Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-10-02
AN OLD VIRGINIA SCANDAL.
Mr.. Gouverneur Morris Throws
Light on the Dark Ways of
Randolph, OfRoanoke.

The chicago Times, having recently
published the full text of a well known
and scurrilous letter addressed wears
ago by John Randolph, of Roanoke, to
his cousin, Anne Randolph, after her
marriage to the Gouverneur Morris. of
that day, Mr.. Morris namesake and
descendant has just sent the following
short and sharp commentary upon Il
to the editor ofthe Times. Students
Of an earlier national history will read
it with interest;
New York, Sept. 18.-In your issue
OF the 18th inst, you print a letter
from John Randolph, of Roanoke. to
Anne Morris, nee Randolph, and her
reoinder to the same. If there is no
especial objection you would confer an
obligation and satisfy a legitimate curl
Osity by informing me how this cores
pondence came into your possession.
The letter from Randolph was DESTROY
cd many years ago at Morisiana, and
we did not know Of the existence of
any other copy. In the heading pub.
llshed In your paper you seem TO as
sumo the fact that Miss Randolph was
tried In Virginia for infanticide. This
Is entirely erroneous. The whole
charge was the merest Pigment of
RandOlph's disordered Imagination.
The facts were these: John Randolph
proposed to his cousin and was refused.
His brother, Theodore, was accepted,
but fell into a decline and died before
m marriage, Enrased by hisrebuf, John
Randolph devoted himself to making
the lives of his brother and cousin as
miserable as possible, and his success
must have been gratifying in the ex-
treme to his vicious nature. As head
of the house he had possession of all
the property and his immediate family
were at his mercy. Finally, having
exhausted all other means Of torture.
he turned his cousin out of the Bizarre
house and left her penniless on the
mercy Of the world. In this strait she
was invited by Thomas Randolph to
live with his family at Monticello, he
also making her an allowance. Thomas
Randolph had a very large family, and
like most of the Virginia gentry at the
time was embarrassed in his affairs.
Anne Randolph, not liking to be a
burden on an impecunious man, came
to the North looking for employment.
While in Newport she met Gouver
neur Morris, who knew her sad history
and, first plying, then loved and mar
ried her. The appreciation of John
Randolph's course toward his cousin
held in his family is shown by a little
incident Of Anne Randolph's visit to
Monticello. John, seeing that his
victim was escaping him, came to
Monticello to make, as he said, an
amend to Anne. Thomas Randolph
ordered him of ofthe place, and being
met by a demur, and being somewhat
"chOleric and hasty,' enforced his
order with a pistol. Tradition says
that the best time on record from
Monticello down Carriers mountain to
Charlottesville was made by John
Randolph on that occasion. The his.
tory Of the correspondence published
by you is briefly as follows: John
Randolph left Morrisiana in apparent
peace and amity with all the inmates
OF that house, and drove towards New
York in Washington Irving's carriage,
which was returning from delivering a
message. What John did during his
drive is not a matter of record, but
judging frcm his usual habit, he stop
ped at all the taverns on Third avenue,
as did probably his driver, for between
them they managed to upset the coach.
and dislocated Johns shoulder.
The ~dislocatiod was reduced by DR..
Post at Mrs. Bradish's boarding
house. The operation caused John
much pain, and he became quite
frantic, Brandishing his dirk in hi:
well hand, he strobe about the house
calling down vengeance on all his enc.
mics and on the public enemy and, Fl
nally driving the weapon into the wall
he wished that he YVES piercing tn,
heart Ofthe English patton. To all O
the above, testify Commodore Decatur
and Mrs. Bradish, who were present
Having called himself by these exer.
cises, he bethought him of cousir
Nancy, and addressed her the epistle
a copy Of which has fallen into your
possession.
The fact is that John Randolph wal
a brilliant lunatic, and much addicted
to liquor. Between lunacy and al
cohol he was often irresponsible. Thii
was well known 10 Virginia, and &C.
counts of John having died in his bee
instead of being killed by some Of The
many people whose characters anC
regulations he attacked with tongue
and pen.
Randolph's charges against Mrs
Morris fell absolutely fiat, and her as
ISOLATION with the distinguished mer
Of her state, headed by Chief Justic,
Marshall, remained intimate until he
death, teste letters in our possession
AS you have given publicity to wha.
is, after all, not a matter of publ,
interest, l would be much Obliged i
you would kindly publish my explana
ton. GoUvERNEUR MORRIS.