Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-04-15
John Randolph.

81 One Iof the most remarkable me
z, that e7F Fr lived was JoH n Randolph {
RoaRoke He was BORN the I'd {
June, 4773. at AIatoa&, the seat {
his father, three miles hboye Peters
burg, Virginia. In hi veins wer
blended the arid tocrati@ blood roya
Of Primitive America His lordly
bearingI aborigi bal descent, eccentri,
career, I'D e Extraordinary eloquence
early fak ktened the attention of his
country men upon him, and through
many v bars efgrossed popular regard
to won Iderfuf| degree.
| Mr.. Randolph made his first ap-
pearanc$ in public life, in 1899, as q
candi9lade for q seat in Congress, and
was eledted.
When he entered Congress bis
youthful aspect, among bther striking
traits, attracted universal surprise.
As he presented himselfa at the clerk S
table to qualify, the offidial demanded
his age. Ask my cons tituents, was
the aracteri4 tic reply.
Mr.. Randolph sooh became a
marked man IN the national councils.
Lbs fearless t bought, pungent Ian
guage, witherH Hg sarcasm, and gene
raj power as a prompt and passionless
debateB attacli led the admiration as
well as excited the dread Of all par
ties within Congress and without.
john Randolph was bout six feet
high. lie had elevated shoulders, a
small head AID physfognomy all
parts Of which we're enti1ely unintel-
lectual except the eyd. His hair
was dark, thin and lank hnd lay close
to his head. Ills voice Eas sbrill as
fife, but its clear shri$king tones
could be distinctly heard by a large
audience. The muscles and skin
about his face were sh1I Iiyelled and
cadayerous, like wrinkled parchment;
and his whole form was sd attenuated
and neagre that tall as he was, his
acHaailltanceB supposed him not to
weigh amy more than one hundred
and thirty pounds.
The author Of Clinton Bradshaw,
who enjoyed a favorable opportunity
of observing this strange being, gives
the following graphic description Of
his person, habiliments and manners:
His long, thin legs, about as thick as
a:walkihg cane and Of much such
shape, we're encased in a pair of light
small clothes, so tight that they
seemed part and parcel of the wear
er Handsome white stockings were
fastened with great tidin ess at the
knees by a small gold buckle, and
over them, coming about half way
up the calf were a pair of what l be-
iove are called hose, coarse and eoun-
Try knit. He wore SHOES. They
were 6lIl fashioned and fastened also
with buckles large ones He trod
like an Indian, wi thout turning his
toe out But planking I hem right
ahead.
It was a fashion In those days, to
wear a fan tailed coat, with a small
collar, with buttons far aph hrt on the
bacB and but few on the.bre east. Mr..
Randolph's was the reyers Sc of this
Instead Of being fan-tailed, it was
what / believe the knights Of the
needle call swallow-tailed; the collar
was immensely large, the buttons be-
bind we're in kissing proximity, and
they sat as close on the breast of
the garment as the fea$ters at a
crowded festival. His waist was so
remarkably slender that, as he stood
with his arms aximbo, he could easi-
ly, as | thought, with his long bony
fingers, have spanned il Around
him bis coat, which was very tight,
was held together by one button, and
in consequence, an incho more of
tape to whichthe button was attached,
was perceptible where it vas pulled
through the cloth. About his neck !
he wore a white cravat in which his
chin was occasionally putied as he
moved his head in conversation; no
shirt collar wasperceptible;IeNery 9th
.er person seemed to pride himself on
the size of his, as they we're then
worn largo. Mr.. Randolph's COM
plexion was precisely thatIof dried
mummy-withered, saffron, dry and
bl6odless. YOU could not have placed
a pins point on his face where you
would npt have touched b wrinkle.
His lips were thin, comprised, and
colorless; the chin, bearfless as a