The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-04-17
DEATH OF MIR. RANDALL.

The death of Mr.. Randall, Sunday
morning, removes prominent figure in
American politics. From among the
many estimates of the deceased, we give
that of the New York Press as follows:
"In the death of Samuel Jackson Ran
dali the Democratic party loses its wisest
and most patriotic statesman, and the
Nation an upright, honest and fearless
public servant For many years Mr.
Randall, through his attitude on the
tariff question, has occupied a more
prominent position before the country
than any other member of his party. His
death removes the last hope of the con-
stantly diminishing band of Democratic
proteCtionists and lands the party over
completely to the free traders.
"NIr. Randall's prominence in Ameri-
can history for twenty-five years has been
due to qualities that make leader of
men, rather than to those that make a
leader of thought and yet he has been
the leader of one school of thought in his
party. In the light of that modern
method of analysis of character which
ranks the perception of moral aspects
highest among the intellectual faculties,
his intellect was of high order; intui-
tive in its nature, though restricted in
the scope of its powers by deficiencies of
training, but linked with tremendous
personal force, and thus forming COM
bination which gave its possessor an ex-
traordinary power of welding men.
Randall was not specially gifted with
what is known as magnetism; but he
was clear headed, he was strong, he was
honest, and thus every one came to know
that he could be depended on.
"The one characteristic trait of Ran
dall's public life was honesty. Wrong
he may have been, obstinate he was, and
often imperious and dOgmatic, but he
was always honest and always watchful
so far as the interests of the Government
were concerned. A signal proof of this
is that Mr.. Randall dies as he lived, a
poor man. Though he occupied posi-
ton of tremendous trust at the head of
the Appropriations Committee, we do
not think Mr.. Randall's bitterest foe ever
accused him of an act that savored in the
least of using his influence for personal
advantage. There is no faint of iobbery
on his record.
Next to his integrity of purpose Mr..
Randall was most remarkable for the in
variable impression of reserve power
which he made upon those who came in
contact with him. Reserve power is al
ways impressive, and often fascinating
when there is nothing to detract from its
influence. 1t was impressed upon every
line of Mr.. Randall's countenance, and
completed the combination of NapOleOniC
force with an honesty and purity to
which the Emperor whom he was often
said to resemble in feature was stran-
ger.
mr. Randall was among the most
earnest of partisans, and was one of the
few modern Democrats who remained
true to the party's ancient principles.
He led the opposition to the Force bill in
the House of Representatives, and in the
trying duties of the Speakership during
the Hayes-Tilden contest his stern integ-
rity and fidelity to States rights made
him firmly override all attempts to fill
buster against the decision of the Elec-
toral Commission, based as it was on the
reports of State returning boards When
his party abandoned what he believed to
be the right way he himself abandoned
neither the right way nor the party, but
retained his fellowship with it and tried
to bring it back to the most direct meth
DDS of revenue reductiOn-the simple
abolition of internal taxes.
"The Democratic party under its pres,
ent Leadership will not realize the great
loss it has sustained in the death of its
Pennsylvania leader, but the country at
large will. Every patriotic citizen who
sympathizes with American labor will
mourn the loss of Samuel j. Randall"