Major-General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Cassius Marcellus Clay (October 19, 1810 – July 22, 1903) was an American planter, politician, military officer and abolitionist who served as the
United States ambassador to Russia
The ambassador of the United States of America to the Russian Federation is the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary from the United States of America to the Russian Federation. Since September 4, 2022, Elizabeth Rood is serving as the ...
from 1863 to 1869. Born in
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
to a wealthy
planter family, Clay entered politics during the 1830's and grew to support the
abolitionist cause in the U.S., drawing ire from fellow
Southerners. A founding member of the
Republican Party in Kentucky, he was appointed by President
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
as the U.S. minister to Russia, where Clay is credited with influencing Russian support for the
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
.
Early life, family, and education
Cassius Marcellus Clay was born on October 19, 1810 in
Madison County, Kentucky
Madison County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Kentucky. At the 2020 census, its population was 92,701. Its county seat is Richmond. The county is named for Virginia statesman James Madison, who later became the fo ...
to Sally Lewis and
Green Clay
Green Clay (August 14, 1757 – October 31, 1828) was an American businessman, planter, military officer and politician from Kentucky. Clay served in the American Revolutionary War and was commissioned as a general to lead the Kentucky militia ...
, one of the wealthiest planters and
slave owners in Kentucky, who became a prominent politician. He was one of six children who survived to adulthood, of seven born.
Clay was a member of a large and influential
Clay political family. His older brother
Brutus J. Clay
Brutus Junius Clay (July 1, 1808 – October 11, 1878) was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky, and a son of Green Clay. His brother Cassius Marcellus Clay also was a politician in the state, and they both joined the Unionist Party at the time ...
became a politician at the state and federal levels. They were cousins of both Kentucky politician
Henry Clay and Alabama governor
Clement Comer Clay
Clement Comer Clay (December 17, 1789 – September 6, 1866) was the eighth Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama from 1835 to 1837. An attorney, judge and politician, he also was elected to the state legislature, as well as to the House of Repr ...
. Cassius' sister Elizabeth Lewis Clay (1798–1887) married
John Speed Smith, who also became a state and US politician.
["KOAR's Russian Connection"](_blank)
, Kentucky Online Arts Resource Blog, 15 October 2012 Their son,
Green Clay Smith
Green Clay Smith (July 4, 1826 – June 29, 1895) was a United States soldier and politician. Elected to the Kentucky state house before the American Civil War, he was commissioned as a Union officer when he volunteered, advancing to the rank of ...
, became a state politician and was elected to Congress.
The younger Clay attended
Transylvania University
Transylvania University is a private university in Lexington, Kentucky. It was founded in 1780 and was the first university in Kentucky. It offers 46 major programs, as well as dual-degree engineering programs, and is accredited by the Southern ...
and then graduated from
Yale College
Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...
in 1832. While at Yale, he heard abolitionist
William Lloyd Garrison
William Lloyd Garrison (December , 1805 – May 24, 1879) was a prominent American Christian, abolitionist, journalist, suffragist, and social reformer. He is best known for his widely read antislavery newspaper '' The Liberator'', which he foun ...
speak, and his lecture inspired Clay to join the anti-slavery movement. Garrison's arguments were to him "as water is to a thirsty wayfarer." Clay was politically incrementalist, supporting gradual legal change rather than calling for immediate abolition the way Garrison and his supporters did. He thought this more likely to bring success.
Marriage and family
In 1833, Clay married
Mary Jane Warfield, daughter of Mary Barr and Dr.
Elisha Warfield
Elisha Warfield Jr. (February 5, 1781 – May 15, 1859) was an American physician and a Thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder whom ''Thoroughbred Heritage'' calls "one of the most important early figures in Kentucky racing and breeding."
...
of
Lexington, Kentucky. They had ten children, six of whom lived to adulthood:
*Elisha Warfield Clay (1835–1851)
*Green Clay (1837–1883)
*
Mary Barr Clay
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religious contexts
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
(aka Mrs. J. Frank Herrick) (1839–1924)
*Sarah "Sallie" Lewis Clay Bennett (1841–1935)
*Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. (1843–1843)
*Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. (1845–1857)
*Brutus Junius Clay (1847–1932)
*
Laura Clay (1849–1941)
*Flora Clay (1851–1851)
*Anne Clay Crenshaw (1859–1945)
Later, he adopted Henry Launey Clay, believed to be his son by an extra-marital relationship while in Russia.
In 1878 after 45 years of marriage, Clay divorced his wife,
Mary Jane (Warfield) Clay, claiming abandonment after she no longer would tolerate his marital infidelities. In 1894, the 84-year-old Clay married Dora Richardson, the orphaned sister of one of his
sharecropping
Sharecropping is a legal arrangement with regard to agricultural land in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a share of the crops produced on that land.
Sharecropping has a long history and there are a wide range ...
tenants. According to newspaper reports at the time, Dora was 15 to 16 years old. Her age varies in the few extant records; the 1900 US Census indicates that she was born in May 1882, suggesting that she may have been as young as 12 when she married Cassius M. Clay. Her age was a contentious issue, leading the minister who was initially to marry them to bow out. Clay's children also objected, and Clay reportedly mounted a cannon in his doorway to detour anyone who intended to interfere with the wedding.
Early political career
Cassius Clay was a member of the
planter class
The planter class, known alternatively in the United States as the Southern aristocracy, was a racial and socioeconomic caste of pan-American society that dominated 17th and 18th century agricultural markets. The Atlantic slave trade permitted ...
who later became a prominent anti-slavery crusader. Clay worked toward emancipation, both as a Kentucky state representative and as an early member of the
Republican Party.
Clay was elected to three terms in the
Kentucky House of Representatives, but he lost support among Kentuckian voters as he promoted abolition. His anti-slavery activism earned him violent enemies. During a political debate in 1843, he survived an assassination attempt by Sam Brown, a hired gun. The scabbard of Clay's
Bowie knife was tipped with silver and, in jerking the Bowie knife out in retaliation pulled this scabbard up so that it was just over his heart. Brown's bullet struck the scabbard and embedded itself in the silver. Despite having been shot in the chest, Clay tackled Brown, and with his Bowie knife removed Brown's nose and one eye and possibly an ear before he threw Brown over an embankment.
In 1845, Clay began publishing an anti-slavery newspaper, ''
True American'', in
Lexington, Kentucky. Within a month, he received death threats, had to arm himself, and regularly barricaded the armored doors of his newspaper office for protection, besides setting up two four-pounder cannons inside. Shortly afterward, a mob of about 60 men broke into his office and seized his printing equipment. To protect his venture, Clay set up a publication center in
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wi ...
, a center of abolitionists in the free state but continued to reside in Kentucky.
Clay served in the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
as a
captain with the 1st Kentucky Cavalry from 1846 to 1847. He had opposed the
annexation of Texas
The Texas annexation was the 1845 annexation of the Republic of Texas into the United States. Texas was admitted to the Union as the 28th state on December 29, 1845.
The Republic of Texas declared independence from the Republic of Mexico ...
and the expansion of slavery into the Southwest, but had volunteered because of Mexico’s attempt to seize the state, which it still claimed. While making a speech for abolition in 1849, Clay was attacked by the six Turner brothers, who beat, stabbed, and tried to shoot him. In the ensuing fight, Clay fought off all six and, using his Bowie knife, killed Cyrus Turner.
In 1853, Clay granted 10 acres of his expansive lands to
John G. Fee, an abolitionist who founded the town of
Berea. In 1855 Fee founded
Berea College
Berea College is a private liberal arts work college in Berea, Kentucky. Founded in 1855, Berea College was the first college in the Southern United States to be coeducational and racially integrated. Berea College charges no tuition; every a ...
, open to all races. Clay's connections to the northern antislavery movement remained strong. He was a founder of the
Republican Party in Kentucky and became a friend of
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
, whom he supported for the
presidency
A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified b ...
in 1860. Clay was briefly a candidate for the
vice presidency at the
1860 Republican National Convention, but lost the nomination to
Hannibal Hamlin
Hannibal Hamlin (August 27, 1809 – July 4, 1891) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 15th vice president of the United States from 1861 to 1865, during President Abraham Lincoln's first term. He was the first Republican ...
.
Civil War and Minister to Russia
President Lincoln appointed Clay to the post of
Minister to the Russian court at
St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
on March 28, 1861. The
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
started before he departed and, as there were no Federal troops in Washington at the time, Clay organized a group of 300 volunteers to protect the White House and US Naval Yard from a possible Confederate attack. These men became known as Cassius M. Clay's Washington Guards. President Lincoln gave Clay a presentation Colt revolver in recognition. When Federal troops arrived, Clay and his family embarked for Russia. As Minister to Russia, Clay witnessed the
Tsar's emancipation edict.
During the Civil War, Russia came to the aid of the Union, threatening war against Britain and France if they officially recognized the Confederacy. Cassius Clay, as minister to Russia during that time, was instrumental in securing Russia's aid. Emperor
Alexander II of Russia gave sealed orders to the commanders of both his Atlantic and Pacific fleets, and sent them to the East and West coasts of the United States. They were instructed that the sealed orders were to be opened only if Britain and France entered the war on the side of the Confederacy. When the Russian Atlantic fleet entered New York harbor, Secretary of the Navy
Gideon Welles
Gideon Welles (July 1, 1802 – February 11, 1878), nicknamed "Father Neptune", was the United States Secretary of the Navy from 1861 to 1869, a cabinet post he was awarded after supporting Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election. Although opposed ...
wrote in his diary:
In sending these ships to this country, there is something significant. What will be its effect on France, and French policy, we shall learn in due time. It may be moderate, it may exacerbate. God bless the Russians.
The action of Alexander II was confirmed in 1904 by
Wharton Barker
Wharton Barker (May 1, 1846 – April 9, 1921) was an American financier and publicist who held influence in the Republican presidential selection during the 1880s and was a rival Populist presidential candidate in 1900.
Life
Wharton Barker was ...
of Pennsylvania, who in 1878 was the financial agent in the United States of the Russian government.
Recalled to the United States in 1862 to accept a commission from Lincoln as a
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
with the Union Army, Clay publicly refused to accept it unless Lincoln would agree to emancipate slaves under Confederate control. Lincoln sent Clay to Kentucky to assess the mood for emancipation there and in the other border states. Following Clay's return to Washington, DC, Lincoln issued the
Emancipation Proclamation in late 1862, to take effect in January 1863.
Clay resigned his commission in March 1863 and returned to Russia, where he served until 1869. He was influential in the negotiations for the
purchase
Purchasing is the process a business or organization uses to acquire goods or services to accomplish its goals. Although there are several organizations that attempt to set standards in the purchasing process, processes can vary greatly between ...
of
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...
.
Later years
Later, Clay founded the Cuban Charitable Aid Society to help the
Cuban independence
The Cuban War of Independence (), fought from 1895 to 1898, was the last of three liberation wars that Cuba fought against Spain, the other two being the Ten Years' War (1868–1878) and the Little War (1879–1880). The final three months ...
movement of
José Martí
José Julián Martí Pérez (; January 28, 1853 – May 19, 1895) was a Cuban nationalist, poet, philosopher, essayist, journalist, translator, professor, and publisher, who is considered a Cuban national hero because of his role in the libera ...
. He also spoke in favor of
nationalizing the railroads and later against the power being accrued by industrialists. Clay left the Republican Party in 1869. He also disapproved of the
Republican Radicals' reconstruction policy after Lincoln's assassination.
In 1872, Clay was one of the organizers of the
Liberal Republican revolt. He was instrumental in securing the nomination of
Horace Greeley for the presidency. In the political campaigns of
1876
Events
January–March
* January 1
** The Reichsbank opens in Berlin.
** The Bass Brewery Red Triangle becomes the world's first registered trademark symbol.
* February 2 – The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs is ...
and
1880
Events
January–March
* January 22 – Toowong State School is founded in Queensland, Australia.
* January – The international White slave trade affair scandal in Brussels is exposed and attracts international infamy.
* February ...
, Clay supported the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
candidates. He rejoined the Republican party in the
campaign of 1884.
Clay had a reputation as a rebel and a fighter.
["Clay, Cassius Marcellus", by Frank L. Klement, in '']The World Book Encyclopedia
The ''World Book Encyclopedia'' is an American encyclopedia. The encyclopedia is designed to cover major areas of knowledge uniformly, but it shows particular strength in scientific, technical, historical and medical subjects. ''World Book'' w ...
'', Chicago: World Book Inc, 1984 Due to threats on his life, he had become accustomed to carrying two pistols and a knife for protection. He installed a cannon to protect his home and office.
At the
1890 Kentucky Constitutional Convention, Clay was elected by the members as the Convention's President. Cassius Clay died at his home on July 22, 1903 of "general exhaustion." He was 92 years old. Survivors included his daughters,
Laura Clay and
Mary Barr Clay
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religious contexts
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
, who were both
women's rights
Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countries, ...
activists.
Legacy
![White Hall Mansion](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/White_Hall_Mansion.jpg)
His family home,
White Hall
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, is maintained by the Commonwealth of Kentucky as White Hall State Historic Shrine.
Herman Heaton Clay, a descendant of African-American slaves, named his son Cassius Marcellus Clay, who was born nine years after the death of the emancipationist, in tribute to him.
This Cassius Clay gave his own son the same name,
Cassius M. Clay, Jr., a world heavyweight champion boxer who gained international renown and changed his name to Muhammad Ali after his conversion to
Islam. After Ali converted to Islam he claimed that his earlier name was a "
slave name
A slave name is the personal name given by others to an enslaved person, or a name inherited from enslaved ancestors. The modern use of the term applies mostly to African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans who are descended from enslaved Africans who ...
" and added that "I didn't choose it and I don't want it." He further asserted in his autobiography that while Clay may have gotten rid of his slaves, he "held on to white supremacy." This led Ali to conclude: "Why should I keep my white slavemaster's name visible and my black ancestors invisible, unknown, unhonored?"
[https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/10/25/specials/ali-heritage. Heritage of a Heavyweight. http://nytimes.com/. John Egerton. Accessed: March 18, 2020.]
Writings
*
* ''The Writings of Cassius Marcellus Clay'' (edited with a memoir by
Horace Greeley. New York, 1848)
See also
*
''Lucy Walker'' steamboat disaster
*
Clay family
References
;Attribution
Further reading
*
*
*
* (historical fiction)
*
*
*
*
*
* (originally delivered as an address before the Chicago Civil War Round Table, October 17, 1952.)
External links
*
White Hall-Clermont Foundation official website
White Hall – home of Cassius M. Clay Kentucky Parks
Original Letters: Abraham Lincoln to Cassius Marcellus Clay, 1860 Shapell Manuscript Foundation
Kentucky Educational Television
''
Columbia Encyclopedia
The ''Columbia Encyclopedia'' is a one-volume encyclopedia produced by Columbia University Press and, in the last edition, sold by the Gale Group. First published in 1935, and continuing its relationship with Columbia University, the encyclope ...
'' 6th Edition, online at Bartleby website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clay, Cassius Marcellus
1810 births
1903 deaths
American abolitionists
American shooting survivors
People from Madison County, Kentucky
Yale College alumni
Republican Party members of the Kentucky House of Representatives
American people of English descent
Ambassadors of the United States to Russia
Transylvania University alumni
Writers from Kentucky
Kentucky Liberal Republicans
19th-century American diplomats
19th-century American newspaper publishers (people)
American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
Union Army generals
Green Clay family
Centre College alumni