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

1957] Cassius M. Clay 129
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