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Show UNWRITTEN PAGE OF HISTORY. Incident Said to Have Caused Clay's Defeat for Presidency. An unwritten pa?e hi the history of Ametlcati politics came to light at the city hall In Minneapolis when Mary Hunter, coloied, !)."i yeaia old and a fouuer slave, K.ie her veiilon of the (nihil e of Henry Clay to be elcctml to the presidency of the t'nlied States lu ISO'J. She witnessed the famous bannuct Shell by the stale of North t'arollua to Mr. Clay at Ashevllle Hundicils of tables weie spread tiudei the trfei,, and no gieau-r enthiislnsin was cor evoked by i political eent than wan dlsplayel (hire Neiuh all the priun. hieut mull of the south were theie, and the name of lleniy Clay was on ( eery tongue. Ills election teemed assured until a cloud nf scandal crossed the horizon. hori-zon. Clay, she said, fell In lovo with ii beautiful oetoioou, who had been flood by her master hi North Carolina. The secret was exposed a few (leys nfter the banquet, and for many weeks the magnificent Khl was the object of. alt xosslp In that pnit of the country ".My mother Knew the clrl well." I said Mary Hniitet, "and the talk start-' ed caiued her to disappear No ono ever heard of ier after that" In order to save ihe social standing of those who attended the sront feast the tnntter was not spiead broadcast, but leading politicians of both the south and n- rlli weie asked to pre-e;it pre-e;it Henry Clay fniin over occupying the piesliU ,.n chilli'. I low (heir woil, succeedod is a Hint tor of history In North Carolina, but w en Clay 'ms defeated the subject i w 4 dropped and no one oared to I piobe It fuither. Mary Hunter went to Minneapolis when the Sixth and Soxenth Minnesota Minneso-ta leshnonts returned at the close of the civil war. SluOias worked nearly eU'iy day since she was seven years old and still earns her living by hard day work. A short time ago she Injured In-jured her back, and for the Ilrst time hi her life, she has asked for charity. "l must Mirk or I will die," she told lidward Kkmaii, of the poor department. depart-ment. "IT 1 can Ket a little wood and something to eat for a few days 1 will be iii and working like I always have done." Mary Hauler has been employed by several pioinincnt families, who say she Is wondei fully bright and active. |
