Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-08-19
Recollections Of John Randolph
BY PROF. PARSONS, OF READING, PA.

Recollections Of John Randolph. i.
BY PROF. PARSONS, OF READING, PA.
There is no doubt but that he was de-
scended from Pocahontas. lie was
proud of this. No stranger could be in
his company one hour and remain igno
rant of il. He was sure to bring it in in
conversation some way. He felt that old
Powhatan was the lord of all Virginia,
and when he died he left his regal rights
to his daughter, and when she died they
descended to him, and that he was king
Of the whole land. There was "screw
loose somewhere in his mental compo-
sition. So long ago as when the first
steamboat was put upon the Hudson,
tliefs ras not business enough to keep it
employed every day SO frequently it
would take excursion parties up the riv-
er. On one occasion quite large party
were on board. among them Randolph
ard Mr. Schuyler, who was very
modest, shy man, respected by all.
While the boat was going on its way,
Randolph started up, went few PAGES
from party of ladies, and shouted out,
"Mr. schuyleri Mr.. Schuyler will you
do me the favor to come heres" Mr..
Schuyler left the party and approached
him. "Mr. Schuyler, look here"-pla-
cling his hand on his ear-"what do you
see?" Nothing" replied Schuyler
| Look at that ear-what do you see ?"
"Simply an ear" Don't you see Poca,
| hontas there?" In order for Schuyler
to get away, he finally said, II think l
do see a little of it," Mr.. Schuyler re-
lated this to Parsons. 1t is believed that
the aboriginal descendants of the couu
try left peculiar mark upon the lob.
OF the ear, which always marked such
persons. He made visit to England,
and behaved quite strangely while there.
The English were at loss to account for
his eccentricities. They ascribcd them
to three things-first, that he drank up.
on the sly, or was all the time tipsy; OF
that he was insane; thirdly, that it was
due to American peculiarities. Our mar
rator was told this by an Englishman
when he remarked he preferred not t.
have him think it the latter ofthe three
Pocahontas married Rolfe-which is tn,
same word as Randolph. Randolph
grandfather had perfect right o
Rolfe's if he chose it. While in Londol
he saw fit to dress in the Randolph
plaid; he carried sword, pistols, ant
dirk; had his leg bare to the knee, jus
like an old Scot. Once, at a theatre
two young men, from his strange dres
and other causes, smiled ut him. II
turned to them and said. "Let him VIII
smiles at tartan beware Of the dirk" q
the same time brandishing his dirk.
The Washington officials became very
tired of him. They feared him, and il
order to get rid of him he was appoint
ed Minister Plenipotentiary to Russia
He refused to accept, unless permission
was given him to spend some time in l,
ally for his health. This was granted, a
would anything to have got rid Of hin
He went to Italy, stayed some time there
went to Russia and remained there on
month; then went to England and mad
quite long stay before returning home
The reason why he left Russia was this
While he was there, and before he hat
been presented to the Emperor, som
one undertook to teach him the present
alton etiquette of the court. 1t wa
very simple The Minister was to ente
the door and bow, at the end of tn
room bow again, approach the Empero
and bow, and then the Emperor woul'
meet him and enter into conversation
he was indignant at the idea of any on
attempting to teach him, and said, Don
you think l know how without 70,
showing me?" The day for the present
alton approached. He entered the roor
and bowed very low,-cane to the mid
die ofthe room, stopped, and again bow
= ed,-hc then came neafer, took off on
gauntlet and threw it on one side of tn
Emperor, and then the other on the 9th
er side of the Emperor,-then he pitch
ed his hat off in front, threw off his man
tie, threw off his sword, and fell on hi
knees The Emperor was perfectly as
tonished, but being we'll educated man
knew how to act under such circumstan
ces. So he approached, lifted him u
and conversed with him. His reception
did not come up to his ideas, SO, bein!
disguised with Russia, he left in
month
He had az unboundcd admiration o
Mr. Marshall, who was the only man VIII
could at all control him. When Mar
shall was "A, he was in the convention
and an attack was made upon the .ju
ciary. He made his greatest efforts il
his defense, and triumphantly saved ii
Randolph speaking Of this speech, said
It was Gibraltar. and every answer
was pistol-shot against the solid rock.
Randolph died of consumption. 1t i
said tina: wfien lie vas lingering, afte
he could not speak word, that h
wrote upon card: "Remorse thi
idea has generally gotten abroad. Th
truth, however, Is that he was ATTENDED
during his illness by man by the nam'
r. Morse, and he, for some purpose
wrote his name.
He was a man Of immense knowledge
especially of little things not general!
known BY otlier people. He once sale
he could bound every county in Eng
land, tell all of its towns, in what par
Of the country they were. name th'
course Of every river, and the counties
through which it flowed. Our narrator
dined one day with Mr.. Otis. 1t wa'
past the hour named. All the company
had arrived; still the dinner was KEEP
waiting-waiting for Randolph. In h'