capt. Clay's absence, this was agreed to by his wife and brother 

See supra, note 30. In Memo:rs, pp. 143-144, Capt. Clay cntlczzes Malor Borland of 

the Arkansas Volunteers, who outranked Gaines, for not setting out pickets on the leading 

roads to Encarnacion, prior to the surprise attack on the hacienda. 

Clay's stepfather, Jeptha Dudley a resident of Frankfort. 

"Santa Anna was "a man without a spark of honor." In 1845, he was living in Cuba, 

serving a term of 10 years banishment from Mexico. According to one account, president 

Polk offered him a large sum of money, while he was still in Cuba, to betray his own 

country. That he would have accepted it, but for the indiscretion of the American 

agent, sent to close the treasonable deal, see Ellis, supra, pp. 786-787 

Clay s co.a ,ents colored .as they me by party feehng, need to be compared w*th 

me orthe things later said m Congress by political opponents of the Polk administratzon. 

It was in the Congress that convened in December, 1847, that Lincoln, as a new 

Congressman from Illinois moved his famous "spot" resolution in which the question was 

sharply pressed upon President Polk to name the spot to which he had sent American 

soldiers and where the first blood had been shed was within the established boundaries 

of the United States. For speech of Lincoln in support of his resolutions, speech of 

Alexander H. Stephens and the politics of the period, see Sandberg The Prairie Years, 

Vol. I, pp. 354-392. Lincoln's stand was not popular with his Illinois constituents, for 

though he was not a candidate for re-election, the Whig candidate was beaten in the 

next election by a Democrat who was a Mexican War veteran, Ibid., p. 402. 

Green, Wadleld, Cassius, and Brutus. Of the four sons, only Brutus left issue. 

Warfield and Cassius both died in childhood. 

OAs shown by his letter of December 10, 1846, to the New York Tribune, where he 

stated that it had never been his original design to limit himself to the editorship of 

The True American, since he thought "he could be more efficient in 'exerting' my influence 

as heretufore for the establishment of freedom' in other ways" [i.e. by direct political 

action]. 

**Townsend, Lincoln and the Bluegrass, p. 139 (Univ. of Ky. Press, 1955). 

**Ibid., p. 139. 

**See Memoirs, pp. 230-231.


°Van Deusen The Life of Henry Clay, p. 391 (Little, Brown & Co., 1937). 

Ibld., p. 392. 

* For particulars as to this, see Memoirs, pp. 103-104 and 168-173, where the author 

acknowledges himself at fault for the wrong done Henry. Clay .and makes handsome 

amends. "As a popular leader, Henry Clay had no equal m his ttmes; and of all our 

public men, he began life in the front, and there he stayed till death gathered hma to hzs 

fathers . . . Whilst, opposed, in judgment, to slavery, and in general aspiration for .the 

liberty of all men Mr. Clay did not avow or conceive a war upon slavery; preferring, 

as most statesmen entrusted with the eadersh p in public affairs, to follow where he 

could not lead, and still maintain the leadership." See Memoirs, pp. 87-88, 95-101. The 

coolness between the two arose after the campaign of 1844, in the course of which Henry 

Clay had felt it necessary to disassociate himselffrom Cassius, because of the pronounced 

anti-slavery position the latter was taking in his speeches in the North while stumping 

for Henry. It had been further aggravated by the active part taken by James B. Clay 

(son of the statesman of Ashland) in the raid on Cassius s press in Augnst, 1845. 

*The Writings (with Preface and Memoir by Horace Greeley) had been accepted for 

publication by Harper & Brothers, prior to the Philadelphia convention which nominated 

Taylor, and the book was to come out in the course of the campaign. 

'*My book will be out in a few weeks. It is in the hands of the Harpers, the largest 

publisher in the Union, who will have sole disposal of it." C. M. Clay to B. J. Clay, 

letter of May 29 1848, in the Brutus J. Clay papers. 

U lt is of some significance that in the Centra Bluegrass indignation at Clay for 

publishing The True American was strongest in Woodford, County, the home of Thos. 

F. Marshall, eloquent Whig orator, and in Scott, home of Richard M. Johnson, leader of 

Democratic party, and others of the same family. See Memoirs, pp. 139-140, 230-231. 

6, On a ticket with George D. Blakey for Lieut.-Governor. Blake'/, like Cassius M. 

Clay, had liberated atl his slaves. Memoirs, p. 212. While receiving less than 5,000 

votes, this was greater than the margin of victory of Powell (Democrat) over Dixon 

(Whig), so that if Clay's vote had gone to Dixon the Whigs would have won the governorship. 

Though in 1855, Morehead was elected Governor on the Amer can (Know- 

Nothing) ticket with Whig support, the Whig party, long dominant in the state, never 

again was able to win the governorship. The party soon was also to disappear on the 

national scene. 

u Cf. The ,Filsou Club History Quarterly, Smiley, "Cassius M. Clay and Southern 

Industrialism, Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 315-327 (Oct. 1954).

CASSIUS M. CLAY, "LION" - The Filson Historical Society

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