Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-04-09
Anecdotes of John Randolph.

1
The late John Barney, who died shor,
time ago at Washington, forwarded to the
Chsrie- ton Courier these "reminiscences:
John Randolph. as chairmln ns the COM
nit ee OF Ways and Meons, signaliy failed
Perhaps The fnaLcial genius of Ham lton
Dallas and Galatin had penetrated the
7 Arcana and exhausted the sources of rev.
enue.
He never did originate any measure
Always content by withering sarcasm and
caustic w.ticisms to asssii everv Admin
istration, to. wound the feelings of his
friends without regret, repentance or re-
morse.
Selfish, cold-hrarted, cold blooded, he
arose from his bed took his breakfast, his
morning ride. bis dinner, his siesta, and
J about six o'cluck. when we were worn out
BY continoons session of eight hours,
meeting in committee at ten, Jockey cap
on his head, boots and spurred. whip in
hand, he would carelessly stroll into the
House. i
Pray, Mr.. Speaker, what m ght be the
question now under considerat;on!' Inform
ed, he would rise up, make pr mediated,
prearranged speech of four hours, connected
by roe, describe the puriieus of London
and Paris, where he had never been, with
truthful accuracy.
Weared out, exhausted, rose and pre-
pared to take my Departure @
Il hope the member from Maryland will
consent TO listen to me little longer; | will
condense and not detain him." as
! Tsat down. He expanded on wider
ocean. I rose again.
Il am nearly done,' he said tartly said,
! Il have been tumbugqed long enough He
was ne'tIed. We did not speak during that
session 80
The next winter, seeing me engaged in
the fnldng-room directing the division of
public documents into their appropriate
weight of two pounds-the members priv.
leee-be courteously said: Why do you
not lay them on the Speakers table. Sir.
we allow h i'm eight dollars extra day to
/ do our Bidding, he is our servant /; his priv
ilege extends TO four pounds. Lay your
ldocuments on the desk he dare not refuse
to affix his signature--try him. ! do so -
No heavy documents never troubled me
more
He bulliei the timid; quailed before the
resolute. s-E
My colleague was Colonel Peter Little,
faith 'ul representative of Baltimore County
for more than thirty years; comman ded
regiment during the war OF 1912, with yalor
and discretion. In early Life he had been a
matchmaker. This was seized on by the
malignant as affording an opportunity of
woundiDg his feelings.
p As Chairman of the Committee on the
Militia, he made an able report; Rancolph
complimented it; he had been agreeably
surprised. He had thought the gentleman
better versed in tick-tacks than tactics.
He never spared friend or foe. He was
a regular set tof- cators-penper. -mustar d.
vinegar cayene. No oil in his composition.
Tartaric acid. He wantonlv re2roached
his colleague, Mr.. Sheffey. OF Virg mia, with
having been born a Shoemaker. 1T is irue,'
he modestly replied, the partiality' of my
cons ituienrs have placed me IN an equality |
with the member from Roanoke. Had
he been born a shoemaker, in all proba- |
bility he would have been shoemaker i
STILL
Ned Welr-and who does not know !
honest Ned-had been an officer in the
Navy resigned, figuring on large scale
in Russia, and like all his bo)thars, sons |
OF the ocean, made, lost and squanaered for !
tunes.
During NJ. Adams administration, he /
coHdescended to become bearer of dispat-
ches, his perzdiem compensation: yet he .
would travel IN the wings of the wind and
with the celebrity of sunbeam to accom-
plish his mission.
He would lay out all bis surpluse in pre-
sents to his frends-a hamper of English
porter, an old stiton cheese, choice claret,
ch ampagne. hook and Seltzer water. He
never wanted customers. His stock and
his funds were always soon exhausted, and
poor Ned wanted new mission.
On warm, sultry day, he saw his con-
stant visitor, the gaunt Randolph of Roa.
nOke, a few PAGES ahead of him. Ned made
a ?rodJous effort, for he was shor. and
pussy. overlook him. Good morning, Mr-5
Randolph Good morning. gruffly said
he. d have had considerable difficulty in
overtaking you Il will increase that diff
Guilty. Stretching out his seven-league
boots,' said Ned, he left me putting and
blowing; he knew that hook and ,Seltzer-
water had given OUT
A member of the Senate, entitled to every I
consideration, styled him 'his friend from
Virginia i wish the Senator to distinctly
understand that never had but ore friend
in my lite-my man Juba-I fogged Juba
yesterday, not that he deserved it for he is
a most faithful servant but in these aboii-
tion times it requires occasionally to remind
the slave OF the relative position between \
him and his master. | admonish :he Senator
that ii he shall again presume to call ME
his rieud, | shall Castigate him more severe
ly with the cause than did my man Juba !,
without cause
On one occasion, wearied and exhausted
with his aIwuys-beginnlng, never-endng,
no amen harangues Mr.. {
Clay, as Speaker, called him to order; he
was compelled to take his seat. To regain
the floor, he appealed from the decision OF
the Chair to the House on point of order
State your proposition says the speaker.
State your point of ORDER
4 will suppose, sir. ragabord son Of
Virginia, reckless, unprincipIed boy, a
pest 10 the neighborhood, driven by the
frown< OF an indignant community lhout
the pale OF decent society, wanders to the
far West, grown to mans estate. By as
surance, by impudence. and bold daring. he /
worms himself into the confidence of be- |
nighted district, and succeeds in obtaining /
a position as a member of this honorable /
body; will descend a shale lower in the
depths. By an extraordinary combination
OF circumstances. geographical position
and high excitement, be succeeds in being /
most unworthy elevated to the position you t
now occupy. How Calling must it be to a