The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-09-24
WHOLE NO. 2O44.

had long been an admirer OF BUCHANAN, I
presiding, as has been said, at banquet |
in his honor IN 1850. and in 1856, be and
his sons, Samuel and Robert, went to the /
Cincinnati convention to aid IN securing |
Buchanan's nomination.
In 1883 Mr.. Randall was elected to the I
Pennsylvania Senate. In 1850 both Ran !
dali brothers were presented for the Leg /
stature Samuel for the Senate and /
Robert for the House. Their father adj 1
Yised against their candidacy There is
too much Randall on this ticket he is
reported to have said, and bis prediction
was correct, for both was defeated
For time he was diverted from poll
ties. At the outbreak Of the war the
First Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry,
an organization dating from the Revolu-
ton, offered It's services TO the govern
ment. Mr. Randall wss sergeant of the
troop, which was mustered into service
May Is, 1861, for three months by special
order of the War Department. They were
FIRST sent to Carlisle, where they We're
attached to the command of Colonel
George II. Thomas. The troop aided in
the repulse Of the enemy At Falling
Waters, and on Jnly 3 entered Martins
burg and afterwards advanced to Hn-
per's Ferry. Thence they we're ordered
back to Philadelphia and mustered out
of service.
Dir. Randall took no further part in
the war until Lees invasion Of Pennsyl-
yania- There was now little left Of the
original City Troop. but the ranks were
filed by recruits and placed under the
command of Captain Randall. The troop
was ordered to Gettysburg on skirnish
duty and was driven back across the
Susquehanna to Columbia, bringing the
first accurate news Of the force and aims
of the invasion. At this time Captain
Randall was appointed provost marshal
Of Columbia, and in the confusion reign
ing there in anticipation Of the arrival Of
the enemy his strict military rule was
effective in the preservation Of order.
While in the military service Of the
government, Mr.. Randall wrote to the
| War Department suggesting the promo
ton Of Colonel Thomas, aud his advice
I had much 10 DO with the advancement
Of that great soldier. Long afierwart his
influence in this promotion came to light
and when the monument TO General
Thomas was unveiled in Washington, in
1879, Mr.. Randall took conspicuous
part in the ceremonies.
While Captain Randall was serving his
country ia the field he was called 10
serve it in the forum After the retreat
Of Lee across the Potomac. Randall re-
turned 10 Philadelphia TO accept his trst
election to Congress from the First dis
trict of Pennsylvania. 1t has been gen
erally forgotten that he won the nomina-
ton in the district against Hon. Richard
Vaux, who IS now bis successor. The
boundaries of the old First district and
of the present Third we're nearly the
same, and the wards composing it have
always been strongly Democratic From
the time of mis- first election, in 1852,
until his last election, in 1888, Mr.. Ran
dali had little difficulty in being return
ed continuously to Congress.
He early became known as hard
working and conscientious member. In
the Thirty-eighth Congress he was upon
the Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds ; in the Thirty-ninth upon the
Committee on Blnking and Currency,
and Retrenchment, and Expenditures in
the State Department; in the Fortieth,
upon the Committees on Banking and
1 Currency, Re -renchment and the Assas-
sination of President Lincoln; in the
Forty-first, upon the Committee on Priv
iieges and Elections, and Expenditures
in the Treasury Department, and upon
the Joint Committee on Expenditures.
This record indicates that during the
early years of his service in Congress his
advancement was not rapid, but constant
and based upon his devotion to business
rather thad debate. bis speeches were
brief and pointed, and he made no long
: Arguments upon minor questions. With
him. when he first came to Washington
were a number of others just entering
upon the stage Of national Affairs and
destined to become prominent in public
life. Among these were James G. Blaine,
the late President Garfield, John A. kas-
son, John A. J. Cresxell, William K
Morrison and William B. Allison.
In the book, Twenty Years of Con
gress,r NJ. Blaine gives the following
estimate Of Mr.. Randall
lie is strong partisan, with many
elements of leadership. He is fair-mind
4 ed toward his political opponents. gener
: ous to his friends, makes no com npromisS
!. with his enemies. never f0rgets his pub
liz. duties and never fOrgets the lnteres
: OF the Democratic party.
Although Mr. Randall was strOnl
partisan, ne was broad-minded enough
to depart sometimes from strict partl
lines, IS drawn in the House. For ex
ample, in 1885 bill was pending an
thorizing the President TO appoint lieu
: tenant general forali the United State
military force. The bin obviously point
: ed to General Grant It was opposed b,
nearly all the Democrats, but Mr. Ran
{ dali gave it hearty and succ essful sup
port.
It was at the same sessions that tn
z resolution Of Mr. Henderson amendin
: the Constitution by abolishing slavery
2 which had passed the Senate, reaches
the House. Mr.. Randall opposed tn
n resolution saying;
: do not object TO il from partisan SCI
e tional grounds, but because regard II q
: beginning Of chenges in the Const;tu
to1 and the fOrerunner Of usurpatiOr
y Such policy IS uniting the South and ii
d yiGing the North
y In the Forty first Congress Mr.. Randa
z expressed himself upon the subject {
l. the reputation Of the national debts.
r In the time allowed ne, it IS hardl
IS possible that 1 should follow the gentle
man from Ohio in all bis sayings or wbs
might mildly term his political he
u estes; but for myself-and / think / spes
a for my eonstituents-I am utterly OpPo'
v ed to regulation. But the moment al
n lOWed ne gives me the opportunity
refuensfrafe aysinst the enunciatiOn