The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-01-03
LIFE o. JOHN RAsDoLpu, by Hugh A. Garland.

L1yE OF JOHN RANDOLPH. by Hugh A. Garland.
We believe We have heretofore alluded to thii
work. 1t portrays the character of perhaps the
most remarkable man our country has produced
drawn by mastery hand. Mr.. Garland's style il
pure, elegant, and often eloquent and pathetic
We confess it displays the portrait in fairer ligh
than we had been accustomed to view it.
We are not to be understood as, by any means
endorsing the sentiments of the author or his hero
The Partially of the biographer is ever supposed
to extenuate faults in his subject: but in this in.
stance the letters of Randolph to his intimate and
bosom friends, evince traits in his character Of
which we were hefore ignorant.
The eccentricities of Mr.. R. may we'll be traced
to an early disappointment in an affair of the heart
In the year 1900, when he was twenty sever
years of age, he wrote to his friend BRYAN o
Georgia, whom a disappointment of a similar ma
ture was about driving TO Europe, that he "to
was wretched" and would accompany him. TIN
object of his affections was a Miss Ma W--d
One," he says, 81 loved better than my owl
soul, or him who created it," And again, I'm,
apathy is not natural, but superinduced. There
scas volcano under my ice, but it is burnt out, and
face of desolation has come on, not to be recti
fed in ages, could my life be prolonged to patri-
archal longevity. The necessity of loving and be.
'ng beloved was not felt by the imaginary beings Of
Rousseau and Byron's creation, more imperously
than BY myself My heart was offered up with a
devotion that knew no reserve" And many wears
after, when circumstances rendered their marriage
impossible" and the "lady of his love" became
allied to another, although at Washington, in tn,
zenith Of his renown, he was plunged into grief
bordering upon madness.
But there is one point in the history of John Ran.
dolph upon which we confess we had been entirel,
Ignorant. Wemean his conversion 10 Christi
anity. He had read," says Mr.. Garland, al the
Old and New Testaments, with the aid of good
commentators, with care and diligence = >
Milton and Cowper, and the old English diyines
now obsolete and forgotten, were his daily and
nightly companions"
In letter to his distinguished friend, Francis S
Key Of Washington, dated 7th of May, 1916, he
says:
"In the mos. impo..ap, Of human concerns have mad
and doubts leave no Iepose or the Necessity Of io
10 IN
am in }he worst conceivable situation respects my intens
and conversation such friend yourself might assist
in dspeins for time at least the gloom that depresse
be obtained, but without success''
To this letter, that eminent lawyer, Mr. Key
responded in strains Of the deepest pety, and il
arguments worthy of the ablest champion of til
Religion Of Jesus Christ.
We find no more material to this subject, unit
September 7, 1918, when he thus writes to MI
Key from Roanoke:
Congratulate me, dear Frank wish me Joy You nee
not give it You cannot am last reconcied to my God
and have Of his PARDON through faith in Christ
ssainst which the very gates Of hell cannot prevail Fea
hath been driven out by perfect love- that NO,
SnSg how fee and within month"; for the first time.
Christian. am not now afraid Of being righteous over
mum, or OF Meth0distcal notions %
Thine In Truth, ]. R. of R.
Mr.. Key responded to the letter, and Mr.. r
writes him again under date Of August %:
"0nce, Of all the books of Holy Writ the Psalms were M
especial aversion but thanks be God! they have lon
constituted com AZ. iavoe portion Of that treasure of wisdom
you ray, many passages seem written right me- Ii
there md my sins and depicted by fellow SHINE
ana ieuowniierer and there too. find consolation ETC.
We have not space to follow the narrative an,
relate the circumstances Of Randolphs ATTENDANCE
on the celebrated race between Eclipse and 81
Henry, or his duel with Henry Clay, several yeqr
after his conversion"