Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-05-28
. From The Pennsyiranian'
DEATH OF JOHN RANDOLPH,
nv ROANOKE

OF ROASOkE
John Randolph Of Roanoke IS no more. lie
died on Friday, the 24th inst. at the City Hotel,
Philadelphia The excitement in Chesnu, street
when the me lancho!y fact became known, can be
imagined-not described.
Thus has departed at the advanced age OF SIX
ty.one wears, one OF the most extraordinary men
that perhaps ever appeared IN The world
Whatever feelings, whatever enmilles' "hat
ever hostiities. and whatever preJudices may
have existed towards him when living, they
are all buried m the same gave IN which his
ashes will be consigned to their long Tepose-
the generation that survives and all that follow
will only remember his exceliencies, tor he had
many-hl, virtues. and they were not few-hIs
unrivailed senius--his unequalled eloqurnce-
his vii, that never beamed but in the most bri.
liant highland his learning. that irra,liated his
whole converse, society, and intercourse. lie
was a statesman-a philosophical philan,hro-
pist-not Of the. day-not for party-but Tor
nankind-fur after ages. Its remarkable CO.
incidence that his soul should take its last Hight
in the same city in WHICH he mado "'' r-'''''"'
debut in the councils ol his country.
Mr. Randolph became member OF TIE House
of REPRESENTATIVES about the time when Mr.. JET
ferson came into power. He was then young
man, but his appearance VAS even more J"veniie
than his wears 1t related of him that on be-
ing questioned BY the speaker about MS age he
rep,i.d in his ocular tone "ask nv conslttn-
ent,.' lie had been, while a young man, a
warm politician at the Virginia Court Houses
and hu,tinps, and we remember to have heard
him once give an account OF h,s visit to P"n2h-
keppse, to hear the debates III the Convention ot
New York. called together to deliberate on ac-
cepting the constitution Of 1887.
Mr. Randolph took the republican side ol the
que s,ion on his appearance in Congress He at
once attained high rank as de6ater, ana Was
appointed Chairman to the most important com
mittee Of the House-the committee OF ways and
means. He continued IN this position Tor seve-
raj years. gave great evidence o! talent aud orsi
naIty, but occasionally showed an eccentr'city
that gradually cooled the admiration and friend
ship Of Mr.. Jefferson.
1t WAS during the second presidency Of Mr..
Jefferson that Mr.. Randolph withdrew his sup
port entirely from that patriots administration.
Of this event he was in the habit OF saying,
~ when Mr.. Jefferson made war on my ob'cco,
made war On him." He opposed the npn-in.er-
course and embargo laws; and took the same ex.
ceptons to those measures which n. England did.
Ii has been, however. said, that the caise OF
bis opposition to Mr. Jeffrrson's administration,
was the refusal o. a mission to France. Mr..
Randolph told NJ. Jeffrrson one day, NV health
sir, requires a voyage to Europe-ean't you give
a passport to France?" Mr.. Jefferson did not,
or would not, understand the hint thus deicateiy
conveyed No mission was INTERCHANGEABLE.
Rand,iph's health did not require sea voyage
and he then took the opposition ground DIS
! tlnctly and openly
Daring the whole Of Mr. Madison's admins.
tralon, and part Of Mr.. Monroe's, Mr. Randolph
continued in opposition To the administration. -
His speeches are partly on reoord-but their spi
rit and beauty no pen can record. lie was warm
" opposed to the late war. and made many eO
qusut bursts against that popular measure
On the charterng OF the present United States
Bank, he made a speech of great originality IN
hostility to oil banks. His favonte expression
was that the Constitution Was "hard money
constitu,iou''-but Congress was making it "a
paper money constitution"
His last appearance in Congress was during
the sessions of 1923 90 The first session. pre-
vious to the election Of General Jackson, he used
to speak every other day. We heard him IN al
most every occasion; and although he was al.
ways cratic, he was always fascinating-some-
times eloquent-never without polnt-and occa.
siooalry beautiful, and severe to an extreme de.
gree.
Mr.. RandoIph's beau ideal Of country was cold
virginia''-"g good old Virginia"-his patriotism
was the love Of the hills. the streams the rivers,
the wales, and the blue mountains Of his loved