The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-10-16
From Hunts Merchants Magazine.
SKETCH OF A SPEECH OF MR. RANDOLPH

!.
1t was said that the late Mr. Colerdge cosld never
be reported on account as much Of bis unexpected
ness as it was called as Of his rapidly and such
was the case with Mr.. Randolph. Occasionally, a
thought would shine forth startliDgly beautiful; but
it was incrusted and imbedded in what might be
called pudd ng-stons as TO be OF little worth to the
context OF the speech ITSELF and only valuable when
isolated. We told by one no heard hun in one of
his latest efforts, that nothing could exceed the sin
gularity OF his appearance and his language. Lean
ing, rather rolling, against the railing which is
fixed in the Senate chamber, outside of the outer
row Of chairs, he was engaged in delivering series
Of desutory observations in a shr tone of voice to
whoever struck his eye al the time. 1 he bankrupt
bill was before the Senate-and we trust that we
will not be running far from the line of operation of
a commercial magazine IN reporting the views of n
distinguished statesman on so prominent a branch of
our mercantile poicy--the bankrupt bill was under
consideration, aud MIR. Randolph had already gone
some way in the discussion Of principles he supposed
involved. He had just eziricated himself from di-
erosion the subject Of banks in general remark
ing that the next Thing to be done TO buy iron
chest for safety against fire AVID thieves which last
was wholly unnecessary, for who would steal our pa
PERI All ready, and then issue bills. | with |
had of them, (hunting in his pockets as if ex-
pecting TO find one)-Owl creek, Washington city,
wild cat-they begin with promise to pay,
sir-yes, promise to pay. After dwelling a few
minutes more on banks and banking, and dealing
heavy slap TO Unltarians in religion and poll
tics, and stopping moment to vlndlcae the mem
ory of Rir Robert Walpoe, IN a connexion not
now remembered, he proceeded to express his disgust
at what are called family bibles stating, however,
parenthelcally that he had no objection TO each
household having the scriptures-ndeed, lie thought
they were bound to have Unsupported they were
not Of the cheap, Yankee stamp. The editions he
would recommend were those authorized by the uni
versities Passing lightly Shakespeare, rather
mngling his comments upon the great poet with those
upon the holy writ he descanted upon the impudence
of the man who had published oxpurgated Shaks-
peare for family use. To the American Protestant
Episcopal Church he declared he bad never belonged,
and indeed, never would; that he member III
corporate in the church of England, and that he had
been baptised by a gentleman delegated from the
bishop OF London himself, who had laid his hands
upon him, (ayIng hands, at the same time, the
head Of the gentleman next him. pronouncng vivid
eulogy on both bishop and priest, whom he said he
wished he could bring back again TO life, when the
time came for his own last Offices TO be performed.
passage ia the prayer book, he remarked, began
" Them that" which passage, he said, was un-
grammatical that no good man could use IT, Sudden
y he touched upon wIne-it was often mentioned in
the Bile, and should be drank in gentlemsnly way
not in the closet, but at the table but to ~hiskey
the word whiskey not in the holy writ. Jeptha
was a landowner and wine drinker; he hImsel II
was landowner, and he was proud TO acknowledge
that he held his land direct from oval grant. He
could even go back TO William the Conqueror, and
beyond hin and he was in fact, able to say that he
dated his origin TO the Of Kent Banking and
bankruptcy were mushrooms Of the Guelph growth.