The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-03-18
JOHN RANDOLPH.
Josiah agIney Describes "a visit "a Him In
his Last DAYS.

ted TO his bed chamber. lie was
sitting in flannel dressing gown and
slippers looking very thin, but with
strange fire in his swarthy face.
lie seemed more like u spiritual
presence than 4 man adequately
clothed i'm flesh and blood. His voice
was high but very agreeable, having
nothing OF the shrillness l afterwards
ht ard in debate. lie received me
with great cordiality and began TO
talk of his friendship for my father,
and of the kindness he had done him
in acting as guardian for his ne hew,
Tudor Randolph, when the young
man was an undergraduate ut Cam
bridge. lie alluded to the dea.h of
his son (for so he was accustomed 10
speak of him) with deep emotion.
He had died more than ten years
before at Chcl;enham, in England,
having been compelled 10 leave col
lege through failing health. Il loved
him. lie was my heir, sir; he was
the last of the Randolphs."
BY Introducing the subject Of Eu-
gland, l set Mr.. Randolph off upon a
now line of enthusiasm. lie never
felt So much ut home rs when there.
He belonged to the Church of En-
gland, not to the Protestant Epis-
copal Church of America. Is for
London, he fouud he knew IL bet .er
for study of the map than many per
sons who were its citizens. lie spoke
of Shakespeare with great admiration,
saying that he had visited many
places only because this poet had
chosen to immortalize them. Among
them was Shrewsbury, of which ne
gave a graphic description, quoting
largely from the play OF Henry ",
and in conclusion resiting with great
animation the fine description OF the
arrival OF the news 'phat sHaIry Re
cy'e' spur was cold" lie spoke of
nr"al, rn pocfs ari the genius of ~
ron, waosc character he dcl",.ed.
'I"t .ne tell you, sir, Ia. D5u Jug"
Is 4 attire ru ;ic wetknr-s. folly aul
wickc.ine~S 81 u,tn. wnrEas r. tu-
prime Of dtrSu,->. Su"4 III ? tlfi-
climax Al stout Eeu;ieuaa, about 80
ycaIS cl age, came iu tu accompany
him 10 tie Capitol, aud Randolph in-
troduced me in these words 81. have.
the pleasure 10 make YEN acquainted
with tie ahiost mau In Washington.
Mr. Macon, of North Carolina" " THE.
man was much admired by Randolph.
who, il his viii paid him ,Ic sill
higher compliment of being the '5,--.
and pure-t aud ~i7c>i man that ie.er
kEc -" Tie "a. that Macon haG
opposed the adoption al the Cou,tiu-
tion on the ground that it gave too
much power 20 the general goycra-
II ent was sufficient to endcar him to
this ardent Virginian, who was always
protesting against it aggressions.
Before ! visited Mr.. Randolph
again | had listened with admiration
to his wonderful improvisations ia
the Senate, and had determined to
get at his views about the Oratory Of
Patrick Henry, of which | had heard
john Adams speak in terms Of dis
paragement. / accordingly put Il
question which supposed would call
out pauegyric upon the orator Of
Virginia. asked who was the
greatest orator nc had ever heard.
The reply was startling from its un-
expectedness. "The greatest orator
| ever heard" said Randolph, was a
woman. She was a slave. She was
a mother and her rostrum was the
auction block" lie then arose and
initiated with thrilling pathos the
tones with which this woman had
appealed to the sympathy and justice
IF the by-standers, and finally the in
dlgnati0n with which he denounced
them. "There was eloquence ~ he
said. ~ have heard 10 man speak
like that. 1t was overpoWering J"
He sat down and paused for some
moments; then evidently feeling that
he had been innprudent in expressing
himself so warmly before n visitor
from the North, he entered upon a
defense of the policy of the Southern
statesmen in regard to slavery. "Ye
must tconcernourselves with what is.
he said, e'and slavery exists. We
must preserve the rights of the states,
as guaranteed by the Constitution, or
the negroes are at our throats. The
question of -lavery, as it is called, is
to US a question of life and death.
Remember it is necessity imposed
on the South not Utopia of our
own seeking. You will find NJ in
stance in history wheie two distinct
races have occupied the soil except in
the relation % master and slave"
brought away only these few frag-