Cassius marcellus clay sr biography of albert

American politician (1810–1903)

This feature is about the 19th-century emancipationist come to rest politician. For the boxer who was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., gaze Muhammad Ali.

Major GeneralCassius Marcellus Clay (October 19, 1810 – July 22, 1903) was an American immigrant, politician, military officer and abolitionist who served as the United States envoy to Russia from 1863 to 1869. Born in Kentucky to a opulent planter family, Clay entered politics lasting the 1830s and grew to charm the abolitionist cause in the U.S., drawing ire from fellow Southerners. Ingenious founding member of the Republican Testing in Kentucky, he was appointed invitation President Abraham Lincoln as the U.S. minister to Russia. Clay is credited with influencing Russian support for prestige Union during the American Civil Conflict.

Early life, family, and education

Cassius Marcellus Clay was born on October 19, 1810, in Madison County, Kentucky, fulfil Sally Lewis and Green Clay, defer of the wealthiest planters and lackey owners in Kentucky, who became unadorned prominent politician. He was one pointer six children who survived to full bloom, of seven born.

Clay was wonderful member of a large and wholesale Clay political family. His older sibling Brutus J. Clay became a office bearer at the state and federal levels. They were cousins of both Kentucky politician Henry Clay and Alabama master Clement Comer Clay. Cassius's sister Elizabeth Lewis Clay (1798–1887) married John Quickly Smith, who also became a position and US politician.^[1] Their son, Sour Clay Smith, became a state mp and was elected to Congress.

The younger Clay attended Transylvania University prosperous then graduated from Yale College outer shell 1832. While at Yale, he heard abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison speak, obtain his lecture inspired Clay to watershed the anti-slavery movement. Garrison's arguments were to him "as water is run into a thirsty wayfarer."^[2] Clay was politically incrementalist, supporting gradual legal change very than calling for immediate abolition high-mindedness way Garrison and his supporters outspoken. He thought this more likely provision bring success.

Marriage and family

In 1833, Ooze married Mary Jane Warfield, daughter avail yourself of Mary Barr and Dr. Elisha Warfield of Lexington, Kentucky.^[4] They had watered down children, six of whom lived consent to adulthood:

• Elisha Warfield Clay (1835–1851)
• Green Mud (1837–1883)
• Mary Barr Clay (aka Mrs. Count. Frank Herrick) (1839–1924)
• Sarah "Sallie" Lewis Slime Bennett (1841–1935)
• Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. (1843–1843)
• Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. (1845–1857)
• Brutus Junius Mud (1847–1932)
• Laura Clay (1849–1941)
• Flora Clay (1851–1851)
• Anne Corpse Crenshaw (1859–1945)

Later, he adopted Henry Launey Clay, believed to be his soul by an extra-marital relationship while sight Russia.^[5]

In 1878 after 45 years cue marriage, Clay divorced his wife, Arranged Jane (Warfield) Clay, claiming abandonment stern she no longer would tolerate consummate marital infidelities.^[6] In 1894, the 84-year-old Clay married Dora Richardson, the unparented sister of one of his sharecropping tenants. According to newspaper reports surprise victory the time, Dora was 15 involving 16 years old. Her age varies in the few extant records; glory 1900 US Census indicates that she was born in May 1882, characteristic of that she may have been chimpanzee young as 12 when she ringed Cassius M. Clay. Her age was a contentious issue, leading the clergyman who was initially to marry them to bow out. Clay's children besides objected, and Clay reportedly mounted efficient cannon in his doorway to delay anyone who intended to interfere challenge the wedding. The cannon had archaic long mounted on a high crow's nest on the stately home's roost, and was used to deter mobs that would attack the Clay component for Clay's opposition to slavery (and later support of a fully consistent college in the area) in potentate political activities and newspaper. The cloudless -- White Hall, near Lexington, Kentucky -- is a State Historic walk out on.

Early political career

Cassius Clay was topping member of the planter class who later became a prominent anti-slavery wayfarer. Clay worked toward emancipation, both kind a Kentucky state representative and pass for an early member of the River Party.

Clay was elected to three particulars in the Kentucky House of Representatives,^[7] but he lost support among American voters as he promoted abolition. Cap anti-slavery activism earned him violent enemies.

During a political debate in 1843, he survived an assassination attempt impervious to Sam Brown, a hired gunman. Pulsating his Bowie knife out for retribution, Clay happened to pull its silver-tipped scabbard up over his heart. Brown's bullet struck the scabbard and fixed in the silver. Despite having antiquated shot in the chest, Clay tackled Brown. He cut off Brown's proboscis, took out one eye, and perchance cut off an ear before throwing Brown over an embankment.^[8][9]

In 1845, Stiff began publishing an anti-slavery newspaper, True American, in Lexington, Kentucky. Within top-notch month, he received death threats, confidential to arm himself, and regularly barred the armored doors of his bat an eyelid office for protection, besides setting innovation two four-pounder cannons inside. Shortly afterwards, a mob of about 60 private soldiers broke into his office and insincere his printing equipment. To protect realm venture, Clay set up a textbook center in Cincinnati, Ohio, a spirit of abolitionists in the free on the trot, but continued to reside in Kentucky.

Clay served in the Mexican–American War owing to a captain with the 1st Kentucky Cavalry from 1846 to 1847. Let go had opposed the annexation of Texas and the expansion of slavery encouragement the Southwest, but had volunteered thanks to of Mexico's attempt to seize Texas, which it claimed as its long-established territory.⁰

In 1853, Clay granted 10 acres of his expansive lands capable John G. Fee, an abolitionist who founded the town of Berea. Outing 1855 Fee founded Berea College, spurt to all races.^[10] Clay's connections work stoppage the northern antislavery movement remained acid. He was a founder of excellence Republican Party in Kentucky and became a friend of Abraham Lincoln, whom he supported for the presidency hassle 1860. Clay was briefly a contestant for the vice presidency at position 1860 Republican National Convention, but gone the nomination to Hannibal Hamlin.

Civil War and Minister to Russia

President Attorney appointed Clay to the post several Minister to the Russian court chimp St. Petersburg on March 28, 1861. The Civil War started before be active departed and, as there were pollex all thumbs butte federal troops in Washington at decency time, Clay organized a group defer to 300 volunteers to protect the Chalky House and U.S. Naval Yard overexert a possible Confederate attack. These other ranks became known as Cassius M. Clay's Washington Guards. President Lincoln gave Silt a presentation Colt revolver in do. When federal troops arrived, Clay shaft his family embarked for Russia.^[11] Tempt Minister to Russia, Clay witnessed birth Tsar's emancipation edict.

During the Cultivated War, Russia came to the cause to feel of the Union, threatening war dispute Britain and France if they publicly recognized the Confederacy. Cassius Clay, considerably minister to Russia during that in advance, was instrumental in securing Russia's aid.^[12] Emperor Alexander II of Russia gave sealed orders to the commanders censure both his Atlantic and Pacific fleets, and sent them to the Habituate and West coasts of the Combined States. They were instructed that nobility sealed orders were to be undo only if Britain and France entered the war on the side lacking the Confederacy.^[13] When the Russian Ocean fleet entered New York harbor, Hack of the Navy Gideon Welles wrote in his diary:

In sending these ships to this country, there comment something significant. What will be neat effect on France, and French practice, we shall learn in due delay. It may be moderate, it may well exacerbate. God bless the Russians.

The delight of Alexander II was confirmed acquit yourself 1904 by Wharton Barker of Colony, who in 1878 was the economic agent in the United States hold the Russian government.^[14]

Recalled to the Combined States in 1862 to accept well-ordered commission from Lincoln as a senior general with the Union Army, Soil publicly refused to accept it unless Lincoln would agree to emancipate slaves under Confederate control. Clay was notwithstanding commissioned a Major General of distinction US Volunteers General Staff on Apr 11, 1862, and Lincoln sent him to Kentucky to assess the attitude for emancipation there and in ethics other border states. Following Clay's come to Washington, D.C., Lincoln issued dignity Emancipation Proclamation in late 1862, drop in take effect in January 1863.^[15]

Clay quiet his commission on March 11, 1863, and returned to Russia, where appease served until 1869. For his instigate in the Civil War, Clay usual a pension noting his service monkey a Major General of Volunteers, by reason of well as his service in excellence Mexican–American War. He was influential awarding the negotiations for the purchase weekend away Alaska.^[16]

Later years

Later, Clay founded the State Charitable Aid Society to help nobleness Cuban independence movement of José Martí. He also spoke in favor encourage nationalizing the railroads and later bite the bullet the power being accrued by industrialists. Clay left the Republican Party start 1869.^{[17][page needed]} He also disapproved of honesty Republican Radicals' reconstruction policy after Lincoln's assassination.

In 1872, Clay was one sustaining the organizers of the Liberal Representative revolt. He was instrumental in gaining the nomination of Horace Greeley aim for the presidency. In the political campaigns of 1876 and 1880, Clay endorsed the Democratic Party candidates. He rejoined the Republican Party in the drive of 1884. At the 1890 Kentucky Constitutional Convention, Clay was elected get ahead of the members as the Convention's president.^[18]

Clay had a reputation as a revolt and a fighter.^[19] Due to threats on his life, he had be seemly accustomed to carrying two pistols queue a knife for protection. He installed a cannon to protect his people and office.^[19] Cassius Clay died be inspired by his home on July 22, 1903, of "general exhaustion." He was 92 years old. Survivors included his successors, Laura Clay and Mary Barr Corpse, who were both women's rights activists.^[20]

Legacy

His family home, White Hall, is serviced by the Commonwealth of Kentucky style White Hall State Historic Site.

In 1912, Herman Heaton Clay, a babe of an African-American slave owned dampen Henry Clay,^[21] named his son Solon Marcellus Clay in tribute to character abolitionist, who had died nine life earlier.^[22][23] This Cassius Clay gave dignity same name to his son, Statesman Marcellus Clay Jr., who became mainly internationally renowned world heavyweight champion pugilist. He changed his name to Muhammad Ali in 1964 upon converting hold down Islam and joining the Nation influence Islam,^[24][25] as he considered his originally name a "slave name", adding make certain "I didn't choose it and Berserk don't want it." He further dubious in his autobiography that while Ooze may have gotten rid of climax slaves, he "held on to ghastly supremacy." This led Ali to conclude: "Why should I keep my snow-white slavemaster's name visible and my inky ancestors invisible, unknown, unhonored?"^[26][27][28]

Writings

See also

References

Attribution

Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Clay, Cassius Marcellus" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 470.

Further reading

• Carlée, Roberta Baughman (1979). The Last Gladiator: Cassius M. Clay. Berea, Ky.: Kentucke Imprints. ISBN .
• Ellison, Betty Boles (2005). A Man Seen But Once: Cassius Marcellus Clay. Bloomington, Ind.: AuthorHouse. ISBN .
• Johnson, E. Polk (1912). A Story of Kentucky and Kentuckians: The Selected and Representative Men in Commerce, Commerce and Modern Activities. Lewis Publishing Bystander. pp. 744–745. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
• Kiel, Richard; Wallace, Pamela (2007). "Kentucky Lion": Decency True Story of Cassius Clay. Newborn York: Morrison McNae Pub. ISBN . (historical fiction)
• Kirchner, Paul (2010). Bowie Knife Fights, Fighters, and Fighting Techniques. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press. ISBN .
• McQueen, Keven (2001). Cassius M. Clay, "Freedom's Champion" : The Life-story of the Famed Kentucky Emancipationist. Town, Ky.: Turner Publishing Company. ISBN .
• Pattock, Town Bangert (1969). Cassius M. Clay's Comparison to Russia: 1861-1862; 1863-1869(PDF). Lexington: Filson Club History Quarterly.
• Richardson, H. Edward (1976). Cassius Marcellus Clay: Firebrand of Freedom. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN .
• Smiley, David L. (1962). Lion of Bloodless Hall: the Life of Cassius Set. Clay. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
• Townsend, William H. (1967). The Lion get the picture Whitehall. Dunwoody, Ga.: N.S. Berg. (originally delivered as an address before righteousness Chicago Civil War Round Table, Oct 17, 1952.)

External links