The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-01-24
John Randolph.
Special Correspondence Of the Gold Leaf

Special Correspondence Of the Gold Leaf.
John Randolph, of Roanoke as he was
called, was man of brilliant attachments
occupying four long terms of years high po-
stions of trust and honor in the govern
ment. He was a very remarkable man,
and few public men OF his day gave evil
dence of greater talents or legislative bill
ity. But gifted as he was he did not at all
times direct his talents in proper and
legitimate way in arguments against an
opponent. he was powerful DICTATOR
with a briiliancy of intellect that always
attracted the attention of listeners. Sar-
castle in his temperament he sometimes
tried to accomplish by sarcasm what lie
found himself unable to do in sound log
zeal argument with an opponent a little
too much for him. On one occasion he was
confronted by Robert Morris of PennSyI-
vania in an argument. Morris had risen
from the honorable occupation of IL shoe
maker in his youth to high distinction in
our struggle for freedom and i'll the coun-
seis of the naton~-Enabie to down him in
the arguments, and chatting under defeat,
he indecor0usly alluded to the youthful oc-
cupation of his opponent. What has the
gentleman done with his button apron?,"
said he sarcasticallv. Morris not in the
least disconnected, Said, Il used it up years
ago in making mcccasins for the descend
ants of P0caliOntaS.' Randolph claimed
to be descendant Of PociihUntaS the ueliy-
erer Of Capt. Smith at Jamestown. His
most intimate friends attributed some of
his ungUarded expressions and flights of
oratcry, tingeh with sarcasm, to slight
mental alteration of mind. He had the
| HnhouHded confidence Of his constituents
| who took pleasure in returning him to Con-
! greSs whenever & choice was to be made
and thought no one could more ably rep
resent them. He was in heart opposed tC
! slavery, though owning hundreds of slave:
/ 1,o, ind 70 nj l,,t,,, III cd q
willed that they be emancipated at his
death, and that lands lie purchased for then
! to live on in the State of Ohio where they
would enjoy religious freedom. This viii
was carried out and his slaves were carried
to Ohio and settled OH land provided to
them. They are knOwn in their Western
home as the ''Raniolph negroes" Ihear,
a very intelligent Ohio gentleman say 10
! many Years ago they were troublesome
neighbors to the more thrifty and intelli
gent white race around them. They wer
INDECENT in their habits, wanting in the rs
| sentials of good citizenship. If the cman
! cipated slaves of the South were more equal
ly divided among the States of this Union
| am inclined to think Northern fanatic
would not so freely shed their crOckadil
tears over them, and have more sympath,
for those who find it SO difficult to teac
them their duty to their race and the cOun
try. Randolph died in 1888 in Philadelphia
the city where his brilliant career in Cor
gress commenced. The historian says, ''h
was the Murat of his party, brilliant i'll TIL
charge" and always ready for the conflict
TO form correct idea OF the character o
such a man the whole history Of his lif
should be spread out upon the panoram
before us. TO Judge a great man by a fey
! imperfectOnS in his life would be unjus
to him. What would we think of David
the writer of the Psalms, judged by tina
rule? K. w. II.
Henderson, n. G.