Existing comment:
Slavery at Ashland:
Born in Virginia, the son and grandson of slaveowners, Henry Clay recognized early on the importance of slavery to the southern economy. Long before Clay moved to Kentucky in 1797, the slave system had become deeply embedded in the economic and social structure of the South. Yet the slavery issue presented Clay with a problem that had plagued great leaders before him. How could a country whose principles were based in freedom indulge in the practice of slavery? Clay opposed the institution of slavery, but accepted the evil as a matter of practical business. Though he enslaved African Americans, Clay decried the practice, and as early as 1798 published articles advocating the election of delegates to the Kentucky State constitutional convention who would support the gradual emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
Clay had as many as fifty people enslaved to work in his house and on his farm during his lifetime, and he had thirty-three at the time of his death. The enslaved to work in his house and on his home took care of all the personal needs of the Clay family. Those working the farm were responsible for maintaining the fields of oats, hemp, and corn, and for tending to Clay's horses, cattle, mules, pigs, and sheep.
As a slaveowner, Henry Clay was fairly typical of his era. He controlled every aspect of th lives of those he enslaved from birth to death. Sometimes Henry Clay showed compassion and concern for those he enslaved. This was the case with Aaron Dupuy, one of his longest held enslaved African Americans, for whom he purchased Charlotte, a woman Aaron married in secret. At other times, Henry Clay showed genuine cruelty as was the case when Charlotte sued Henry Clay for his freedom. In response to this suit and the embarrassment it caused Clay, he sent Charlotte to New Orleans to his daughter's home, separating her from the rest of her family for a significant period of time. It is interesting to note that although Clay was harsh with "Lotty" after her suit, he could in fact, have been far worse to her, beating her or selling her away from her family.
When Henry Clay died, he left fairly complex instructions determining the future of those of those he enslaved. In his will, Clay directed that members of enslaved families not be separated without their consent. He also left provisions for any children born to his enslaved women after January 1 1850 to be freed at the age of 28 for males, and 25 for females. These enslaved persons were to earn money to help defray the cost of transporting them to the African nation of Liberia, a country Clay helped establish as a place where freed American blacks could settle. Clay bequeathed some of his enslaved persons to his sons John and Thomas. To John, Clay left Harvey, Milton, Henry, and Bob. To Thomas, Clay made the gift of any enslaved African American already delivered to him. |