The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-03-31
JONI RANDOLPH In CONGRESS.

Ben: Perley PORES Recollections of the
Statesman from Roanoke.
Ben Perley Poore contributes to the April
Century an anecdotal, richly illustrated, paper
on "The Capitol at Washington" in which
he says: The despot Of the debates for many
years was the eccentric John Randolph, who
would ride on horseback from his lodgings in
Georgetown to the Capitol and enter the
House, wearing a fur cap with large visor, a
heavy greatcoat over a suit OF Virginia
homespun, and white-topped boots with jng-
ling silver spurs. Striding down the main
isle, followed by his brace of pointer dogs, he
would stop before his desk, upon which he
would deliberately place his cap, his gloves,
and his riding whip, listening meanwhile to
the debate. II he took any interest in it, he
would begin to speak at the first opportunity
without any regard to what had previously
been said. After he had uttered few SEN
fences land had drunk glass of porter,
which an assistant doorkeeper had orders to
bring whenever he rose to speak,, his tall,
meagre form would writhe with pas
sion; his long, bony index finger
would be pointed at those on
whom he poured his wrath; and the express
sion of his beardless, highcheeked and sallow
countenance would give additional force to the
brilliant and beautiful sentences which he
would rapidly utter, full of singing witticisms
and angry sarcasm. So distinct was his
enunciation that his shrill voice could be heard
in every part of the hall; his words were select
and strictly grammatical, and the arrangement
of his remarks was always harmonious and
effective.
Randolph, having had dinner table diff
Guilty with Willis Aston, of North Carolina,
never let pass an opportunity for abiding to
him in the most bitter and contemptuous
manner. Aston, enraged one day by some
language used by Randolph in deb te, said,
as the Representatives were leaving the hall,
and Randolph was passing him, "The puppy
has still some respect shown him." Whether
the allusion referred to Randolph or to one Of
his pointer dogs, which was following him,
was afterward a question, but Randolph i'm
mediately began beating Aston over the head
with the handle..of his heavy ridingwhip, inflct-
ing several wounds. The next day the grand
Jury, which was is session, indicted Ran.
dolph for a breach of the peace, but the court
allowed him to offer the remark about the
puppy as evidence in extenuation, and in
flicted a fine of $40.
During the debate on the Missouri question
Mr.. Philemon Beecher, a native of Connecti-
cut, who had emigrated to Ohio, and had
there been elected Representative, became
somewhat impatient as his dinner hour APP
preached, and at last, when Randolp phi made
a somewhat lengthy pause, moved ''the pre-
vious question:" The Speaker said: "The
gentleman from Virginia has the floor" and
Randolph proceeded, to be again interrupted,
when he paused again to collect his thoughts.
by a demand for 1.-The previous question"
nor was it long before the demand was made
for the third time. Randolph could stand ii
no longer, but said, in voice as shrill as the
cry of a peacock: "Mr. Speaker, in the
Netherlands, man of small capacity, with
bits of wood and leather, will, in few mo-
ments, construct that which, with the pres
sure of the fuger and thumb, will cry
Cuckoo! cuckoo!' With less ingenuity and
with inferior materials, the people of Ohio
have made a toy that will, without much pres
sure, cry, Previous question previous ques,,
ton ," and, as he spoke, Randolph pointed
with his attenuated index finger at Beecher
who did not attempt reply.