Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-07-20
Sketch of the New POstmas1er
i .V VIIHT General. s .. .r. .l.

Alexander Williams Randall was born in
Montgomery county, New York, in 1919
and is, therefore, now forty-seven years of
age. In his early life he emiSrated, with
his parents, to Wisconsin, where he chose
the profession of the law. His devotion to
the interests of the State, and his capacity
for grasping an in portant question, mark
ed him as a fitting representative of that
growing Territory, and he was according
ly chosen by a large majority to the Terri
torial Convention in 1917, which framed a
constitution that Is, now, in its essential ell
ements, the statute law of the State of Wis
consin. Mr.. Randall was a conspicuous
and popular member of that body, and won
the commentator of people of every shade
of opinion-not by veering aud changing
his expressions to suit the questions of the
hour, but by course of marked consisten-
cy and industry. The future historian of
Wisconsin will give to Mr.. Randall his
proper place in the record-one higher than
some of his predecessors and cotempora-
ries, and as high as the highestamong them
all. ol1 t,-'7 = ~,
We believe he was chosen to the Goyer1-
Orship OF Wisconsin upon a Democratic
platform; that Is to say, he was member
of the Democratic party before the war
The tileaps at our command, however, do
not enable us, to, be authoritative upon this
particular point. He was elected Governor
In 1856 by very large majority, and from
thistime forth he became identified with the
Great Westas one of its representative men.
Not learned in the lore of schools, yet faI
miliaf in the ehighest-degree,a and by nature,
withsthe arts and graees of speech and rhet-
oric, let those who have heard his eloquent
appeals upon the stump or in the forum
speak to the point whether he cannot sway
amultitude In feeling or opinion, making
them totlaugh orweep upon occasion. N OF
4 profound lawyer OF, thinker, yet with that
cool r-headedness which enables man
to form correct conclusion from a. mere
glance at the heads of an argument!ioN Nota
Statesman known as such, still possessing in
an eminent degree all the qualifications es-
sentiil to that exalted position. '-'n
AS we said above, he was chosen inlS56
tol the Gubernatorial chair of Wisconsin,
which State was among the first, ,gif not the
very first to declare herself unalterably
in favor of the Union. This was early In
1861, during Governor yRandalfs term of
office, and nearly at yitsclos The Legis-
latpre bad convened on, the 10th of Janu-;
ary Of that year, and there was much con-
Germ among its members as to the policy
which should boz pursued by that State
during hatlexeiting period. WISCONSIN,.
always Democratic previously, had given
10000 majority fer-AbFaAam Lincoln in
November 1861 The message of Cover
nor Randall was .sharp,rterse and oompre-
hepsiye. he said that the election of Nj.
Lincoln was legal; that our Government
was one Of the people, and not aleague Of
States; that the General Government could
mot 9ehange the character "a State Cow
ernment, or usurp power not strictly deli,
egated in the Consultation, and that imme-
diate action should be taken tofplace the
State ON war footing, ,ifros,T a4ots o,rr
Notwithstanding this message, the Leg
islature, without having taken any meas.
o6res to meet, the recommendations Of the
Governor, or the wishes aud interests of
the people, on the 18th of April 1851,
passed a resolution to adjourn on the 17th,,
On that memorable .l5thl, day OF, April, as
our readers are aware, Rresidenta Lincoln