The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-07-01

W ~ H'''S "d|c uitu OF cn0iera there within
few DAYS past
From E~nton'- Thirty Years Views"
Death of john Randolph of Roarok
lie died at Philadelphia in the summer of
iS"3-thc scene Of his early and brilliant an
partition on the stage Of public life. having
commenced his parliamentary career in that
city. under the first Mr. Adams. when Con.
"rcSS sat there. and when he was barely
o! an age TO be admitted INTO the body. Fof
more than thirty wears he was the political
meteor of Congress. hazinr with undminish-
cd >rlcndor dnrinc The whole time. and often
appearin. As the "I'Ianrtarv plague" which
she'd not war and pc>'ilrncc on nations. bn,
agony and fear on nations I!;> sarcasm va,
keen. refined. wthcrin~ with tendency ia
indrlrc in !: : hut. a> he believed. a> lawful
Parliamentary weapon 10 effect some dr>jra-
"'c purposes Prctcn';on. mcaur>>. wee
"oma.orn"i>m. were th" t-c'ilcn. licr'> Of
the exercise of his talent auI when confn-
cd - them he was the hcnrf actor of the House
Wit and r"nius all allowed Ilm: >agaritv was
a quality Of his min! visible 70 al Observers
and which gave him an infuitivr in>i,l,
INTO the effect of III" measures. Dqrino NE
first six years of Mr.. .Ert',r tIm;ni~.rl-
ton. he WAS the "Mura." Of his r,r-v- bril-
liant in The charge. aud alwavS rr,Iv f,r il
and valued in t''c council As well As IL The
field. He was LONG III" charnan o,,hc Com
mite" Of WAYS aud Means place always
OF labor and responsibility and more then
than now. when the elements of rcvcnuc yrrn
less abundant: and no man coul! have beer
placed in that SITUATION during Nr Jefferson ;
time whose known >araritv WIS not ~ rI.I ,o
forthc safety Of his head in the mos. Snllen
and critical circumstances II" was one Of
those whom that cmilcn. >.a.">man h,i,i.ual
x consulted durinrthc period of.hcir friend
ship. and 20 whom he more carefully comr,n-
nica'cd his plans before thcv were civen 70
In" public. On hi> arrival at Wa>lirrton at
the opcninC of each session of Cnnorc.s ,;,r
THIS N"r:o!.ho regularly found waitino for him
II his established lodrnr> thcn Cr,wfo~,rs
t'e"r@ctown the card of Nr Jefferson. with
An invitation 20 dine. The next lav \. Dinner
~ which the leading measures of,lr cr~ri;no
session were tie prin"i?qI topic. Mr.. Jc'r.r
son ''ll not t,ca: in 'l. WY a member IN
w''0Sr ~aeacitv he hal ~ c,,flcn~c.
II i rot inst TO uI.'r >Yrh a man nv or,:n
arv rnl"S. nor lv detached and scpara.. Incl
dents in his life. To comprehend him. he
must he Judged as a whole physically and
mental v-and under many aspect, and for
his entire lit". He was never well chron
ic victim Of i'll health from the cradle TO the
to the crave. y letter from his most Intimate
and valj:"l friend. Mr. Macon. written to me-
after his death. expressed 'hc belief that h,
has! never cnioy"d dnrnr his lii. one ,lqv of
perfect hrath>ucl As we'll people cniov S..cl
lifelong suffering must have had is effect ON
the temper and on the mind: and it had on
Ills ''in"in- III" temper often to pnrru-
'oUS mood, and the state Of sometimes To the
question OF INSANITY: question which be-
cane Judicial after his death. when the valid
ify ut his Will came to lie contested HAD nv
opinion on that point, an | gave it rc>ponsl,ly
IN deposition 'lulv taken to be read on the
trial OF the will and in such a belief of in
sanity. at several specified periods. was fully
cNprcs-c -cd-"ith the reasons for the opinion
had good opportunities for forming an orin
:pn. living in the same hou~. with him for
several wears, having his confidence. and
seeing him all hours OF the ,!ay and night
1t also on several occasions became nv duty
to study the question with view to govern
my conduct under critical circumstances
l vice he applied 10 me to carry challenges
for him. 1t would have been inhuman to have
zone ont with a man not in his richt mind
md critical to ones self. AS anv accident ON
he ground mi chit seriously comprise the sec
md. My opinion was fixed. of occasional
temporary alterations OF mind and during
uch period he would do and say strange
hn.>-but ALWAYS in his own wav-not on
V method, but genius in his fancies moth
ng to be>peak bad heart, but only exulta-
ion and excitement The most brilliant talk /
hat ever heard from him. was on such oc-
a>i0n> n>-a flow of hours Cat one time seven
our>) of copious wit and classic alusion-a
crtcct scattering of the diamonds of the
mind. heard friend remark on one of
hc>c occasions, lie has wasted intellectual
,welrv enough here this evening to equip ma
y speakers for great Orations." | once sound
Il him on the delicate point of his opinion OF
im>clt; of course when he was IN a perfectly ,
atural state, and when he mad said some ,
ing to permit an approach to such subject Z
was during his last v>it to Washington,two t
intcr> before his death 1t was in NV room c
gloom Of toe evening Ii ght as the day was '
3inr cut and the lamrs not lit-no one pres q