The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-07-07
from Sketches Of Public CAaraeter,
JOHN RANDOLPH
HAsuINnrnn l.

H. WAsHINGToN, January 1890
rnIar SIT nave often seen that most sin.
him snnaL YOU inquire after; and often heard
nun speak Many of the sketches of his narsa
nave been more accurate than tbosa Pe pc ION
mn u II must be confessed that his nerson
,;n ut ra are SO unique that Just represen,
M D. thenn would, to those unacquainted With
tahuoiph, seem caricature. He ia ahou,
s.A leet IN height, perhaps his Narrow cbost
III 'u iong iegs make him appear little tall
Si@ ai, NC 49, His head is small, his shonJders
his &C. o"u al parts OF his physiognomy, excent
less ~ ether unlntellectual. He is beard.
.ISS, or nearly so, and his muscles and bis 60,
aDout his face shrivelled, although he ;s 'n, MI,
more than htty-six years of age. Notw;,b
sIsenoing his height his frame is 50 sJono- .
mn POUNDS His long legs support a short
oody mat is " not more than talon in The
1 ndSs' Ills arms are very long and small. and
MS myers bird-clawlike, and in debate he
makes tnem very expressive. His hair is dark
thin, and lank, and lies close to his head H;s
movements are rapid and awkward. His voice
Is shril! and high, and perfectly soprano lat.
teriy MS voice has lest most of its power: his
throat seems TO be dry and husky. This il tbe
erect OF disease for he has long been an invalid
Inc ME like notes of his voice are nearly ev.
tlnct. So much for his person. His mind Is
more singul than his person. His percentions
are; speak OF him as he has been, quick: and
MS impressions strong but it is in the strength
'"u eieFatioH OF his imagination, that he is |
above most men. -
his Judgment, from every evidence have
ever seen or heard, is either feebla or novar
consulted IN his acts or speeches. His memorv |
IS good, often mlnutely accurate but is now |
impaired. His attainments are ron.
siderable, rather miscellaneous than political or
professional Ills knowledge of the English
language Is critical and extensive, and he is
quite iastldlous IN his choice of words, and one
Of the best things about him is that he keeps a
constant vigil over the good old English, his |
mother tongue. His acquaintance with Enclish
history is minute and it may be said of him
mat he is well read in general history but saw. !
ng and excepting the annals of his own State. |
he knows not much of American history. His
classical knowledge has been overrated In
The common Latin classics he is quite at home [.
and quotes with great readiness, but his ac-
lualntance with those less read in this country. |
must be limited, for in his passion for display |
he never mentions them.
Mr.. Randolph has been in Congress most of !
The time since he was eligible from consti,u.
.lonal age, and at all times has been conspicu. |
ons as declaimer, but never has shown the !
slightest tact for business. | believe the Jour !
nails OF Congress do not show that he ever made
A report IN all this length of time and no one
recolects Of his ever having drawn bill. He
has nothing more to do with the ordinary pro-
ceedings of Congress, than the last comet that
appeared in our solar system, had in regulating I
he motions of the planets
The only Congressional business he ever set /
seriously about, was the impeachment Of Judge I
Chase, and in this he failed. He made a splen- !
did defamation on this subject, mostly unsup. |
ported by the facts in the case he labored hard
10 demolish the Judge, but did not succeed the
good sense of the Senate saved the encroach- |
ments on the judiciary Randolph came out of
The contest without single laurel.
lie has, notwithstanding his pretensions to !
been politician that no party !
could, for moment, or but for moment, trust.
he dlsllked Washington, and violently opposed
John Adams, and was disappointed in Jefferson,
rs from him he expected much, but the philos.
opiS: s"s .snst Ai.n lie openly quarrel
led with Madison, and never was cordial with
Monroe. He raved like mailman against John
z. Adams, and said and did every thing in his
power to injure his administration and it is we'll
known that he supported Jackson from his dis
like to Adams, for he did not stop in Washing
ton to witness the Inauguration, but hurried off
to Virginia, thinking he had done enough for
the hero.
BY profession, Mr. Randolph is a democrat,
by every habit, an arstocrat; for he is proud as
Luclter,. and except in his maudlin moments,
suffers no one to approach him with familiarity
His friendships are as capricions as an April
cloud, and his enmites bitter and lasting. His
tongue, ga chartered HbertiRe," has under it
the venom of asps. No one can tell on whom
his next cataract of abuse is to fall, and no one
is secure from it, He has libelled some Of the
best men the country ever produced and prais