Litchfield enquirer., 1847-02-11
JOHN RANDOLPH OF ROANOKE.


strong walking cane, aad Of much such
shape, were encased in pair of tight small
clothes. so tight that they seemed part and |
parcel OF the limbs OF the wearer. Handsome |
white stockings were fastened with great IL |
diness at the knees by small gold buckle,
i'd over them, coming about halt way up the |
calf, were pair of what, believe were call |
cd hose, coarse and countr! KNIT. fic were |
shoes 7 ney were old fashioned, and fastened |
also with buckles, huge ones. He tired like all
!adian, without turning his toes out, bu;
planking Il EN- down straight ahead. 1t was |
the fashion in those days to wear tan-taied |
coal, with small cellar, and buttons for apsri |
behind, and few OH the breast, Mr. Randoiph's |
were the reverse of all this, and, instead of his
coat being tan-alled, it was what, we believe, !
the knights OF the needle call swallow-taled; |
the collar was immensely large, the buttons
behind were III kissing proximity, and they |
sat together as close on the breast Of the gar
u,ent % the feasters at crowded pubic testl.
val. His waist was remarkably slsnder-so
slender that, as he stood with his arms akimbo, |
ne could easily as l thought, with his long
bony tin,ers, have Spanned it. Around him
his coat, which was very tight, was held to-
gether by one button, and, in consequence. an
in h or m re of tape, to which it was attached.
was preceptble where it was pulled through
white cravat, in which his chin was OCCASION
ally buried as he moved his head in converse
tion-no shirt collar was preceptlble; every
other person seemed to pride himself upon the
size of his, as they were then were large
Mr.. Randolphs complexion was precisely
that Of mummy, withered, saffron, dry and
bloodless-yet you could not have placed
pins point on his face where you woald not
have touched wrinkle-his lips were thin,
| compressed and oolorless-the chin beardless
| as boys, was broad for the size of his face,
which was small-his nose was straight, with
| nothing remarkable in it, except perhaps 1t
! was too short He wore fur cap, which he
took of, standing few moments uncovered |
observed that his head was quite small, char
acterstic, which is said to have marked many
men of talent, Byron and Chief Justice Mar
shall for instance. Judge Burnett, of Clncin-
natl, 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 psssessor Of talent than Mr. Hammond,
of IL Gazette, say, was the clearcst and most
impressive speaker he ever heard, has also
very small head. Mr.. Randelph's hair was
remarkably fne-iine as an infants and thin
1t was very long and parted with great care on
the top Of his head, and was tied behind with
bit OF black ribband about three inches from
his neck-the whole of it formed queue not
| thicker than the little finger of delicate girl
| His forehead was low, but no bumpology about
! it--but his eye, though sunken, was most bril-
! liant and startling in his glance. II was not
an eye of profound, but impulsive and passion
| ate thought with an impression at times such
| as physicians describe to be that OF insanity,
but an insanity which seemed to quicken, not
destroy intellectual acuteness. 1t possessed
I species of fascination such as would make you
wonder over the character Of its possessor.
without finding any clue in your wonderment
to discover it, except that he wsj passionate
| wayward and fearless. lie lifted his long bony
finger impressvely as he conversed, and gestl-
culaed with it in peculiar manner His
| whole appearance struck me, and could easily
imagine how, with his great command OF lam
guage, so appropriate and full, so brilliant and
classical, Joined to the vast information that
his discursive oretory enabled him to exhibit
in its fullest extent from the storehouse Of
which the vivdness Of his Imagination was
always pointing out happy analogy. or bitter
sarcasm. that startled the more from the fact
that his hearers did not perceive it until the
look, tone, and finger brought it Down with the
suddenness of lightning, AMI with its effects
nron the he ak Of his adva"earJ-takfng all TINS
into consideration, could easily imagine how.
when almost boy, he won SO much fame and
| preserved it so long and with so vast an infu-
ence, notwithstanding the eccentricity and
inconsistency of his life, public and privite"
Ell remember hearing two anecdotes of Ran
delphi, which srkingIy type his character
One 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 per
haps has the reader.
Once, when Randolph vas in the city Of
B., he was in the daily habit of frequent
ing the bookstore of one OF the largest book
sellers of the place. He made some pu,chas-
es of him, and was very curious in locking
over his books &c. In the course of Randolph's
visits he became very familiar with Mr.,
tho bookseller, and they held long chats to-
gether-the orator of Roanoake showing off
vita great courtesey. Mr.. WAS pomp-
ous rasn and rather vain Of his acquaintance
with the lions who used to stop in his shop
Subsequently. being in Washington with
friend, he espied Randolph advancing towards
him, and told his friend that he would intro
duce him to the great man. His friend. how
ever, knowing the waywardness Of Randolph,
declined. Well, said Mr., am sorry
you will not be introduced-I'll go up and give
him shake of the hand at any rate. Up he
walked, with outstretched hand to salute the
cynic The aristocratic republican 10y the b.
how often your thorough going republican is
full blooded aristocrat in his private yclaticns)
Immediately threw his hands behind him, as il
he could not dull his palm in that way. ard
gszed searchingly into the face of the astoGish-
ed bookseller. Oh.oh said he, as if recoIect-
ing himself, you are MIR, B., from Balt-
more Yes sir, was the reply. A bookseller:
Yes sir. All bought some books flom YOU
Yes sir, you did. Did forget to pay you for
them No sir, you did not, Good morning.
sir, said the orator, lifting his cap with offend
ed dignity, and passed on. The anecdote does
not show his goodness of head or hear, but j,
shows his character.
Tae other anccdote is as fallows-The Hon.
Peel-, who was matchmaker. and who
had represented B--couniy for :nany years
in Congress, once made motion to amend
resolution offered By Randolph, on the subject
Of military claims. MIR. Randolph rose up al
ter the amendment had been offered. and
drawing his watch from his fob. asked the Hon.
Peter what o'clock it was. lie ErlI him,-
Sir, replied the orator, you can mend ny watch
bat mol my motions. Youcan understand hes
ticks. but not tactics
That, too, was fine retort when, after he
had been speaking, several memhers lose In