The Great Emancipator And A Tough Political Opponent...

Henry Clay, known as â€Å"The Great Emancipator† and a tough political opponent versus Andrew Jackson in the 1832 election, made his opinion on Native American removal known in 1829 during his â€Å"State of the Union Address† (Biography.com Editors). Clay was in a position of great power, as he was one of the â€Å"first modern politician who had carefully create an image for himself†, which boosted his popularity in office, even against a famous opponent, such as Jackson. To convey his audience, he uses literary devices, such as logos, by comparing the Indians as a lower form of life. Despite his powerful position, he lost the electoral college s presidential vote by a large margin, 219-49 (Courier). In Clay’s speech â€Å"On Native Americans,† where he addresses his plans of Indian removal west of the Mississippi, he uses ethos, logos, and others opinions to take a stand against Native Americans. Historical Background/Purpose of Speech Earlier serving a lawyer in the western United States, or â€Å"frontier,† Clay never had much of a plan for a career in politics. He was born on April 12, 1777, in Hanover County, Virginia (Biography.com Editors). As a son of a wealthy reverend, and the seventh of nine children, he had a special link to American History. As the age of 3, he witnessed the place he had called home, be broken into and damaged by British troops (Hopkins). Later, he took his bar exam and was admitted in 1797 in Virginia. Clay moved to Lexington, Kentucky. Not alone in his travels,