Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-07-24
WEDNESDAY, JULY "a, 1888.

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ciug the analogies of character, would have
looked in vain for his parallel. And a mod
ern biographer, with all ancient, and all
modern times before him, will find the effort
trultless, that seeks his fellow. At first the
reader might think of Diogenes, as fur
nishing some resemblance to him, and that
Randolph was Diogenes without his tub;
but no so, if another Alexander had asked
Randolph, what he would have of hml the
answer never would have been request tc
stand out of his sun light; no. he would i'm
lmeolately have requested to be sent on a
foreign mission; and when that mission was
over, if Alexander had nothing more to
give, and was so situated as not to be feared.
VINO does not believe that the eA-minister
would have turned tail on him? The fact
Is Randolph was excessively ambitious, a
cormorant alike for praise and plumber, and
though his patriotism could point out the
disIherested course TO others, bis love Of
money could not exactly keep him IN the
track, at least in latter wears, when Mann
MOI the old mans gold, beset him, and he
turned an idolator to that; for which he had
$50 'ften expressed his -detestation, that his
countrymen believed him. His mission to
Russia broke the charm, that the opinion Of
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. cast about him, and his
influence in his native state was falling fast
bebre the gold, that had Disseminated it.,
whPn he died, and now Old Virginia will
forget these Inconsistencies of one of her
greatest sons, TO do reverence to his memo
ry.
Iandolph's republlcanism was never
heart felt; he was, at heart, an aristocrat.--
He would have been. if born in England, a
noble. there he would stubbornly have re-
sisted the encroachments Of all below him
uPol his own prerogative, station, dignity
and quality Of all above him, little below
bis ltvel or at least, upon an equality with
him. He would have lifted Wilkes up to
be horn in the side of king he did not
like, and to overthrow his minister; had he
been himself minister, his love for his king
would, then, have been paramount, and he
would have strained his utmost to crush one
whom he would then have pronounced al
dnprincipled demagogue. He was intense
y selfish, and his early success as polIti
clan and orator, impressed him with an ex
aggerated opinion Of his own Importance
at an age when such impressions are easily
made, and not easily eradcated; in the case
OF Randolph they grew monstrous. Biz
man me john and the bigness or littenes,
OF others services, were valued ard pro
clalmed, just in proportion as they elevatcC
or depressed the interest and personal dig
nifty of the orator of Roanoke. And Otter
when his interest had nothing to do with tho
question presented TO him, his caprice wouC
sway his judgment, and his personal resent
ments always lead him far away from every
other consideration, save that of how he
should best wound his adversary. His slow
wanted neither vigor or venom,-his weap
ons were poisoned with such consummatt
skill, and he well knew the vulnerable point
OF every character, that often when the
wound, by an observer, who knew nothing
OF his opponent,was deemed slight, its effects
were ranking in the heart. Randolph wa
well acquainted with the private history o
the eminent men of the time-the peccadil
oes --frailties-- ndiscretions---w weaknesses
vanities and vices of them all. He uset
his tongue as a jockey would his whip, h,
touched the sore places till the blood came
and there was no crack, or noise, or bluste
in doing it. 1t was done with a celebrity ant
dexterity which showed the practised hand
and its unexpectedness, as well as its sever
'Iity, often dumb-founded the victim so com
'lPletely, that he had not one word to say.
remember hearing two ane dotes of Ran
dolph, which strikingly typefy his character
the one exhibits his cynical rudeness, ant
disregard for the feelings Of others, in fact
wish to wound their feelings, and the other
his wit. | do not vonch for their accuracy
but | give them as | have frequently heart
them, and as doubtless, many of the reader
OF the Shield have also.
Randolph, when in the city of b
was. in the daily habit of fiequenting tn,
bookstore of one of the largest bookseller
in the place, he made some purchases from
him, and was very curious in looking owe
his books, &c. In the course of Mr.. Ran
dolph's visits, he became very familiar will
MIR. -, and they often had long chat
together, the orator of Roanoke showing of
with great courtesy. Mn was quite
a pompous man, and rather vain of his &C
quaintance with the lions, who used to STOP
in his shop. Subsequently being in Wash
lngton with friend, he espied Randolph
advancing towards them, and told his frenC
that he would introduce him to the 'grea