New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-06-13
JOHN RANDOLPH.
Gossip About circumstances of Ills Arr
rogarce and Insutts-Re minisce1ces of

Gossip About Hinn-Instances of Ills Arr
rogarce and InsuIts-Remi ceaces Of
His Due!s.
Washington Letter to Cleveland Leader.
/ have been much interested lately
IA the study OF John Randolph Of
Roanoke.and nowhere do I find a bet
ter description than in the private
memoirs of Ogle Tayloe, one Of the
rich old citizens of Washington, who.
published his reco1lections some time
ago, exclusively for the use Of his
These stores OF Tayloe have
never gotten into general circulation.
He published only q very few of his.
books, and they never get into the
stores. Reading them is like looking
over. some old manuscript diary Of
the past, and from their pages you
can get more real truth as to the pri-
vate Life Of our great statesman than
from history. The following letter
quote freely from Tayloe's book about.
Randolph, and in many instances YER
batim:
"John Randolph. says Mr.. Tayloe,
"was Gnquestionably anlan OF genius,
OF rare eloquence, and high literary at
tainments. His penetrating and mel
lihuous voice was, wonderful Though
not equal to Clay's) its low notes
reaching every part ofthe largest hall.
He and Clay were rivals in eloquence
and debate. They represented OPP
posing political parties and principles.
The one % patrician by -birth, the 9th
er sprung from thepeople. Both were
born in Virginia. There were giants
in those days. Randolph started iii
life as the tribune OF the people, a fol-
lower of Jefferson; but, when a leader
himself, he changed some ofhis opin-
ions, and became aristocratic, proud,
and overbearing. He prided himself
on the forte and style Of an English
gentleman. He dressed well and APP
propria tely, importing his clothes from
England. When he rode his blood
horse the way he usually movable
w
He drove his phaeton, his servant fol.
lowing on horseback, or was driven in
his chariot and four, the carriage and
harness fromLongacre. London. But,
in some respects, Mr.. Randolph was q
lusus nature. The Hon. Richard
Rush, in a controversy, described him,
not inaptly:-
A fiend lean and lank,
That moved upon o spindle shank.
Mr.. Randolph was tall and thin,
as straight as an Indian. He walked
like one, and prided himself on his
descent from Pocahontas. He was
quick at repartee, and unsparing in
SATIRE.
TOR meanness and pretension be
expressed the greatest scorn. A few
examples will suffice. In one of his
walks along Pennsylvania avenue, in
Washington, he was oyertaken by an
obese gentleman, putting from his exer-
ton, with the remark: You walk
very fast, Mr.. Randolph lean walk
little faster, was the reply, striding
away from him. A sycophant follow
ed him to a coachmaker's repository
and volunteered his opinion on a
close carriage. Please examine the
interior, said Mr.. Randolph, and then
fastened him in and walked off. A
person meaning to be very civil to Mr..
Randolph, on meeting him at Rich.
mond, said to him, I lately passed by
your house, i hope, sir, you'll al
ways pass it by, was Mr.. RANDOLPH
reply. On his being a prosecutor
in the celebrated trial of Judge
Chase, twas. remarked to him, by a
supple M. c., Of his kinsman, the ac-
complished gentleman, David Meade
Randolph, whose testimony favored
Judge Chase, that it was not to be
relied upon I would sooner believe
Mr.. Randolph's word, was the reply
than yours, sir, upon your OATH In
reply to q sophomorical sort OF mem
Der OF Congress, who had eulogized Mr..
Randolph's great TALENT. concluding
with the remark, but were he Obliged
to take his heart with his head, he
would prefer to remain as he is, Mr..
Randolph, with mock humility, depre-
Gated the praise, although coming
from one of high moral qualities of the
honorable gentleman; but if / were
obliged to have his head, even with
his noble heart, too should prefer to
remain as am In the war of1812,
q pretentious politician, a militia
general, at a dinner party, Boosting
of our American prowess, used the
word we. He was silenced by
Mr.. .Randolph's reply: Did you say
we, GeneraR' TO another general,
in debate on the floor OF Congress, he
having been unfortunate in an attempt
to invade Canada, and then making
an onslaught on the Secretary of w ar,
Mr.. Calhoun, Mr.. Randolph replied by
quoting from his proclamation, with
significant emphasis: THE gentle
man is at last carrying the war into
the enemy's country One of the
earliest speeches Mr. Calhoun made in
Congress, was to assail Mr.. Randolph
for his 'audacity in comparing himself
to the great Lord Chatham Mr.. Ran
dolph modestly disclaimed the preten-
sion, but added: In one thing we are
alike, pointing his finger to Mr. Cal
houn, every scoundrel assails me-
An able, buta vain member Of Con
gress, attacked Mr. Randolph, in de-