Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-09-18
John Randolph OF Roanoke.

The following description Of this remarkable per-
son we find In the National Intelligcncer:
HIS long thin legs, abou, as thick as a strong
walking cane, and of much such shape, were en-
cased in pair of tight small Clothes so tight that
they seemed part and parcel ofthe woarer. Hand
some white stockings were fastened with great
tidinoss at the knees by small gold buckle and o.
yer them, coming about half way up the calf, were
a pair Of what, I believe, called hose,
and country knit. He wore shoes; they were old
fashioned, and fastened also with buckles-huge
ones He trod like an Indian without turning his
toes out but plankng them down straight ahead.
1t was the fashion in those days to fan-taed
coat, with a small collar, and buttons far apart be-
hind and few on the breast. Mr.. Randolph
the Of al! this. and, instead of his Goa,
being fan.tailed it was what believe the knights
Of the needle call swalow.tailed the collar was
ing proximity, and they sat together as close on the
breas, of the garment the feasters at a crowded
public festival His waist was remarkably slender !;
so slender that, as he stood with his aims akimbo
he could easily, as thought, with his long bony
fingers, have spanned it. Around him his coat,
which very tight, was held together by one
button, and, in consequence, an inch more Of
tape, to which it was attached, was percep.ible
where it was pulled through the cloth.
About his neck he wore a large white cravat, in
which his chin was occasionally buried as he
moved his head in conversation no shirt collar
was perceptiblc every other person seemed to pride
himself on the size of his, as they then worn
| large. Mr.. Randolph's complexion precisely
,ha, of mummy, withered, saffron, dry and blood.
less yet you could not have placed pins point
kle; his lips thin, compressed and colorless
the chin, besrdless a boys, was broad for the
size of his face, which was small his nose was
strait, with nothing remarkable in it, except perhaps
it was too short. He wore fur cap, which he took
off, standing few moments uncovered. observed
that hi, head was quite small, a characteristic
which is said to have marked many men of talent,
Byron and Chief Justice Marshall for instance
Judge Burnet of Cincinnati, who has been alike
distinguished at the bar, on the bench. and in the
United States Senate, and whom have heard no
less judge and possessor Of talent than Mr.. Ham,
mond Of the Gazette, say, was the cearest and
most impressive speaker he ever heard, has also q
very small head. Mr. Rsndolph's hair was remarka.
bly, fne-fine an infants, and thin. It was very
long, and was parted with grea, care on the top o
his head. and was tied behind with a hi, of bla,k
ribband about three inches from his neck; tn,
whole Off formed queue not thicker than the III
tie finger of delicate gil. His forehead was low
but no bumpoogy about il, bu, his eye, though
sunken, was most brilliant and startling in it
glance.
1t was not eye Of profound, but impassione
thought with an expression al times such as ply
scians describe to be that Of insanity, but an in
sanity which seemed to quicken, not 10 destroy in
tcllectual acuteness. never beheld an eye tina
struck me more: it possessed species of fascins
ton such would mako you wondor tn
character Of its possessor, without finding any elu
in your wonderment TO discover it, except that h
was passionate, wayward and fearless. He lif,e
his long bony finger impressively as he converse,
!. and gesiculated with it in a peculiar manne
: His whole appearance struck me, and could 90
silly imagine how with his great command Of lar
l. guase, appropriate and FULL brilliant and class
cal, joined to the vast information that his discu
IS sive oratory enabled him exhibit in its fullest
n tent, from the storehouse of which the vvijne,
!. Of his imagination was always pointing out hs
py analogy or bitter sarcasm. that startled the mo
from The fact that his hearers did no, perceive it III
l. til the look, tone and finger brought it down wi
the suddenness of lightning and with its ellie,
upon the head Of his adversary taking all this i
to consideration, could easily imagine how. VIII,
D. almost boy, he won much fame, preserved il
ID long and with vast influence, notwi,hstandir
st the ccceatricny and Inconsistency of his life, pub
H. and private.