WASHINGTON CITY, May 13, 1852.
My father passed the
last night comfortable without much coughing. The only thing the doctors can
do, is to alleviate as much as they can the pain arising from his cough and his
excessive debility.
SOURCE: Calvin Colton,
Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 633
My father has passed
the last twenty-four hours much more comfortably than he had been for a week
before. He has slept well and should he acquire strength with it, in spite of
the predictions of the medical men, I shall begin to hope. It is the cough and
that alone that has prostrated him; once relieved from that, I know not what we
may not hope for. There is yet more vitality in him, than the reports in the
newspapers would lead one to infer. I will keep you all correctly informed.
Believe nothing that you see or hear, except it comes from me.
SOURCE: Calvin Colton,
Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 633
My father coughed
but little last night, yesterday he was a good deal harassed. Could it be
possible to remove his cough, he would get well beyond a doubt. He is very
feeble, but is not so much reduced in flesh as I had supposed before I came on
here. It is the cough as he himself has always said, that is killing him. His
lungs are not at all affected.
He insists on my
writing to some of the family, either at Mansfield or Ashland, every day. I
have but little to communicate in addition to informing you how he passes the
days and nights.
SOURCE: Calvin Colton,
Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 633
My father passed a
tolerable night; you must be aware that any improvement in his condition must
be gradual, as the prostration he labors under came on in the same way. I have
been nowhere, and made as few acquaintances as I could; I am confined all day to
his rooms, and last night was up until twelve o'clock, as James appeared
anxious to go out.
I am doing everything
that I can to render his situation as comfortable as possible, allowing myself
but little time even for a walk.
SOURCE: Calvin Colton,
Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 633-4
My father listens attentively to the perusal of every letter from home.
He passed last night
in more comfort than he did the night before. He had some appetite for his
dinner yesterday.
SOURCE: Calvin Colton,
Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 634
ONE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, June 4, 1852.
I wrote you this
morning that my father had a bad night, and that he was then trying to get some
rest; since I have been here, when he has passed a bad night, he was usually
able to make up for the want of rest, during the following day. But such has
not been the case to-day. He has coughed a great deal, and has had but little
intermission from it. He took his opiate about two hours ago, and I hope that
he will be enabled to get some sleep and rest in the next twenty-four hours. I
shall keep my letter open to let you know how he is until tomorrow evening. He
has suffered a good deal since this time last night.
SOURCE: Calvin Colton,
Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 634
My father was
yesterday much depressed. He had held a long conversation with Mr. Crittenden
and requested me to treat him kindly. Besides a cold sweat after dinner, all
these things were sufficient to make him feel low spirited. He told me that he
thought there would soon be a termination to it. The doctor thought on his
afternoon visit that he was no worse than usual. God alone knows.
SOURCE: Calvin Colton,
Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 634
My father has become
feeble within a few days, and I do not think it possible for him to hold out
long.
SOURCE: Calvin Colton,
Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 634
My father is to-day
decidedly worse than he has been since my arrival. I wrote to Mr. Theobald this
morning that there was but little or no change in his condition; since then, I
am satisfied he is worse. He has had a copious perspiration, which has greatly
weakened him. The attending physician, Dr. Hall, rubbed him all over the person
with brandy and alum. He told me this morning that he did not think he should
last more than ten days.
I have been constant
in my attendance on him. I think I can see a marked change in his countenance.
SOURCE: Calvin Colton,
Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 635
My father did not
pass a good night, nor has he slept much this morning. A friend yesterday
afternoon brought him three woodcocks; he ate a little of one of them this
morning. He never now gets out of bed. He is moved occasionally from one bed to
the other, for the purpose of ventilating and making up. He was too feeble this
morning to carry a glass of water to his lips. The weather has been very hot
during the week, the mercury rising at one time to 93°.
SOURCE: Calvin Colton,
Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 635
June 25, 1852.
I now look for a
termination in my father's case before many hours. I do not feel in any mood to
write to any one but you, my wife. Judge Underwood coincides with me in opinion
that he will not last many hours. The next you receive from me will probably be
a telegraphic dispatch, directed to Mr. Harrison.
SOURCE: Calvin Colton,
Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 635
