The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1841-06-11

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About his neck he wore a large white
cravat, in which his chm was occasional
" buried rs he moved his head i'll con-
versation; no shirt collar was pcrceptible
every other person seemed to pride him
self upon the size of his, as they were
then worn large.--Mr. Randolph's COM
pleXion was precisely that of mummy,
withcrcd, saffron, dry, and bloodless yet
you could not have placed a pins point
on his face where you would not have
touched wrinkle his lips were thin,
compressed and colorless; the chin, beard
less as a boys, was broad for the size of
his face, which was small his nose was
strait, with nothing remarkable in it, cX-
ccpt perhaps too short. He wore fur
cap, which he took off, standing few
moments uncovered. observed that his
head was quite small, characteristic,
which is said to have marked many men
of talent, Byron and Chief Justice Mar
shall, for instance. Judge Burnct, OF
Cincinnati, who has been alike dlstln-
gushed at the bar, on the bench, and in
the United States Senate, and who, have
heard no less Judge and posscssor of Ia
tent than Mr.. Hammond, of the Gazette,
say, was the clearcst and most impressive
speaker he ever heard, has also a very
small head. Mr. Randolph's hair was re-
markedly iinc-iinc as al infants, and
thin. Ii was very long, and was parted
with great care on the top of his head,
and was tied behind with 4 bit of black
riband about three inches from his neck
the whole of it formed queue not thick
er than the little finger of delicate
girl. His forehead was low, but 10
bumpology about it; but his eye, though
sunkcn, was most brilliant and startling
in It's glance. 1t was not an eye of pro-
found, but impulsivc and passionate
thought, with an expression, at times,
such as physicians describe TO be that Of
insanity, but an insanity which seemed to
quicken, not destroy, intellectual acute
ness. never behcId an eve that struck
me more. 1t possessed species OF ias-
cina,ion, such as would make you wonder
over the character of its possessor, with
out finding any clue in your wc.derment
to discover it, except that he was passion
ate and fearless. He lifted his long, bony
finger impressively as he convcrscd, and
gesiculated with it in a peculiar manner.
His whole appearance struck me, and
could easily imagine how, with his
great command Of language, so approprl-
ate and full, so brilliant and classical,
Joined to the vast information his discur-
sive oratory enabled him TO exhibit i'll It's
fullest extent, from the storehouse of
which the vvidness of his Imagination
was always pointing out happy analogy,
or bitter sarcasm, that startled the more
from the fact that his hearers did not per-
ccivc ii until the look, tone and finger
brongt it down with the suddenness of
| lightning, and with its effects, upon the
head of his adversary taking all this in
to consideration, could easily imagine
how, when almost boy, he won so
much fame, and preserved IT so long and
with so vast an influence, notwithstanding
the ccccntrcity and simplicity of his life,
public and private.
81 remember hearing two anecdotes of
Randolph, which strikingly type his cha
racter.-Onc exhibits his cynical rudeness
and disregard for the feelings of others
in fact, a wish to wound their feelings
and the other his wit. do not vouch
for their accuracy, but | give them as !
have frequently heard them, as perhaps
has the reader.
Once, when Randolph was in the city
of Baltimore, he was in the daily habit of
frequcnting the bookstore of one of the
largest booksellers in the place. lie made
some purchases from him, and was very
curious in looking over his books, &c. In
the course of Mr.. Randolph's visits he
became very familiar with Mr.. b,
the bookseller, and they had long chats
, together; the orator of Roanoke showing
off with great courtesy. Mr.. B was
: quite pompous man, and rather vain Of
t his acquaintance with the lions who used
t to stop in his shop. Subsequently, being
A in Washington with friend, he cspied
: Randolph advancing towards him, and
e told his friend he would introduce him to
G the "great man" His friend, however
: knowing the waywardness of Randolph
!, declined. "Well," said Mr.. B, 81 ar
: sorry YOU will not be introduccd-Fll &C
;, up and give him a shake of tho hand a
i any rate" Up he walked, with out
II stretched hand, to salute the cynic. The
$ aris,ocratic Republican (by the bye, how
IS often your ,horough-going Republican IL
t, full blooded aristocrat in his private re
&c lations) Immediately threw his hands be
. hind him, as if he could not "dull hi
ID palm" in that way, and gazed searchngl.
rs in the face of the astonishcd bookseller
A. ooh. oh =" said he. as If recOllccljnp him