The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-10
JOHN RANDOLPH'S RIDE.
THE STEEPLE-CHAsE HE LED W. H.
CRAWFORD.
A Reminiscen.e of virginia HOSPITALITY
In 1siO-The Georgia senator's 'h'''-
mas Dinner, "A nd How lie Earned IL

In the first quarter OF the present CEN
tury there lived in Charlotte county. va
John Randolph of Roanoke, the most re-
markable man Of his day and generauoH'
lie was universally and profoundly learn
ed. For eloquence unsurpassed ior wilmer
| ing sarcasm unriyalled, and for ecceh-
trlcity unequalled, he was and VIII ever
| be a study. for he was the peer ol any
| man In all things which men can S''a'
ness. attributable to genius ana intellect
| Mr.. Randolph permitted but lew men "
enjoy his intimate friendship, and OF that
very few We may mention the names Vi
the following gentlemen; pT yonn
| BrockeuDr0lgh, Of ElcNmonI' ~ 49,
! Key, OF Maryland che autnor % go
| Spangled Banuerl: Judge Roane anu ~
| Teton Waller Iazeweh, OF . u INA 80
| thaniel Macon, OF NoItn S.i e,siii ,nau
| William III. Crawford, Of Seotsi d-ali ny"
remarkable Tor learning, genius, ana IN
| tellect 800 .
Mir. Randolph was born June 2. 1913, In
Prince George county, FaLas , , 'fI,Des
! OF the AppOmatt0X river win tne Jaiiles
| at CawsCns. the family seat OF ms I1steI
nal grandfather Colonel IaeQorlcN bi@nul
| Sr Inherl.ug large LANDED eS.ttes anu
| many negroes az Charlotte ana fTihte IL,
| ward counties, ne moved tbe ,Mi .ltcr e, %
| 1894, 10 the Bizarre estate. IN Itlnce ~
| ward county, ana soon Thereafter com
| menced the cultivation OF the ROANOKE
| estate, Ia Charlotte, about thIfy Hiilrs
| distant from the Bizarre estate.
In the spring OF 1856 he visited Charles-
! ton. =. c.. ana Georgia Al thdlic't9h ne
| met his old friend Rutcdge, ana also FORM
| Ell the acquaintance OF SIR. John Nesolt a
| Scotch barOnet The object OF his VISIT
! being The Charleston races ana the scents
| and Incidents connected thereWith belns
over, and in the mean time "A close -hti-
| IT.
! Ncsblt ana The dist!ug ulsned NlIelMah,
| banter was given ana accepted LOT rue
| IN which Cacn was 10 iluc ms oMn iOl %
The race came on. and Dir. Eandolpn Won.
| Ho then continued his visit 10 ms ltlehd
! Bryan, near Savannah, and spent the WIN
! ter returning TO Virginia IN the spIlls'
| From that time until the spring OF l'Jy ne
! spent his time Chleiy III ioohlhs a.led
| his large estates. but IN the spring OF ltvJ
| being only twenty-slN years oil aseIhe
| was elected 20 represent me enaTIotte us
| trict In the Congress OF the United states.
! lie remained in Congress until 1913, when
| he was defeated by John ". Epps, bis
! competitor. IN the spring OF 1919 ar.
| Epps was a candidate Tor reelection Dat
| he was defeated By Mr. Randolph by
| handsome majority. IN the spring oil 1910
| Mr.. Randolph moved 10 the ROANOKE
| estate.
| elevation covered with dense Forest OF
! native oaks, untrimmed, uncared Tor; IN
| fact. just as nature made them In the
| midst Of this Wild forest or MS own native
| oaks, surrounded alone by an ordinary rail-
| fence was the unyreten1lng home OF the
| great NirsiEian-simplc double .lO. cabins,
| with stick-auddirt chimneys. The cabins
| were chinked from the outside ana dauDed
| on the outside with common clay mud;
| a cellar well stored with the most choice
| wines and braudies ran the fun length OF
| the cabin. Juba ana Johnny, his rusty
| servants, were alone permitted 10 enter
| that cellar.
Immediately opposite the first stood a
| second cabin, distant about nifty yards,
| built Of The same material as the nrst, the
| same In size, but unch!nked. In this I'M
| chinked cabin M Randolph spent the
| summer. and IN the chinked cabin the
colder months About half way between
| the cabins. and on tho highest elevation
within this rail Enclosure or yard. stood
an oak Of great size; facing the east, aud
| twelve feet toward the west was an
| enormous pine OF immense he.Sht ana
| majestic mlsu. In this space, between the
| stalwaTt oak on the east and LOFTY pine
! on the west Mr.. Randolph at an carly
| day selected his final resting place.
| In close proximity 10 the residence was
| an immense park filed with deer, and
hard by was his kennel ana stud. He
| owned many hounds, biack-tans, and
! beagles, as well as pointers; all OF the
most choice breeds. the pedigree OF each
/ being as familiar 10 Nr. Randolph as trat
J OF ms thOrOu4hDrel horses.
While Mr.. Randolph rarely. If ever. bet
| on racing, yet he was "A great ndmirer of
/
custom 10 attend all races between horses
| of established or supposed celebrity AS
! a plstol-shot, or Oh the wing with dOu-
| ble-barrelled gun, hc was uneQualled. As
| "a horseman and fOX-hunter, he was 40 less
| celebrated. lie always. rode with very
| short stirrups, az a rapid trOt or sweep
| ing gallOp. IN person Air khnd9lDh was
| feminine and diminutiye i'm stature. He
| was five feet eight inches high, perfectly
| formed, ana very erect; his step quick
| and elastic; weight never exceeded ninety
| pounds; complexion dark, with very large
| black eyes-aud such eyes mortal man
| never had before nor since. His hair was
| q lustrOus black. and parted In the mid
| die over q low forehead which rcsembled
u white band around a black hat. The rest
| Of the features We're Ia perfect accord
| with the whole face, and while young
| he was regarded not only as handsome,
| but almost beautiful
| He had not a sprig Of beard. and as age
| and disease wore on his fragile frame his
| whole appearance was much changed. lie
| suffered from manhood 10 his death with
] govt In Its most eXcrucating form. In
| fact his physical .nhrmties. the constant
| gnaWlng of disease. MADE MN confirm
| cd misantnrOpe, and doubtless had much
| TO do with that eccentrclty which was so
| notable feature OF his character. When
| d candidate for the Virginia State Con-
| Vention of 1S2y-'3U he never went among
| the crowd shaking hands, as is the usual
| custom or electionccring. but II was his
| habit 10 take a stand and only converse
1 Win those VINO Hllipdcitt A.il. W itu
| such he was very cordial and commune
| cative. never looking TO the right or left
| during the conversation, but steadily at
! the man he was addressing. His first
| speech was against Patrick Henry; his
/ last In the United States Senate. n we
| mistake not against Henry Clay, In which
| he charged that the election OF John
! Quincy Adams TO the presidency through
| the treachery OF Mr.. Clay was com
bination between the Puritan and the
! blacklcg." This. OF course, led TO the celc-
| brated duel between Mr.. Randolph and
! Mr.. Clay-the former refusing 10 shoot at
the latter They remained friends forever
| alterWard.
Mr. Randolph represented the Charlotte
| district in Congress for many terms, and
| was never defeated but once, and that
| was by John w. Epps "a son-in-law OF Mr.
| Jefferson. Mr. Randolph said aftcrward
| that Mr.. jefferson imported his son-in-
| law 10 the Charlotte district 10 defeat him
| because he RandOlphD had beaten him at
| a game Of chess. John Tyler. afterwards
| President OF the United States. defeated
! Mr. Randolph by one vote only IN a re-
| election TO the United states Senate.
His friend William II. Crawford. OF
| Georgia, was born I'm Amherst county,
! Va. on the oath Of February, 1872, but
| emigratod 10 Georgia at an early day,
| soon became renowned as a lawyer and
| statesman. was elected 10 the United
| States Senate in 1906 and again in ISL.
| While members of Congress the intimacy
/ commenced between these distinguished
| politicians. In the month OF December.
| 1910 Mr.. Randolph had an attack OF
| periodical govt. and went nome 10