The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-08-08
We give another of the pictures painted
by Professor Parsons, Of Reading, for his
class
John Randolph of Roanoke

by fTOieSSOf Iafsons, vi hcauiiis, ioi Lie
| class
John Randolph Of Roanoke
was very different man from Marshall.
| knew him well. His nephew was my class
mate and chlIm. His name was Theodore
Teudor Randolph. When / came to Wash
| jngton, Randolph came to see me, having
probably heard his nephew speak of me.
: Randolph was very tall and slim, and OF 4
! sallow complexion. He stopped somewhat.
When he walked he made very long strides,
keeping his feet parallel, as if some one was
| in his way, and such person had better get
out of it. His favorite gesturew was 10 reach
out very long arm, with very long finger
on the end of it, and point it directly at
person. His voice had peculiar shrillness.
Really, there is nothing to describe it. 1t
was high, and, when he chose to make it
so, soft and sweet. He did not always speak
| in sweet tones, for when he had occasion he
spake as "with trumpet with q silvery
voice." He prided himself upon his excel
| lent English, tor this he made the object Of
| his study. He had splendid English
| library, and it was his pleasure to study
| words, and phrases, and phraseOlogy. He
| used to say he had studied the Bible more
than any other book-would that he had
studied it to more advantage! He did so
! for its exquisite SaXon-English. a phono-
grapher might have published his words as
they fell from his lips, so tinely-turned were
his periods and well-chosen were his words.
lie had not much imagination, or much
eloquence resting upon Imagination. He
had very great power of reasoning, and
| he had power Of sarcasm which was
blighting. Some one said to Benton, "He
must haye been among you like a comet,
frightening the nations, shaking pestlence
! and war;" "No g." said Benton, she was
a planetary plague, shooting down agony
and fear upon the members"
During the winter when met with him
in Washington an old man and member
of the House of Representatives died. He
young man was chosen in his place. He
came on to Washington determined to win
his spurs. So not long after he had taken
his seat he in his debate made fierce at
tack upon Randolph. Every one was filled
with astonishment. When he got through
Randolph did not get up to reply, but kept
, his seat during the whole of the debate.
Several days passed, and another topic
came up. Randolph made very earnest
effort in behalf of the side he favored. As
he closed his speech he said :~' l would
not, Mr.. Speaker, have returned to press
this matter with so much earnestness had
not my views possessed the sanction and
, concurrence of my late departed friend,
whose seat, lament, is now unhappily va
can't" At these words he pointed his long
arm and the long finger at the young men,
Der who had attacked him several days be-
fore. Tho House roarcd with applause.
! On another occasion. 4 regular Down
Easter had been elected, and came down to
Washington several days before the meet
! ing of Congress, and had gone into the adj
I,o
/ made himself very familiar with his brother
Congressman, and did not hesitate to ap-
proach and speak to any Of them. He came
up to Randolph and said, "rYe just been to
Virginia and passed by your house" " I'd
be glad" said handolph, 'if, when you are
in Virginia, or whereSucyer have house,
that you would always pass by it,"
Some one asked I" Is he IN ariStocrat or Il
Jacobiu!' "No," replied another, "he
is neither he is an IShmaelte." Every
ones hand was against him, or would be if
it were not for fear of him, and his hand
was against every one.
There is no doubt but that he was de-
scended from Pocahontas. He was most
proud of this. No stranger could be in his
company one hour and remain ignorant OF
it. lie was sure to bring it in conversation
some way. Hctclt that old Powhatan was
the lord of ell 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 Il .'screw loose" somewhere in
his mental composition. SO long ago as
when the first steamboat was put upon the
Hudson there was not business enough
to keep it employed every day, so fire.
the river. On one occasion quite L large
party were on board, among them Ran.
dolph and Mr.. Schuyler, who was Il 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. Schuyler
Mr.. Schuyler will you do me the favor tc
come herev' Mr. Schuyler left the party
and approached him. "Mr. Schuyler, look
here"-placing his hand on his ear" what
do you see - "Nothing," replied Schuy.
ler. s'Look at that ear-what do you see5 y
"Simply an ear" "Don't you see Poca'
hontas there!'' In order for Schuyler to
get away he finally said, I" L think do sec
Il little of it," MI. Schuyler related this to
Parsons. 1t is believed that the aboriginal
descendants of the country left peculiar
mark upon the lobe of the ear,
which always marked such persons
He made visit to England and
behaved quite strangely while there
The English were at a loss to account
for his eccentricities. They ascribed them
to three things-tirst, that he drank upon
the sly, or was all the time tlpsy or thai
he was insane thirdly, that it was due tc
American pecllliarties. Our narrator was
told this by an Englishman, when he re-
marked he preferred not to have him think
ried Rolfe, which is the same word as Ran.
dolph. Randolph's grandfather had per
feet right Of Rolfe's if he chose it. While
in London he saw tit to dress in the Ran
dolph clan. He carried sword, pistols, anC
dirk had his leg bare to the knee, just like
an old Scot. Once ut theatre two young
men, from his strange dress and Other
cause, smiled at him. he turned to then
and said, "Let him who smiles at Tartan be-
ware of the dirk" at the same time brand
ishing his dirk.
tired of him. They feared him, and ir
order to get rid of him he was appointed
Minister Plenipotentiary to Russia. He re-
fused to accept unless permission was giyer
him to spend some time in Italy for hi:
health. This was granted, as would any
| thing to have got rid of him. He went tt
Italy, STAYED some time there went tt
Russia, and remaued only one month
then went to England, and made quite :
long stay before returning home.
The reason why he left Russia wa
this While he was there, and before h,
had been presented to the Emperor, some
one undertook TO teach him the presenta
ton etiquette Of that court. 1t wa
very simple. The Minister was to ente
the door and bow, at the middle of th'
room bow again, approach the Empero
and bow, and then the Emperor woult
meet him and enter into conver
sation. He was indignant at the idc;