Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-01-06


sceni,y uttered before that grave depository OF
national dignity, without pain and mor'inc ation:
l have witnessed The Senate OF the United
States in Session, when you might nave heara
pin drop when It presented the living image
Of what the imagination conceives OF the ma
iesty Of Roman Senate in the best days OF the
Republic, when the fate Of Carthage and 90
rinth was the subject OF deliberation-when 1t
was distinguished by that high sense OF deco
rum, and of lofty propriety, which the assem-
bled representation Of twen,y-iour sovereign
States ought 10 exhibit. | have seen II the We
ry contrast of all this-the arena OF the coarsest
personalities, and the lowest bIackguardlsm-
where indiscriminate abuse was mixed up with
ribald double en,endres, worthy OF the aoan-
doned courtiers & IN stresses OF Charles the II.
the Killgrews, Rochesters and Gwynns-and
when every lonnger and time killer In the DIS
,rict resorled to the galleries of The Senate to
litter a. the yagaries and palpable illusions OF
the mad Virginia Senator, as they Familiarity
called Mr.. Randolph. Mad he certsinly was
not from any constitutional tendency to lunacy
mot from any mental cause-but from hard
drink The hattering proof of his restoration
to popular favor in Virginia, given in mis- cleo
lion to the Senate, after twenty years disgrace,
proved too much for, his philosophy-he SUR
rendered himself up to his joy-and increased
the pleasing in,oxication by copious libations
Of porter before dinner and wine after. This is
the simple explaaa,ion Of his eccentric beha-
vior in February, March, and April lie be-
came Sc much excited at last that he was For
ced to drink on sink under the reaction OF
the stimuIant Drink he did; and how he let
himself down at last from his lofty elevation,
without destruction 10 his health, have never
heard. His voyage to England mus, have been
a season Of horrible suffering.
The solitary argument have heard urged in
favor of Mr. Randolph's reelection, is derived
from his present incumbency. tits so unusual
fol Virginia to make changes Of public men,
that i, is now urged as serious argument "a
gainst any change whatever. But the strong
tendency Of this feeling to grow up into'a Gus
tom, deserves, in my opinion, the serious con-
sideration ofthe public. Men are heard 10 say
that On an original election, they would have
preferred another man TO the incumbent, but
thus being in possession OF the Office, they pre-
fer, for that reason, to keep him there. This
reasoning is false on principle, and injurious to
the public weal-it is yielding public duty to
private feeling. Suppose John Randolph had
never been chosen to the Senate--would the
Legislature, after his ridiculous conduct Of last
spring, SO much as think Of placing him there
now? With what proprie,y can they continue
man in so responsible an Office, whom it is
not pretended they would choose in an orr
ginal election? Do not the facts which render
his original election impossible, make his con-
tinuance in the Office equally ineligible! Or,
are considerations Of public welfare, Of respec,
10 public opinion, and which render it obIiga-
fhp / Sla IN ola he " hO
" i'll do the best service, all to give way TO the
fear OF Off nd,ns yohn Randolph?
Be il remembered, that the Senator now to
be chosen, is to remain in Office for years.
Until the 4th of March, 1888, he is beyond the
control Of the Legislature, and the whole world.
Mr.. Randolph's warmest friends express some
little hesitation at trusting in his hands, the
destiny Of Virginia for so long period.
Even they remember many incidents in his
political life, the recoilec ton of which startles
them at confding so long lease of power so
important to his hands They must remember,
his causeless desertion of Mr.. Jefferson-hs
profuse abuse Of Mr.. Madson-his systematic
opposition to their adminis,rations-and when
he hung in the lale war dead and unyielding
weight upon the energy of ,he Government
They Cannot have forgotten these things, for
many Of them haze viewed him as curse
10 the 'ount y--denouncsd him as an aristo-
crat--and allied that moral treason, which Sc
cre,lv rejoiced in the successes OF the enemy
If they are forced TO remember this part OF Mr..
Ranlolphs hislory-if they are forced to see
in his unguarded expressions, the strongest adj
miraton of the English Government, and the
warmest delestation of oar own-if they arc
compelled to acknowledge in his incessant
BOAST Of royal descent and the tenure by which
he holds bis estate, lurking propensity to a.
rislocracy, and family superiority must
that portion of the public think, whose judg-
menls are lief, free to act with freedom and
discretion? Will any man say, that John Ran.
dolph's political conduct, wild, irregular, and
inconsistent as it has been, deserves the conf |
dence Of Virginia TO such degree, as TO JUS
tify placing in his hands, for sir gears, the
greatest and most responsible power that she
has to con6del Impossible-,here is no man
who will lay his hand on bis heart and say it
or il he does the blush Of conscious guilt will
mantle in his cheek.
Fredericksburg. BARRE.
Extract Of q letter from in Nyginia.
think ii would be complete knock-down
blow to the consequence and dignity, of the
State Of VIRGINIA to re-elt CT John Randolph