WASHINGTON, March
18, 1852.
MY DEAR SIR,—I
received your kind letter informing me of the loss of the medal. I am truly
sorry for the occurrence, and the more so because I ought to have followed your
directions to send it by Adams' Express. But Miss Lynch being in my room the
evening before she started for the city of New York, and being informed that I
was about to send the medal to you, she kindly offered to take charge of it,
and I accordingly placed it under her care. I have no doubt she suffers as much
as any of us by its loss, and I would not say one word by way of reproach to
her. I should be very sorry if any trouble or expense were taken in replacing
it. The fact of its presentation, and even the representations upon the medal
have been so widely diffused as to render the presentation of it historical.
You will recollect that I jocosely remarked while you were here that some Goth,
when I was laid low in the grave, might be tempted to break off my nose and use
the valuable metal which it contains! I did not then, however, anticipate the
possibility of such an incident occuring so quickly.
SOURCE: Calvin
Colton, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 629
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