Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-08-11
LEG NJ.
TIE RANDOLPH WILL CASE.
DIX. john BRockrNaRouon RE-EN,MINEp.
(coNCI.upEn.)
MonddV, JutV I'm.

a great number of years. Their intimacy com
mcnccd in 1907, when they served together ON tn,
! Grand Jury, in the trial of Aaron Burr Witness
had rather avoided an intimacy with MIR. X. pre-
slous To that time, because he had heard that Mr.
X. WAS "A caprlcluuS man. and he did not wish I,
expose himself To hiS capces.-Iheir correspon
dcnce commenced some short time after that pr
rod, and continued a time very recently before
his death. He wrote 10 witness frequently while
IN Europe q. Was not ms correspondence that
of a man of high intellectual powers and literary
attainments Ans. Very much SO. MAS al
WAYS pleased with hiS letters but in the latter part
OF his life they were somewhat more eNtravagant
than formerly. q. Did YOU ever hear Mr. Il. ex-
ptcSS any determination that his slaves should not
belong to any onr clsr after his death AnS.> For
many years after my acquaintance with him heard
from HIM ON the subject othc disposition OF his prop
erty. While his nephew was alive, lac Looked upon
linn rs his heir; and after his death, believe lac
perpleNrd rs 10 the disposition OF his property.
rcqaersl> heard him say no man should own his
slavcs--thosc expressions being generally ocea-
stoned by having heard Of the i'll treatment OF
slaves by their masters. After ms return from
Europe in 1926, supposed that his mind Wis
clangcd-llo told me he had fallen in with the phi.
lanthropists in England MI " lbcrorec aud 9th
ers, who contemplated the emancipation of the
slaves in The West Indies, as he believed without
compensation to their owners. He spoke Of the
injustice of such sign, and cenSured their at
tempt TO take property from Individuals, winch
they had acquired under the law. | supposed from
these remarks that he had changed his mind ON the
subject of emanclpatlon After he returned from
Russia in 1881, heard him speak of the South
ampton affair. lie sad that lew resone indl-
duals mi9ht have put down that instruction with
ease and he was opposed 10 the interference of
II. a.. lao, II ,i,,l-
it proper that ii should be made of 50 much consc-
quence. Afterwards, when the General Assem-
bly, took up the subject, he eenSured that proceed
ing. | thought his mind had undergone Il change
on the subject, although he never sad So Cues
toned by Mr.. Johnson. What did he say OF his
brother Richards emancipation of his slaves
Ans. He SAID that he had been maddencd by the
principles of the French acknowledgement spoke of
the miserable condition Of those cmancipatcd ne
erocs, in the vicinity Of armvIlIe This remark
was probably made in 1920. QueStioncdhy the
Court. Did Richard Randolph cmancIpatc hI>
slaves by deed !-AhS. l"S, aud lett them IN the
State. lie sad much II tlIaIhNtrnment about The
tyranny OF his i1rrtlhcrs. Ittooh place before The
Law required that omancpaOed neeroe, should be
sent ont of the STATE. Questioned by Mr.. Stan
ard. Did you ever hear linn compare the condl-
lion of the slaves in this country to that Of the la
boring classes in Europe Ans. Yes. He cN-
patiatcd much on that subject particularly alter his
visit TO Dubln, | think IN 1871. In drawing the
comparison, he gave the preference to the condi-
ton OF our slaves over that of the aborcrs of Ire
land and (afierward) 10 that OF the scrls otRus>a.
He not only expressed h, opinion, bat would 90
on and Illustrate il by describing the situation of
the latter IN such manner as to convince any one
that the situation of no human beings could be
worse | did not sec him after the fall of 1881
until he passed througlthis place in 1893 on his
way to Philadelphia Questioned by Mr.. john
sou Did you not consider Mr.. L. of very
high sense of honor Yes. O. Have you not
known many acts of his, in the course of your
timacv with him, which YOU found difficult to
concile TO the general bearing of his character !
Ans. was acquainted with Mr. K. IA very long pc
Rod He was certainly an eniomatical man, and
subject to capriccs and freaks during IA great part
of the time. certainly thought he entertained a
hiph sense of honor but | was of opinion for
many years before his death that he was dcvour-
ed by avaricc. He parslmononS IN the eX-
IRENE in the latter years of his life. | knew him
in matters of importance cvincc illiberaity. He
had taken up desire in the latter part of his life,
TO become a very rich man. flc wrote me once
that if he had few years longer 10 live, he would
die richer than Girlrd. Tins letter was, believe,
written in 1882. There were numberlrss triding
facts illustrative Of This disposition, which II IS not
necessary for nae to mention. Questioned by the
Court. Did this parslmonlons disposition "vince
itself before 1882 Ans Yes. saw something
Of prey ouSy--tor instance, when he had PR
yilege of iranhing he always 'ncoScd ms letters IN
an cnvclope-but "h"n he ilao hot Una, p'N"ts''
he wrote on the coalSrs' paper and III NE smallest
way. He often said II was well TO AVOID paving