In 1808 he entered the South Carolina Legislature. This was the beginning
of his long public career of more than forty years. During this time he
served his country as a representative in Congress, Secretary of War,
Vice-President of the United States, Secretary of State, and United States
senator.
In all these many years he was a prominent leader, especially in those
events which concerned the slave-holding Southern planter. This we shall
see later, after we have made the acquaintance of the second of the
powerful trio of great statesmen, Henry Clay.
HENRY CLAY
Henry Clay was born near Richmond, Virginia, in 1777, in a low, level
region called "the Slashes." He was one of seven children. His father was
a Baptist clergyman, of fine voice and pleasing manner of speaking. He
died when little Henry was four years old, leaving but a small sum for his
family to live upon.
Henry went, like the other boys of "the Slashes," to a tiny log school
without windows or floor. The schoolmaster, who knew very little himself,
taught the boys to read, write, and cipher. But that was all.
Outside of school hours Henry shared in the farm work. He helped with the
ploughing and often rode the family pony to the mill, using a rope for a
bridle and a bag of corn, wheat, meal, or flour for a saddle.
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