New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1841-05-05
JOHN RANDOLPH OF ROANOKE:
STITCHES TIE PRESS 81
AUTHOR 'cLISros BKApSHA~sc

'CLI$ros BRADSHAW &C.
Crcat wit. 10 madness nearly allied
EExrM.ER some years since to have seen loHS R.S-
oIrIs in Baltimore had frequently read and riT1! dc
criptons him. and day, was SianS- IN Market
now BaltiuorcSrec remarked ul him. unique-loohne
beng hurryin. toward with quick impatient step evi
lcn;l much anovsd BIZ crowd of boys vino wc iol!o"-g
close Ms heels the ob>rePerous mrl witf winch
they would hive followed 4 crazy drunken IAN or an
orsagrincr and his monke, hut in thc silent, curious won
der with which tly wo,d have haunted Chinese edccked
full costume Instantly knew the individual To toe han
dcp! from the descriptions therefore advanced toward
him that might make fall observation of hi person without
violating the rules of courtesy stopping to gaze ut him AS
approached he occasionally turned toward the boy Win
angIv glance but without thing. and then hrr
rcd On as ii ,ustrip them, but il woald not do They
followed close behind the each observing him
ntcnty that he said nothing s companions Just before
net him nc stopped Mr.. c.. 4 cashier OF al the
banks said be odd fish a. john himself loii'rd
into close Ly. anil unnoced, remarked the Roake
orator for considerable and really le the -trrgrs
locking kcinr ever bchcld.
Iii, ong thin legs about thick strong walking
and Of much sch shape. cnca>cd Ia pair OF -l
small clothes 80 tight that thy seemed part and parcel Of
the limbs of the wcarcr. Handsome white -tnchiCgs were
fastened with great dincs> the knees ny small gold buc-
kc and ,vc them coming about half way the calf
pair of what believe. called hose coarse and country
knit He wore shoes. They oda>iioncd and las
tened also with hucklcs-hucc He trOd Ike AZ In
dian without tusing hi, out but panhins en down
straight ahead. 1t the fashion in those days - we1r
idn-tailcd coat with small collar. and buttons far apart hc-
iund ind few the breast. Mr.. RandOphs the re-
verse Of all this md instead of his being anaicI ii
what %ol;cvc. the knight. OF the needle call Swal-
lowi allied the cellar immensely large the buttons be-
hind in kissing proximity and they sat together rs c!oS
the breast of the the fcastcrs al crowded -
lie festival Hi. waist remarkably slender slender
that. he stood with his okmbo, he could easily a
Thought with his long bony fingers have spanncd IT, Arousd
him his coat which very tight held together y oSc
button, and consequence. inch OF tafc. To
,Nlic attached. prrccptIb!e pulled
through the cloth. About hi neck he large white
cavat in hch his chin occasionally buried he moved
his head in Conversations shirt collar pcrccptihlc
every other person seemed 20 pride himself upon Inc SIZE OF
his. a, they we're icn large Nh Randolph com
pcxon precisely that OF mummy. wiihcrcd saffron,
dry and bloadcSs could have placed pins Pout
hi. face where wald not have touched wrinkle Ids
ip< thin compressed and coiorcsa the chm, beard
less as bovs broad for the OF hiS face. which
snail his straight, with nothing remarkable IN II.
except perhaps too short He wore fur cap. which
he took ot standing few moments uncovered observed
that his head quito small characteristic which sad
to have marked many Of talent Byron and CHIEF Justice
Marshall, for instance
sIge Burnct of Cincinnati, who has been alike dStin-
ruished at the bar the bench and IN the United States
Senate and whom have heard less Judge and posses
sor Of talent than Mr. Hammond of the Gazette, say.
the ccarcst and impressive speaker he heard has
also very small head. Mr.. RandoPh hair remark
ably inc-fnc infant $ and thin 1t was very long.
and vas parted with great the top s his head and
was tied behind with bit Of black rhand about three inches
from his neck; the whole of formed queue not thicker
than the little finger of delicate girl. His forehead was
low with no bumpoosy about but his cyc though unkrn.
was most brilliant and startling in its glance. Ii net an
eve profound but of mPulsiyc and passionate thought,
with an expression times such PHYSICIANS describe 10 Dc
that of INSANITY but insanity which seemed 10 quicken
not DESTROY intellectual never brhcld an eys
THAI struck me 1t possessed species OF ;ascnaa
such would make wsndcr the character OF ITS
possc.sor without finding clue in your wodcrncn 70
discover it, except that ne passionate wayward and
fearless He Fitted his long bony finger inrrs'cly as ne
convcrscd and ccsticuatcd with III peculiar lnn9T
Hi. whole appearance struck and could easily imagine
how with his command of language appropriate and
full brilliant and classical Joined the vast information
that his dcurs,c orator enabled him to cNibi IN It's fullest
extent from the .orchouSc of whlsh the vvdncS OF his
ina cnate always pointing ont happy anaog: or BIT
ter sarcasm that startled the from the fact that his
hearers did not perceive until the look, AID finger
brought down with the sddenncss OF lightning, and with
it. effects upon the head of his avcrsaiakins all this
into consideration, could easily imagine hew when almost
bow he won much fame and preserved ~ long aud
with so vast an influence notwithstanding the ccccnci:y
and inconsistency of his life public and private
By the bye the sudden, unexpected, and nPhorscaI way
in which Randolph cttcn expressed his sentiments had much
10 do with his oratocal He would hNc Dean
Swift make remark seemingly compliment md explain
il INTO sarcasm he would apparent sarcasm
and it int compliment. Many sfcahcrs when they
have said hin. hurry full explanation, fearful that
the nearer NAV not under and them but when Randolph
cxp,,,cd one of these starting thoughts he lett the nearer
for some time pulling in doubt 10 what he meant and
when il pleased him. the coolest r7,ncr IN tn, world he
explained his meaning little delighted If ne discovered
that his audience wondering the while upon whom the
blow would descend what principle tho remark would bc
brought 10 illustrate. \ little aneCd0c which heard a
member OK Congress from kentucky tell OF him ;hows tins
Characteristic The Congressman, HI. trsi visit 70 Wash
nston Che had JUST been elected Of DESTROYS of
seeing The lions. Randolph though member of either
house. there, and had himself daily borne Eio the Senate
or House by his faithful uba, listen TO the deba'e.
Every BODY .o,cd or uunoed calling the eccentric
orator and the crabcr Kentucky determined to do
likewise and CRAFTY his curiosity. friend General -
promised to present him. saving though You must be pre-
pared for odd reception for, if Randolph IN bad hui
NOR he will DO and saw any thing; ii he good humor
YOU will see mos, finishes gentleman, They called Mr.
Randolph stretched sofa. . BE seemed said
the member "a skeleton, endowed with those flashing
yves which ghost give the terminated body when
sen, upon earthly nlissirn.