The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-10-17
From the MarfinsburghtVa Gazette.
JOHN RANDOLPH AND HENRY

JOHN RANDOLPH AND HENRY
CLAY.
AN INTERESTING kscIDENT.-C. J. Falk-
ner, ESQ.,. in his speech at GeFsrdSiown on
the Sd inst., while commenting in eloqent
and indignant terms uprrf the movements OF
the DIsuNIoNIsTs at The South, related an
incident in the life of John Randolph, so
c edita6le iotle inagnanimity ofthat celehra-
ted MAI, and so ust aud hunola able 10 The fame
ofHenTy Clay, that we have deemed it worthy
of being preserved and placed before the
public. II is well known that the person.
al relations between those two remarkable
men were not ofthe kindest character, but
unfortunately the reverse. II is equally
we'll known that as politicians they were In
variably arrayed against each other, the op-
position of Mr.. Randolph at times assn.
ming the most ~yirulent cliarac ier as in 1912
l-l3-presious TO and during the war, and
whilst Mr.. Clay was Secretary of Slate.
And yet, in the last public address ever
made by Mr.. RandoIphso The People-in
a speech in the couafry of Ruckingham-du-
ring the pendLcy of thai fearful struggle be-
tween The State of South Carolina aud the
Federal GOVERNMENT when one rash and
indiscreet act of violence might have inyol-
we'd this country in the horrors of civil war,
and led to the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Confeder-
acy-and when every patriotic eye watched
the progress of events with The deepest SOL
icitude-the opportunity occurred which
that gentlemen availed himselfof TO do JUS
lice TO the character of his great and distin-
guished opponent. In the course of his
speech he is reported to have said:
"Gentlemen, | am filed with the most
gloomy apprehensions for the Union. | can
not express TO you bow deeply | am penetra-
ted with the sense of the danger which at
this momentihreatens IFS existence. IfMad-
isoh filed the Executive Chair he might be
bulliel into some compromise. If Monroe
was in power, he might be ceaxed INTO some
adjustment of this difficulty. But jackson
is obstinate. headstrong and full of fight. |
fear matters must come 10 an open rapture.
If SO, this Unien is gone.n Then pausing
for near a minute, raising his finger in that
emphatic manner so peculiar 10 him as a
speaker and seeming as it were, 10 breathe
more freely, he continued-sFhere i ssone
man, and enc only, who can save this I'm
ion. That man is HENRY CLAY. know
he has the power-lbelieye he win be found
to have the patriotism and frmness equal to
the occasion" 6
Shortly after this, Mr.. Randolph proceed
ed on through Westinghouse Philadelphia,
where in the course Of a few months he died.
He arrived in the former city after the COM
promise bill bad passed. Deeply impressed
with the great and valuable service which
Mr.. Clay had just rendered to the country,
he had himself conveyed TO The Senate
Chamber, then TOO plainly exhibiting in his
face and appearance the rasages Of that IA
tai disease to which he was too soon TO ia II
a victim, where these two brilliant rival ora
tors and prodigally gifted f%avorftes of ma
ture met for the last time. As Mr.. Clay
approached to salute him, Mr.. Randolph
said:
MI. Clayton perceive I am dying, but
thank God | have strength enough yet left
to return you my poor acknowledgements for
having saved the Union"
This incident. we understood Mr.. Faulk-
ner to say, he derived during a recent visit
TO the city of Richmond, from Thomas Mil.
Ter. of Pawhatan, a gentleman of high char
acter-one who,for many years, enjoyed the
intimacy and friendship of Mr.. Randolph,
and upon whose accuracy the utmost reli-
ance could be placed. The relation of this
Interesting incident in the life of Dir. Ran.
dolph by Faulkner, produced a marked ef.
feet upon the audiance, and seemed to in
spire the speaker himself with an increased
love for the Union, and its great defender
HENRY CLAY.