Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-05-08
John Randolph In Congress.


Ben, Perley Poore contributes to the
April Century an aDecdotal, richly il
lustrsted paper On 1.-THE Capitol al
Washington from which we quote
the following:
The despot of the debates for many
years was the eccentric JohpERandolph,
who would ride on horseback from his
lodgings in Georgetown to the Capitol
aud enter the House, wearing a fur can
with large visor, heavy great coat,
over euit of Virginia homespun, and
white topped boots with jingling silver
spurs StridIng down the maine aisle,
followed by his brace of pointer dogs, he
would stop before his desk, upon which
he would deliberately place his cap,
his glovea and his riding whip, listen
ing mean while to the debate. If he
took any interest in it, he would begin
to speak at the FIRST opportunity, with
out any regard to what had previously
been said. After he had uttered a few
sentences land had drunk glass of por-
ter, which au assistant door-keeper had
orders to bring whenever he rose to
speak, bis tell, meager form would
writhe with passion; his long, bouV
index fiager would be pointed at those
on whom he poured his wrath; and the
ex preston of his beardless, high
checked and sallow cOuntenance would
give additional force to the brilliant
and beautiful sentences which he would
rapidly utter, full of stinging 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 gram
matical, and the arrangement OF his
remarks was always harmonious and
effective.
Randolph, having had O dinner-table
difficulty with Willis Alston, of North
Carolina, never let pass an opportunity
for alluding to him in the most bitter
and contemptuous manner. Aston,
enraged one day by some language used
by Randolph in debate said, az the
representatives were leaving the hall,
and Randolph was passing him :
,hown him.n Whether the allusion
referred to Randolph or to one of his
pointer dogs. which was following him
was afterward a question, but Randolph
Immediately began heating Alston over
the head with the handle of his heavy
riding whip, infiicting several wounds
The next day the grand jury, which
was in session, indicted Randolph for q
breach of the peace, but the Court al
lowed him to offer the remark about the
puppy as evidence in eXtenuation, and
inflicted fine of twenty dollars.
X 4 Il
During the debate on the Missouri
question, Mr. Philemon Beecher, ma
| tive of Connecticut who had emigrated
to Ohio, and had there been elected s
representative, became somewhat i'm
patient as his dinner hour approached
and at last when Randolph made 8
somewhat lengthy pause, moved 1.-THE
previous question:" The speaker said
1.-THE gentleman from Virginia has the
| floor" and Randolph proceeded, to bt
again interrupted when he paused agaiL
to collect his thoughts, by demand fol
1.-The previous question )" nor was il
long before the demand was made fol
the third time. Randolph could stanC
it no longer, but said in voice as shrii
as the cry of peacock: "Mr Speaker
In the Netherlands, q. man of small CO
pacity, with bits of wood and leather
| will iu few moments construct tina
which, with the pressure of the inge
and thumb, will cry Cuckoo! cuckoo =
With less ingenuity and with inferio
materials, the people of Ohio hav'
made toy that will, without mucf
pressure, cry, "Previous question pre-
vious question y" and, as he spoke
Randolph pointed with his attenuate'
index finger at Beecher, who did no
attempt reply.