The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-02-15
THE LArE RANDOLPH TUCKER.
Sketch of the Career of tho Distinguished
Virginia Statesman-His Visit to New
Haven a Few Years Ago-Notable Reoep-
lions in His Honor.

Sketch of the Career of tho Distinguished
Virginia Statesman-His Visit to New
Haven "a Few Years AgO-Notable Reoep-
lions in His Honor.
Hon. John Randolph Tucker, who
died at his home in Lexington, Va,
February IS, was visitor to New Ha-
ven in 1887, and one of the famous
guests at Yale's commencement Of that
year. He delivered the annual grafton
at Yale law school commencement on
that occasion. 1t was an eloquent eff
fort and enjoyed by very large au-
dience, in which were many men of note
in the state and nation. During his
visit he was given brilliant receptions,
one of which was given by his old
friend, Hon. Colin NJ. Ingersoll, anoth-
er by Hon. James NJ. Townsend, at the
Townsend residence at Raynham, in the
annex AT both affairs many distin-
guished guests were present to greet
the distinguished Virginian. Hon.
Colin M. Ingersoll and the late Mr.
Tucker We're members of congress to-
gether, and had many pleasant remi-
niscences to recall of their days at
Washington. Mr. Tucker greatly en-
joyed his stay in the Elm City, and fire.
quently referred to it in the after years.
A sketch of the deceased is as follows:
John Randolph Tucker was a de-
scendant CT an old English family that
had settled in Bermuda, His GRANDPA
Their, St. George Tucker, was born on
f1NA ISL nf nd
ucated in Virginia at William and
Mary college, the oldest college in the
United States. He came to the colony
Of Virginia in III and settled there
finally in 1777. In the Revolutionary
war be rendered distinguished services,
and fought as lieutenant colonel at the
siege of Yorktown. He married Frances
Bland, the mother of the famous John
Randolph. After the revolution he be-
came judge of the general court OF
Virginia, and a professor in his old
college of William and Mary. He was
also distinguished as a poet and pub
licist
The father of John Randolph Tucker
was Henry st. George Tucker, who was
a member of the house of representa-
tives from 1916 to 1919, chancellor of
Virginia from 1924 to 1881, president Of
the state court of appeals, and a pro-
fessor of law in the University of Vir-
ginia. President Andrew Jackson Of
fered him the post of attorney general
of the United States but he declined it..
John Randolph Tucker was born In
Winchester, Va, where his father had
established law school, December "a,
1923. His early education was received
In private school in Winchester He
afterward studied at Richmond acad-
envy, and finished his education at the
University of Virginia. where he was
graduated in law in 1874, The follow
ing year he was admitted to the bar,
and Immediately began the practice of
law in Winchester.
The taste and aptitude for public life
that he inherited from father and
grandfather soon led him into politics,
which then, as now, in the south, Of
fered the only opportunity of a car
eer." He was presidential elector on
the democratic ticket in 1852, and again
in 1856 In 1857 he was elected attor-
ney general of Virginia to fill an I'M
expired term; was reelected In 1859,
and again in 1868, serving until 1866.
He was chosen professor of equity and
public law at Washington and Lee uni
versity at Lexington in 1870. and con-
tinued his association with that insti-
tuition until 1874. In the latter year he
was elected as a representative to con-
gress.
Mr. fuckers congressional life ex-
tended from 1874 to 1887, embracing the
Forty-fourth, Forty-tifth, Forty six tn,
Fortyseventh, Forty-eighth and For
ty-ninth congresses. He was a prom
inent member of the ways and means
committee for eight years, and was at
one time it's chairman. He was also a
member of the select committee on
| civil service reform, and was chairman
of the judiciary committee in the For
ty-eighth and Forty-ninth congresses
He won enduring reputation in the
house as debater and orator. Among
his finest speeches in congress We're his
debates on the tariff in opporition to
protective duties on the electoral COM
mission bill, on the constitutionality of
the presidential count in the election of
1878; on the Hawaiian treaty of the
same year, on the employment of the
army at the polls in 1879, and on Chi
| nese immigration in 1883.
His greatest oratorical triumphs were,
however, achieved outside the walls of
congress. Some of his more famous ad-
dresses were those delivered before the
Social Science association in 1877, be-
fore the law school at Yale in 1887, and
on the occasion of the unwilling of the
statue of General "Stonewall' Jackson
in Richmond, Va. His oratory was of
the highly wrought style, that has char
acterized southern speakers ever since
the days of Patrick Henry and William
Writ. 1t was clear in it's statement, of
polished and scholarly diction, so rich
with classical allusion as to seem at
times overburdened with it's flow
ers and treasure, and lofty dignity of
passion greatly intensified its effect.
In private life Mr. Tucker was very
popular, and was greatly beloved by all
who knew him intimately. Yale col
legea conferred upon him the degree of
TT, in 1897