Henry Clay: Statesman and Patriot Book Review
A Juvenile Book Explaining the Politics of the United States
Aug 8, 2009
Kelly's opening chapter takes place in 1781 in rural Virginia when Henry Clay was four years old. His father, a Baptist minister was buried the day prior to the chapter’s opening. The last of the funeral guest were leaving when two young black slaves ran up to the house to inform Mrs. Clay that General Tarleton was coming.
Clay asked his mother if Tarleton was bad. She replied, “He’s a British officer, son. He’s been raiding plantations in Virginia”. Henry wanted to know why.
Mrs. Clay explained to her son that the colonies are at war and that they are fighting the British. Clay’s older brother told his mother that she does not need to give further details to the young Clay because he will not understand. Kelly put the details of this story in such a way that a young person could relate and understand how Clay was feeling and understand there was a major event-taking place in American history.
Vivid Descriptions Explains Henry Clay's Life
Throughout the book the descriptions and words the author uses are vivid and easy to understand. Kelly describes how the quill pens scratched the surface of the copy boards and the slate pencils squeaked across the slate during Clay’s school days. It is easy for the reader to imagine the squeaking and the scratching, especially if it was something they experienced in their own school.
Kelly took the reader to the day that Clay recited Patrick Henry’s speech, “Give me Liberty or Give me Death”. Clay was just a youngster in school, but Patrick Henry was Clay’s role model. It was an important time that Henry Clay had lived and the author points this out with the writing of the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution of the United States was newly written and a new country was organized during Clay’s youth.
The author points out that Clay knew from an early age he wanted to be a lawyer. He was encouraged by his family to go to Richmond to work and study under an attorney. He did so and soon was working with George Wythe, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Kelly described the first time Clay was in Wythe’s office. She said he looked around and saw books and more books. Clay wanted to read them all. The sketched picture accompanying Kelly’s words detailed the quill pen in the hand of Wythe sitting at his desk, surrounded by books. Clay enters the room with the butler bringing cool drinks to quench their thirst on a hot summer’s day.
Thomas Jefferson Meets Henry Clay in Wythe's Office
Kelly stated also that Thomas Jefferson studied law under Wythe and one day Jefferson came to visit while Clay was in Wythe’s office. Jefferson invites Clay to come to Monticello.
The final chapter of the book takes the reader to the National Hotel in Washington, D.C. in June of 1852. Henry Clay is sitting alone in his room, too ill to travel back to his beloved “Ashland” in Kentucky. He sits on the chair next to the window looking at a watch that was given to him as a present. On the one side is an impression of himself and on the other side is a list of events and dates that took place throughout his political life.
Kelly wrote this book in the third person. She described him as a youth with a vision. Throughout this book, the reader sees Clay as a common, simple man.
Source:
Kelly, Regina. Henry Clay: Statesman and Patriot. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1960.
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