Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-01-12
John Randolph.

mother. They were relatives, and his
brother Richard married my grandfather's
sister Judith, daughter of Thomas Mann
Randolph, ST., of Tuckahoe Our planta,
ton, Green creek, was only few miles
| from Bazarre, their homestead, and John,
who lived with them, came in and out OF
our house almost as one Of the family. My
| grandmother, in speaking to me of him,
said Jack had remarkable quality. IT.
| ritable and sensitive as he was, phen alone
be would bear with patience, and also in
yite full expression of friends opinion
on his conduct, either private or public.
He once handed her valuable diamond
ring, with coied serpent on it. An initial
was caught glimpse of, cut in the ring un-
der the coil, which lifted up with spring.
It was too quickly withdrawn for her to
scrutinize it more closely, and his emotion
too great to elicit confidence in regard to it,
which no doubt he intended to give. He
greaned out One loved better than my
| own soul, or Him that created it. She told
me who it was. He had known and loved
her from childhood. A short time before
| their marriage was to have been he was
walking with his betrothed, and she propos-
ed stopping into store to look at some fine
| laces which had been just imported. valu-
able piece was afterwards missed, nd John
must have noticed her take it. This occurred
in Richmond, and he was seen going TO his
hotel ia q very e1citable manner. Some
hours after his servant found him in his
room in a state of insensibility. Physicians
were called in, and it was long before he
was restored, and only at the prayers and
entreaties of his faithful and devoted SER
want, 'Juba,' could he bo induced to taste
of the food placed before him. He never
communicated to any one the cause OF his
strange conduct. and the surmise was that
the lady had Tilted him. One year after
she united her fortunes with one in whose
society she might hope to live more happy
life than in that of her other most devoted
but unfortunate lover. A few months after
her marriage, whilst Sully, the artist, was
completing portrait Of her, she took blue
mass in green plum, TO increase her bril-
liancy, fell into spasms, and died. The key
to the mystery was found and the secret
disclosed; she was kleptomsnlac. This
took place in the midst of the exciting ce-
bates of Congress. He writes toe friend,
without stating the cause: I would like to
bid adeu to my native shores fora few years
at least. Nothing but high sense OF
obligations of public duty has prevented
nv resignation And some time after,
when feeling depressed he said: My
apathy is not natural but superindnced.
| There was volcano under my ice, but it Is
| burut out, and y face Of desolalion has come
on not to be rectiGed in ages, could my life
be prolonged TO Il patriarchal longevity.
| The necessity of loving and being loved
was never felt by the imaginary beings OF
Rousscau's and Byron's creation more i'm
perious than myself. My heart was offered
up with devotion that knew no reserve.
'"He was true to his friends At The time
that Robert Randolph pulled President
Andrew Jacksons nose for unjust treat
| ment of him whilst an officer in the navy
there were rumors of his probable arrest.
| Robert came at once from the steamboat
where it was'd done to the Powhatan House.
He was speedily followed by John Ran
dolph, Of Roanoke, in his English coach,
attended BY his colored servant 'Juba,' and
the appearance of his equipage each day
before the door excited much interest and
comment, as it was known that John Ran
dolph had been heard to say that with bis
life would he protect his kinsman, should
| General Jackson attempt arrest
Lieutenant Randolph was kinsman
also Of my father, and visited US at Green
creek after the matter was quleted down:
Our dining room servant said: IL mao
such a big red nose as Mars Robert Ia q
been mighty glad if Mars President Jackson
had pulled it clean off," Edmund evi
DENLY had not heard on which face was the
pulled nose.
Commodore Decatur and John Randolph
were devoted friends The Commodore
uutimely end proved too much for John's
nervous system, and his conduct on the oc'
casion of the funeral is said to have been
very extravaganza, and the ignorant multi
tude that followed the funeral pageant pro-
claimed: The man is mad Hoping te
draw him away from this highly exciting
state of mind, his friends prevailed on him
to visit England. 'One day was passing
along the street. said Mr.. Anderson, the
cashier of the United States Branch Bank
in Richmond, about April 20, 1920, when
Mr.. Randolph hailed me in q louder voice
than usual. The first question he asked
me was whether l knew of good shlI
in the James river in which he coulc
get q passage to England. He saio
Re had been sick of remittent and
intermittent fever for forty days, ant
his physician said he must go to England
I told him there were no ships mere nj 10
his accommodation, and that he had better go u
New 1ork ana sall lIoin Sna' Poi"
think said he. 4 would give my money to thos'
who are ready to make my negroes cut my throat
If cannot 20 to England from Southern port
will not 20 at all then endeavored to think of tn
best course for him to take, and told him there
: was q ship in the river. he asked the name Q
, the ship told him it was the Henry Clay. Z
threw up-his hands and exclaimed, Henry Clay
No sir! l will never step on the planks OF shI
of that name. saw him in the autumn oil th'
same year. He was then as perfectly in posses
sion Of his understanding as ever saw him or an.
other man
"At this time he made no secret of his use Q
opium. live by it, not upon opium, said he t
! fr;an6 He had been driven to it rs an allevia
tion of a pain to which few mortals are doomed
and to which mag ba traced many of the abera
tions of mind and of conduct so much resrette
r. L;a fr;anda and which some unkindlY and un