And now the contenders. Our series on key political figures who ran for president and lost, but who nevertheless changed political history. Tonight we feature former House Speaker henry clay of kentucky, known as the great compromiser. The program was recorded at clays ashland estate in lexington, kentucky, its about 90 minutes. This is an encore presentation of cspans original 14week series which first aired in 2011. This is a portrait of kentuckys henry clay, known to us in our history books as the great compromiser. During his 49year political career clay served as secretary of state, speaker of the house and as a u. S. Senator and he was a contender, making five president ial bids, including the election of 1824, 1832 against Andrew Jackson, and 1844 when he ran against james k. Polk. Tonight we are on location at ashland, henry clays home in lexington, kentucky and for the next 90 minutes we will explore the life and legacy of this man. Unsuccessful in his long quest for the white
Ashland. Henry clays home in lexington, kentucky, and for the next 90 minutes we will explore the life and legacy of this man, unsuccessful in his long quest for the white house, yet having an outsized influence on American History. And we are in henry clays parlor r parlor right now. Let me introduce you to jim plotter, historian. Thank you for being with us. Good to be here. Why is he relevant to americans living in our time . On a couple of accounts, his famous quote, i would rather be right than be president. Its a call to people whatever were doing, which is to do the right thing. In a sense, politicians need to remember the country and sacrifice for the country and i think that is still something that we need to remember, as well and the man known as the great compromiser, and a man that forges these compromises that not only kept the nation together, but were constructive and those are the kinds of things we need to remember about henry clay as well as the things that he did in
His own writings. Well hear from Matthew Mason, auth are on of John Quincy Adams and the politics of slavery. This is just over an hour. A remarkable historical figure and central to almost any academic study of the late 19th to mid excuse me, late 18th to mid19th century and based on the diary that John Quincy Adams had to Matthew Mason are here to talk about their book selections from their diary. This book was recently hailed by the Washington Times as a great read and an informative excuse me, an informative reality check on issues that vex us even now. Matthew mason is a professor at Brigham Young university. He holds a ph. D from the university of maryland and has been at byu since 2003. His publications include slavery in politics in the early american republic, a possible biograp biography the politics of bondage and freedom in the new american nation, and massachusetts in the civil war. The commonwealth and national disunion edited with the mhs own conrad wright. David is dist
His own writings. Well hear from Matthew Mason, auth are on of John Quincy Adams and the politics of slavery. This is just over an hour. A remarkable historical figure and central to almost any academic study of the late 19th to mid excuse me, late 18th to mid19th century and based on the diary that John Quincy Adams had to Matthew Mason are here to talk about their book selections from their diary. This book was recently hailed by the Washington Times as a great read and an informative excuse me, an informative reality check on issues that vex us even now. Matthew mason is a professor at Brigham Young university. He holds a ph. D from the university of maryland and has been at byu since 2003. His publications include slavery in politics in the early american republic, a possible biograp biography the politics of bondage and freedom in the new american nation, and massachusetts in the civil war. The commonwealth and national disunion edited with the mhs own conrad wright. David is dist
His own writings. Well hear from Matthew Mason, auth are on of John Quincy Adams and the politics of slavery. This is just over an hour. A remarkable historical figure and central to almost any academic study of the late 19th to mid excuse me, late 18th to mid19th century and based on the diary that John Quincy Adams had to Matthew Mason are here to talk about their book selections from their diary. This book was recently hailed by the Washington Times as a great read and an informative excuse me, an informative reality check on issues that vex us even now. Matthew mason is a professor at Brigham Young university. He holds a ph. D from the university of maryland and has been at byu since 2003. His publications include slavery in politics in the early american republic, a possible biograp biography the politics of bondage and freedom in the new american nation, and massachusetts in the civil war. The commonwealth and national disunion edited with the mhs own conrad wright. David is dist