Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-07-08

manner the audience would have fol-
| lowed suit.
Mr. Randolph was exceedingly fond of
ladies, and whenever there were any
present he zeaiously eschcwed the sub
jcct Of politics, presuming that such
topics would fail to interest them.
He had voice that could be disfin-
guished among thousands Of people,
voice 10 be remembered when stirred to
excitement and heat in the charges and
counter-charges % political strife. Woe
be TO the unfortunate who awakened its
tones TO anger and yet compensation
was probably in store for him, for in
more tIieu one instance Randolph by at
lacking imm0rtafized mediocrity.
His singing was said 10 have been ex-
quisite. fact not generally known
about this man Of vinegar aspect He
looked for all the world like man who
had no music in his soul, but his was
spirit tuned to the highest harmony.
Randolph was a man who never, IL oc-
casion demanded il, and even sometimes
when there was no good provocation,
failed 20 tell you what he thought Of you
or the cause you might be advocating.
Like all strong and decided personali-
ties he had staunch friends and bitter
foes; but, unfortunately, more of the lat
ter. The darkies stood in holy terror of
him; word or look from him was usu-
ally sufficient to awe the most rebelIious
Of them in submission and If that failed,
then he considered sound logging in
order and gave il. His humane treat
iment of dumb animals was proverbial
and sufficiently attests his tenderness, so
much so that the tyrant who wantonly
mistreated dumb brutes in his presence
received the full force of the storm of
his righteous wrath.
Mr.. Randolph had few, if any, equals
in the arena of political debate As
Mr.. Bryan is the great political orator
of our day, so was Mr.. Randolph of his
His austerity of manner could not de-
stroy the power of his hrainy eloquence,
! and large, eager, attentive audiences al
ways greeted his appearance in public
as speaker. Above all he was true
patriot, much viruleEt criticism to the
contrary Notwithstanding.
He had his faults and they were many
but a lack of love for his country was
not one of them. He likewise loved his
native State, every rock, and hill and
stream of Virginia, and he would have
laid down his life IL necessary in her de-
fence. He was always at the front
when measures were afloat that concern
ed the welfare of Virginia, and he gave
them his best thought. His advocacy of
policy was n tower of strength to its
friends, while his opposition was sure to
make itself felt.
His antagonism to a revision of the
Constitution of Virginia is well known,
and was sufficient TO defeat the attempt.
Nor did his conservatism consist in hold
ing on to thing, because it was old,
but because he either saw il i'm some
thing good that was worthy of preserva-
ton or because the substitute was in
ferior to the measure it was designed to
displace. With all his faults John RAN
dolph's rough hewn and sturdy patriot
ism left its mark-upon his day aud gen.
Grafton. He understood the conditions
and needs of his time better than most
of the public men of his day His ser
vices to his country cannot be ignored
by the impartial historian when recount
ing the influences that have shaped the
destiny of our glorious Republic.