The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-10-17

HAD the carriage been that of the
Governor of Virginia or a Lord Cham
ceilor Of England or lac the ~coachman
or MS own old-fashioned four-horse
niIsln!an chariot been to blame John
randolph would never have given the
matter another thought. but that his
orother. a Nirginian gentleman of an
Client family and large estates. should
be struck by the servant of a Yankee
schooImaster, who had neither fam
liS, wealth, nor land, but was a mere
shoot or a psalm singing democracy
ana tnat this man should lord il over
Virginia and Virginians was madden
ing
Even while a student at Columbia
Coiiege he took an active interest in
poiitlcs. With Mason and Henry. he
was opposed to the adoption of the
federal Constitution by Virginia.
Henry, like Randolph, saw the secret
sting which lurked beneath the gaudy
wing of d butterfly" and ne said lit
squlnted towards monarchy" On the
18th Of April, 1894, Washington ap-
pointed John Jay as envoy e~xtraordi-
nary to England. He was at the time
chief Justice Of h United States Su-
preme Court. He negotiated a treaty
with England which was very unpopu-
lar IN his SO indignant were
the people at its stipulations they
burnt Jay in etfigy. It was more than
a year after its negotiations before il
was ratified by the Senate after a very
bitter discussion. Randolph, although
just twenty-one years old. opposed the
treaty as disgraceful. At a dinner
party pending the ratification he gave
as a toast, George Washington, may
he be DAMNED and when the com
pany refused to drink it, he added, "if
he signs Jays treaty" This was a
bold and impudent movement oil the
art of a mere youth to propose such a
toast to the Father of His Country.
But then Randolph was a strange
combination. He had all the preju-
dIces of an aristOcrat with his demo-
cratic theories. He had the interest
of a Shareholder and yet such an ami
des noirs-a friend of the blacks
that ne emancipated his three hun
dred negroes. At the age Of 20 with
his characteristic audacity he an
nOunced himself for ~ngre he
highest office within his reach. and
took his seat December, 1893. The
Kentucky resolutions, whose author
was Jefferson and the Virginian reso-
lutions, whose author was Madison,
had passed the legislatures OF those
States the Year before. During the
administrations Of Washington and
Adams the Government received an
impetus in the direction of a strong
national, centralized government, and
CcIIc SON DeCdfHo dIdTIl0U, SO ne or
gained a party to resist this tendency
to the Capitalization Of power in the
general Government. Randolph en-
tered into h contest in favor Of
States Rights as his political creed,
with all the imprisoned ardor of a
knight Of Medieval chivalry and with
the reckless impetuosity Of Don Qui-
xote in charging a windmill. Wash
ington was living when these resoIu-
lions Of the States Rights school were
passed and the Federalists were great
ly distressed at the secession and null
LITIGATION doctrines embodied therein,
so under the lead of Washington they
implored their old opponent, Patrick
Henry, to come to their rescue. This
old Revolutionary patriot and orator
made a speech from the old tavern
porch at Charlotte County Court
House at the March court in 1899. He
had opposed the adoption Of the Con
%stitution and had denounced it as
awful squint towards monarchy
was a States Rights man Of the strict
est school; and while the constitution
was not what he desired, vet he con-
sidered that the new Government was
in its chrySaliS state and he was will
ing to give it a fair trial. There is a
pathetic grandeur in the dying appeal
Of the old Revolutionary orator, who
did not qualify or withdraw anything
hat he had ever said, but with the
solemn awe of an expiring prophet,
he warns the people of Virginia not to
raise their hand against the National
Government. Washington himself. he
said, woul lead ar army to put them
down. Where he exclaimed with
dramatic effect, lis the citizen OF
America who will dare lift his hand
against the Father Of His Country?
No; you dare not do it. In such a
parricidaI attempt. the steel would
drop from your nerveless arm The
veteran statesman did not make this
spec for Office, for lie was then in
the sunset of life which gives us mys-
teal lore and when the old man
fell back exhausted the great audi
ence stood silent with the conviction
tina they woul never again hear the
immortal orator.
Randolph climbed upon the plat
form and made a reply, but what he
| aaiA IS MT Eocoxdod A thiS nariQd OF