Most Americans Don't Know Of This Anti-Slavery Crusader Who Went To Violent Extremes

Most history textbooks fail to mention Cassius Clay — and no, we're not talking about the birth name of Muhammad Ali. Prior to the Civil War, most anti-slavery advocates, like Harriet Tubman and Abraham Lincoln, sought to achieve their goals through peaceful means. But this Kentucky congressman wasn't afraid to get bloody. When Clay's opponents pushed him to his brink, the Southern gentleman proved that he was a dangerous enemy to have.

To the Death

In 1833, Cassius Clay and John Declarey were at each other's throats. While Declarey was a Kentucky representative, it wasn't politics at the heart of their feud. Both men were pursuing the same woman, and to improve his chances, Declarey publicly branded his rival as a coward. Clay then challenged him to a duel — and won without firing a shot.

A Fearsome Reputation

Declarey never showed up at the dueling grounds that day, but he did die. The politician locked himself in a hotel room and slit his own wrists. As far as he was concerned, he was already a dead man. That's because he had insulted, according to many, the most highly skilled duelist in the United States.

Slave-Owning Origins

When it came to the issue of abolition, Cassius was willing to kill or be killed. Dubbed the "Lion of the White Hall," he actually started out as the son of one of the most prominent slave-owning families in the country. The Clays had made a fortune on the backs of Black labor, and those riches soon brought them into the inner circle of political power.

The Clay Dynasty

His father, Green Clay, was the wealthiest man in Kentucky and a hero from the War of 1812. Green's cousin, Henry Clay (picture here), arose to become one of the most influential members of Congress ever and earned the nickname "The Great Compromiser." Though he saw slavery as inherently wrong, that didn't stop Henry from owning many slaves. Cassius felt similarly as a young man, though he initially saw human bondage as a basic fact of life.