BY CALVIN COLTON, AUTHOR OF THE "JUNIUS TRACTS"-" FOUR YEARS IN GREAT BRITAIN”—“ TOUR OF IN TWO VOLUMES, VOL. I. NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY A. S. BARNES & CO., 51 JOHN STREET. 1846. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1845, BY CALVIN COLTON, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and for the Southern District of New York. w STEREOTYPED BY REDFIELD & SAVAGE, 13 Chambers Street, N. Y. C. A. ALVORD, PRINTER, CORNER OF JOHN AND DUTCH STREETS. 13-411826 DEDICATION. 1351 TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, To whose service, welfare, and happiness, the subject of this work, HENRY CLAY, has consecrated a long life of toil and self-sacrifice, of which they are competent witnesses, and will be honest judges, this production, conscientiously composed, though not claiming to be free from the imperfections which characterize all human efforts, is most respectfully dedicated by the Author, C. COLTON. NEW YORK, October, 1845. INTRODUCTION. THE first thing to be encountered as a subject of criticism, in the publication of this work, is the writing of a man's biography before he has passed from the stage. This is easily disposed of by the fact, that Mr. Clay's life has already been written more times than any man living can tell. It is also answered by the consideration, that having spent his life in the public service, Mr. Clay's history is public property. His character, his principles, his policy, his measures, and all his acts, as an American statesman, are identified with the history of the country, and with the public and private interests of the people. Occupying this posisoon, or too well, or tion, it is obvious, that they can not be too too generally known. To say that they are known, is not strictly true, for all the practical purposes required. His history, as a public man, is scattered over a boundless field, which no one person, not expressly devoted to the task, will ever survey. Its entireness is not available for use, except as it is brought together and concentrated. The author has considered there was a demand for this, and this belief was the motive of his undertaking. He has never asked Mr. Clay's leave, but only announced his purpose. It is due to Mr. Clay, to say, that so far from inviting the task, or affording any encouragement, except that of politeness, he has from the beginning and at all times, discouraged an early publication. When the author wrote to him in the fall of 1844, to say, that he had concluded to enter without delay, on the completion of his work—the project of which had been before announced to him-and that he would soon be at Lexington, to avail himself of the best and most indispensable aids, Mr. Clay |