Henry Clay

Henry Clay is a subject of such compelling importance that frequent reexaminations seem justified, including this and at least three others that have appeared in the last several years. Reasons for such renewed appeal are clear: as Andrew Jackson's star dims among scholars, Clay's grows brighter; when polarization cripples Congress, memory of the great compromiser evokes a false notion of saner times; and, in an age of Donald J. Trump, where lying and fraud have become great again, Clay's commitment to public service stands out. James C. Klotter's contribution rests on its merits, though the answer to his central question—Why did Clay not win the presidency?—proves multifaceted, variable, and elusive. Here, the perennial candidate turns out to be far more than an unwitting architect of his downfall. This complex story takes the author beyond political history and into Clay's social, intellectual, and economic worlds, and into his private life. The result is knowledgeable, well crafted, readable, and heavily researched. Yet the broad scope leaves the author vulnerable to criticism that a narrower focus on politics might have averted

Appeal · Criticism · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Presidency · Sociology · Subject (documents · Academic Freedom and Politics · History · Law

• Beyond antislavery and proslavery

  Andrew F Hammann•American Nineteenth Century History•2022

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