, 1885-01-06
JOHN RANDOLPH.
A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE NOTED
AMERICAN STATESMAN.
uis Personal Appearpnee-Habits Of Study
and Recrestion-His Horses. Dogs
and Guns-rhe Kmanoips-
asa ef ms slaves I'm

F. 'tuH RHnAVAINs OF hutuohrI al tHa
STATE srnan. was born in Virginia In 177S and
died In Philadelphia in 1888. His parents
were OF ancient and wealthy families, and on
his fathers side he was descended from Poca-
hontas, the Indian princess. who saved the
LIE. Of Capt John Smith. that yalorons aud
fiveuturous English explorer Randolph
served for many terms as a representative
and sanator in congress. and was also minis
ter TO Russia His fiuency of speech. skin at
retort and acrimonious wit a him tho
leader Of his party in congress-
He was tail and very slender aud cadaver-
Gus, with long. skinny fingers, which he was
In the habit OF pointing and shaking ex-
pressivelY at those against whom he spoke.
His voice was shrill and piping. but under
perfect command, and musical in It's lower
tones His favorite weapons In debate were
inyective and sarcasm, and for many years
his sharp and reckless wit mad him a terror
to his opponents In the house.
A few miles from Charlotte c.. II. is the
old residences Of John Randolph, OF Roanoke.
II was here he spent most Of his time in soli-
tafy study. after congress had adjourned. He
had no wife to cheer his declining years, nor
children to engage his thoughts No man
called him his intimate friend, and he had
TOW visitors For days and sometimes weeks
no one saw him but his negro servants. He
went to his books for solace and burned the
midnight oil when other men were busy with
their dreams.
Sometimes be hardly slept at all, and one
who knew him relates than when a boy he
Vi itod Mr.. Randolph. He slept ON a pallet,
spread on the floor, and Randolph on the bed
He nwoke one morning about 3 O'Clock and
saw that his bed had not been disturbed. The
door leading to the library was open, and he
glanced in and saw his host arranging his
books and singing very softly, In a sweet
voice, @Rock Of Ages, cleft for me: let me
hide myself in thee"
He naturally had a sharp. shriil voice, but
the youth said he was never more impressed
in his lifo than he was in the gray Of the
morning, listening TO the sweet old hymn,
from the lips OF the mau whose sarcasm was
50 much feared in political debate.
Sometimes Randolph would become lonely
and get some Of the boys from tho school to
come and stay with him for perhaps a week,
Their parents wore always ready to accom-
modate him, for they knew they could not
be otherwise than benefited.
Mr.. Randolph was p~assionately fond OF
horses, dogs and guns. He had one of the
finest stables in Virginia; indeed it seemed
10 be more comfortable than his residence.
He spared no expense in getting the best
horses and repeatedly imported fine blooded
stations from abroad. He sold many horses
OF his own raising, and much of the money
made in this way went 10 pay off the enor-
nous deb which hung over his estates. He
was a splendid rider, and people often
marveled that so slight a man as he chose
such fiery horses for his own use.
He was probably the last man in Virginia
in political life to use a coach and -four. It
was employed as an argument against him
by the politicians, who called him an
IN rfafarruf - Rsrf ho Harf HE noo~H ..,ftI II.
death When no went to Philadelphia to
embark for England he went In his coach,
with its liveried coachman and footman, its
two out-riders and hs body servant John
He had many dogs, all Of them blooded,
and was al enthusiastic fox hunter. His
dogs went with him everywhere. When he
left for congress three or four followed at his
heels, and no one must modest them. He
seldom visited, but when he did he brought
his pack with him, and they must be allowed
TO come into the parlor, the dining-room,
everywhere that be went He imported the
finest guns from England, though he did not
use them half a dozen time a year. Among
his fire arms be had the finest pair Of dueling
pistols In the state. He firmly believed in
the duello, and used them three times him
self.
Randolph owned hundreds of slaves, but
they were all, with a single exception, left
him by his father. This one he bought Of a
slave dealer out Of pity for his condition.
TIL houses that the slave lived in we're as
good as his own, and they were treated bet
ter than any Slaves in The county. You
could always recognize them by their polite
ness; the men would always raise their hats
and the women stop and make a courtesy
when they met a white person on the road
He knew each one by name, and a memo
randa is now extant, In his own handwriting,
showing the number of yards Of sheeting and
the number Of pairs Of stockings each one
was to have. Each slave Is mentioned by
name in the list. i give an extract from the
book; stockings to DO given, two pairs
apiece, to each of the men above named, and
also to the following (see other page) except
Little Quashee and Old Quashea, who have
had theirs, Also Wagner Johnny has had
his.n
His slaves feared him, but he was gener-
ally very kind to them. They loved and al
most worshiped him, for, to their humble
minds, his lofty bearing and brilliant mind
made him appear as a being of a different
mold from those who were around him.
Their spiritual wants were also attended to.
Frequently ministers were invited and paid
to preach TO them in a way fitted to their
comprehension, and nfter the services were
over be would address them himself. He had
confidence in the oldest Of them, and they
loved and respected him.
At his death all OF them were set free and
money put into the hands of his executors to
transport them from the state OF Virginia.
This was by his will Of 1921. which was the
one admitted to probate. In the wills of
iS28-3l-32, he did not give them their free
dom, though on his death bed he made the
will Of 1921 good. His words in the will
were: a give and bequeath all my slaves
their freedom. heartily regretting that !
nave ever been the owner Of one"