Favorable or Unfavorable #160: Cassius M. Clay

[vcczar]

Cassius M. Clay of KY must be made out of alligator skin. His two assassination attempts led to the other party being worse off. He's the namesake of Muhammad Ali, whose birthname was Cassius Clay. Clay comes off on the moral high-ground until his old age when he marries an underaged orphan. The initial minister refused to marry them, and he was paranoid that people would prevent the wedding so he placed a cannon outside the entrance of the wedding venue. I should also note that he had an affair in Russia and fathered a child there, who he later adopted. He's a mixture of high virtue and high vice. The child-wife incident is new to me. Clay was an A+ in my opinion until I found this out....

His actions:

Clay, Cassius M	1843	Shot in the chest in assassination attempt by anti-slavery hitman, who he manages to incapacitate despite wound
Clay, Cassius M	1845	Opens abolitionist newspaper in KY, but is forced to move it to OH because of pro-slavery mobs
Clay, Cassius M	1846	Volunteers to fight in Mexican-American War, despite opposing new slave states
Clay, Cassius M	1849	Beaten and stabbed in 2nd assassination attempt, but scares them off, killing one of the 6 assailants
Clay, Cassius M	1854	Founder of the GOP
Clay, Cassius M	1860	Early supporter of Lincoln for Pres; Strong candidate for Rep VP
Clay, Cassius M	1861	Appt Amb to Russia by Lincoln, witnessing Czar's edict emancipating the serfs
Clay, Cassius M	1862	Recalled from Russia and made a Maj Gen stationed in KY by Lincoln
Clay, Cassius M	1863	Reappointed to Amb to Russia by Lincoln
Clay, Cassius M	1865	Kept on as Amb to Russia by Johnson
Clay, Cassius M	1867	Major role in Alaska Purchase while as Amb to Russia
Clay, Cassius M	1869	Leaves the GOP (soon for Lib Reps) over Reconstruction differences and a desire to regulate RR
Clay, Cassius M	1872	Joins Lib Reps, influential in Greeley nomination at Conv, and is a VP candidate
Clay, Cassius M	1873	Joins Democratic Party following Lib Rep collapse
Clay, Cassius M	1884	Rejoins GOP Party from Dem, likely disagreeing with Cleveland policy
Clay, Cassius M	1894	Scandal at age 84 as he marries orphaned girl aged between 16 and 12 years old

[vcczar]

This might be my most controversial favorable opinion. I hate, hate, hate his 1894 action, but his career before then was so stellar--willing to die for his abolitionism, even as a Southerner born to a slaveholding family. I'm grading him on his political career with a a favorable, but I no longer like him. He should have spent his final years behind bars. 

[Pringles]

I approve of this Cassius Clay:

[WVProgressive]

The child marriage thing is just way too far for me to approve of him, it’s a shame neither attempt on his life had any effect. He could have personally ended slavery, and ensured equal rights for all, and I’d still hate him for being a child molester. 

[vcczar]

51 minutes ago, WVProgressive said:

The child marriage thing is just way too far for me to approve of him, it’s a shame neither attempt on his life had any effect. He could have personally ended slavery, and ensured equal rights for all, and I’d still hate him for being a child molester. 

I was almost right there with you. I almost didn’t include the fact because it was way after his public service but I felt it important to mention something that evil. 

[OrangeP47]

TBH I feel the same way, but I'm kinda hoping he kinda just had diminished mental capacity in old age or something.  Probably just making stuff up on my part.

[vcczar]

1 minute ago, OrangeP47 said:

TBH I feel the same way, but I'm kinda hoping he kinda just had diminished mental capacity in old age or something.  Probably just making stuff up on my part.

Yeah that’s how I was rationalizing it, but that also doesn’t excuse it.