Tas celebrated orase and chesion was the tenth child of the Reverend John Clay, a worthy divine of the Baptist personsion, and Elizabeth, his wife. He was heap on the twelfth of April, 1777, in a district commonly called the "Slashes" to Haver County, Virginia. The death of his father in 1961, ensigned him entirely to the are of liis mother, who was reored Lacapable of giving her children more than a common education, by the esbarrassed edition in which her husband's estate was left. This clewenstance, which compelled her to ly on hor children to assist in the support of the family, did not prevent their receiving the Lenefits of the parish school. Young Henry was placed under the tuition of one Peter Deacon, whom he acquired the rudiments of the Englis Sanchis, and progressed in his arithmetic far as Practice-to use, his own words Heroined at home at the roached his fourtooth year, devoting himself, with his brothers, principally to the labors of the farm. It was ing this period of his life that he won the title of The Will boy of the Slashes

1741, he entered as a clerk in the ding store of Mr. Richard Denny, at Richmond, in his Live State, but remained there only a short time. During the next year his mother was mar

Mr. Henry Watkins, and removed to Woodford County, Kentucky, taking with her all her chi fren except Henry and his eldest brother. Previous to this change of residence, Henry, on the instrumentality of his step-father, was placed in the office of Mr. Peter Tinsley, the check of the high court of chancery in Virginia, which position he found more congenial to bis and inclinations. Here he became acquainted with the celebrated Chancellor Wythe; by his steady and industrious habits soon attracted his attention, and finally became his amanuens's. In the employment now given him of reorg the disis of the chancellor, and performing the various duties of a private Laton, and acquired those habits of regu rh value to him in his subsenent career. cle,k to Mr. Tinsley and amanensis to the vanatil 2nt at law, in the dice of Robert Brooke, st that the attorney general. The advantages of

it med much legal and general informetodical application, which were of so spending five years in the dont le service of Chancellor Wythe, he entered as a stu

of Mr Clay, who, after he was
ween his mother's hou
seross a pony that was zuid
of his travel, as The midboys

HENRY CLAY.

THIS celebrated orator and statesman was the seventh child of the Reverend John Clay, a worthy divine of the Baptist persuasion, and Elizabeth, his wife. He was born on the twelfth of April, 1777, in a district commonly called the "Slashes," in Hanover County, Virginia. The death of his father in 1781, consigned him entirely to the care of his mother, who was rendered incapable of giving her children more than a common education, by the embarrassed condition in which her husband's estate was left. This circumstance, which compelled her to rely on her children to assist in the support of the family, did not prevent their receiving the benefits of the parish school. Young Henry was placed under the tuition of one Peter Deacon, with whom he acquired the rudiments of the English branches, and progressed in his arithmetic "as far as Practice"-to use his own words. He remained at home until he reached his fourteenth year, devoting himself, with his brothers, principally to the labors of the farm. It was during this period of his life that he won the title of The Mill boy of the Slashes.*

In 1791, he entered as a clerk in the drug store of Mr. Richard Denny, at Richmond, in his native State, but remained there only a short time. During the next year his mother was married to Mr. Henry Watkins, and removed to Woodford County, Kentucky, taking with her all her children except Henry and his eldest brother. Previous to this change of residence, Henry, through the instrumentality of his step-father, was placed in the office of Mr. Peter Tinsley, the clerk of the high court of chancery in Virginia, which position he found more congenial to his tastes and inclinations. Here he became acquainted with the celebrated Chancellor Wythe; by his steady and industrious habits soon attracted his attention, and finally became his amanuensis. In the employment now given him, of recording the decisions of the chancellor, and performing the various duties of a private secretary, he obtained much legal and general information, and acquired those habits of regularity and methodical application, which were of so much value to him in his subsequent career. After spending five years in the double service of clerk to Mr. Tinsley and amanuensis to the venerable Chancellor Wythe, he entered as a student at law, in the office of Robert Brooke, at that time attorney-general. The advantages of perfecting himself in the profession he had chosen, now became much better than he had heretofore enjoyed, and the assiduity with which he embraced them, showed how highly he appreciated their benefits. In 1797, after one year of study, he was licensed to practise, by the judges of the Virginia Court of Appeals. During the fall of the same year he removed to Lexington, Kentucky, and there established himself; "without patrons," said he, in reviewing this portion of his life, "without the favor or countenance of the great or opulent, without the means of paying my weekly board, and in the midst of a bar uncommonly distinguished by eminent members. I remember how comfortable I thought I should be," he continued, “if I

* This sobriquet had its origin in the filial and fraternal duty of Mr. Clay, who, after he was large enough, was seen whenever the meal-barrel was low, going to and fro on the road between his mother's house and Mrs. Darricott's mill on the Pamunkey river, mounted on a bag that was thrown across a pony that was guided by a rope bridle; and thus he became familiarly known, by the people living on the line of his travel, as The millboy of the slashes.-Colton's Life and Times of Clay, vol. 1, page 19.