John Randolph's

HISTORYHISTORY — PAST AND PERSPECTIVE gina, rheumatism, and severe bouts with melancholy. He treated himself with lau- danum, mercury, morphine, and what he called the little blue pill (opium). He would often respond to queries as to how he was doing with, Dying sir, dying. Randolph never married, probably due to a genetic disorder known as Klinefelter Syndrome, in which a male has an extra X chromosome, which leads to infertility, impotency, and beardlessness. Some con- tend his long affliction with tuberculosis was the cause. His disorder also left the successful political orator with a well- known high-pitched voice. Despite his feminine-sounding voice, his speeches in Congress were known for their power, which struck fear in the hearts of political opponents. When Randolph entered the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, with spurs jingling and his favorite hounds around him, his hat pulled down to his eyes, and a whip in his hand, the speaker of the House did not dare challenge him. At least not until Randolphs nemesis, Henry Clay, became speaker in 1811, and ordered the dogs out. Randolph opposed Clay over Clays John Randolph’s support of the Bank of the United States, Journey on Slavery high protective tariffs, and the Kentuck- ians advocacy of war with the British. Clay, for his part, led a group of new congressmen in 1811, elected by a wave In a day and a state where slavery was legal and popular, of anger in the Western states at Britains John Randolph, a Virginia congressman and plantation selling of guns to the Indians on the fron- tier. It was Randolph who dubbed Clay owner, spoke against it and acted against it. and his fellows the War Hawks. He feared that war would lead to a contraction by Steve Byas ten mackerel shining in the moonlight, of domestic liberty. He explained his op- and referred to him as a blackleg a position to what became the War of 1812: ohn Randolph of Roanoke was a fiery popular expression of the day for a cor- I fear if you go into a foreign war you congressman from Virginia a slave rupt politician Clay had had enough, will come out without your Constitution. J state who served in both the House challenging Randolph to a duel. Though Why? We shall be told that our govern- of Representatives and the Senate for more the two men shot at each other from a ment is too free to fight a successful war. than three decades during the early 1800s. distance of 10 paces, they emerged un- But though he was a staunch defender A skilled orator, his temper was most often scathed, except for Randolphs new coat, of liberty, limited government, and con- evident on the floor of Congress, but it was which took a bullet hole. Randolph sug- stitutional principles, he is perhaps most not always confined to there. gested that Clay owed him a new coat, remarkable for the fact that as a member of After Randolph publicly declared that and Clay responded that he was glad that one of Virginias most illustrious families his nemesis Henry Clay stunk like rot- that was all he owed Randolph. (in a state that contains a wealth of many Significant to understanding Ran- such famous families), he was a planta- Steve Byas is a professor of history at Hillsdale dolphs sometimes eccentric behavior was tion owner, with hundreds of slaves, who Free Will Baptist College in Moore, Oklahoma. He his chronically poor health, which caused despised slavery. has a new book, Historys Greatest Libels , in which many to express amazement that he lived Co nservative philosopher Russell Kirk, he defends certain personalities from what he con- to age 60. During his lifetime, Randolph author of The Conservative Mind and his siders their unfair historical assessment. suffered scarlet fever, yellow fever, an- own book on Randolph, John Randolph of 34 THE NEW AMERICAN • AugusT 3, 2015 Roanoke , called the prosperous plantation Still, Randolph was a persistent oppo- considered the morality of holding slaves owner and statesman The most interest- nent of the slave trade, and never bought to be in conflict with his evangelical ing and unusual man ever to be a power in or sold slaves, repeatedly condemning the Christianity. Randolph went through a the Congress. evil institution. In his youth, Randolph, a period in his life of religious skepticism, Randolph not only expressed regret that prolific reader, was greatly influenced by even perhaps atheism, before experienc- he had ever owned a slave, he freed his the anti-slavery essay of British abolition- ing a powerful religious conversion expe- slaves and provided for their resettlement ist Thomas Clarkson. All my feelings and rience. He said about slavery, I tremble on land in the free state of Ohio. His life instincts were in opposition to slavery in for the dreadful retribution which this story deserves more coverage in our na- every shape, he said. horrid thirst for African blood may tions history, including the strange tale of As the years passed, the frugal Ran- bring upon us. how his attempt to provide a better life for dolph attacked the plantations heavy debt, With no wife and children, Randolph his former slaves was opposed by power- eventually not only paying off the loans, looked upon the slaves on his plantation ful forces in both the slave state of Virginia but turning his farm into a highly profit- as, My best friends, sometimes even re- and the free state of Ohio. able enterprise. By the time of his death ferring to them as his family. in 1833, the estate of John Randolph was It is apparent that Randolph struggled Badgering Himself quite significant. While the prosperity of with the issue for many years. He wrote About Beliefs the plantation was built with slave labor, his brother, But one subject presses hard John Randolph had an impressive pedi- there is no indication that Randolph was upon me, among my worldly concerns. It gree. One of his ancestors was among the ever physically abusive of his slaves. is the making of suitable provision for my barons who forced King John of England When his 383 slaves were manumitted, slaves at my death. He worried about to sign the Great Charter of English lib- none bore any marks of physical abuse. the cruel fate to which our laws would erties the Magna Carta. The famous He was also known to dismiss overseers consign them. Indian princess, Pocahontas, and her hus- whom he considered to be abusive. He publicly condemned the Virginia band, John Rolfe (the man who pioneered It is not certain when Randolph con- Legislature for its failure to improve slave tobacco farming in Virginia), were also ceived of his eventual plan to not only conditions or take any action for gradual among his famous ancestors, and he was free his slaves but financially provide for eman cipation, as had happened in the a cousin to President Thomas Jefferson. their future, but it is known that Randolph North. His own stepfather, St. George Yet another relative of Randolph, Peyton Randolph, a giant at the First Continental Congress, was his great-uncle. But Randolphs own youth was marked by the loss of his father and his mothers re- marriage to St. George Tucker. Tucker was a powerful figure in American history in his own right, who published the five-vol- ume study of William Blackstones com- mentaries and its relationship to American law. The early relationship between Tucker and young Randolph seemed cordial, even affectionate, but the relationship eventually turned sour, with most historians noting as the cause differences over the management of the estate (which Randolph considered mismanagement). Randolph inherited the plantation, which he called, appropriately enough, bizarre. He also inherited the slaves who lived and worked on the plantation, along with huge debts, which he largely blamed on his stepfathers al- leged mismanagement. Had Randolph been inclined to free his slaves then, it would have been impossible. Slaves were considered part of the collateral for the Henry Clay disagreed with John Randolph on a host of political issues, including the creation of loans of the plantation. Randolph could the Second Bank of the United States. The two even fought an inconclusive duel in 1826. When not free the slaves without liquidation of Randolph died in 1833, one of his last instructions, which was carried out, was for his face to be the debt. turned to the West. He wished to “keep his eye” on Henry Clay. www.TheNewAmerican.com 35 HISTORYHISTORY — PAST AND PERSPECTIVE His plan would only leave $2 million to Randolph not only expressed regret that he had ever owned a slave, fund the operations of government, while $7.3 million a year would be expended in he freed his slaves and provided for their resettlement on land in the paying down the debt. “free state” of Ohio. The results of the 1824 presidential election led to a deterioration of the already poor relations with Clay. When neither Tucker, had proposed a plan for emanci- ery were a complex mixture of realism, Andrew Jackson (Randolphs choice) nor pation as early as 1797. If there was no religion, culture, and custom. John Quincy Adams garnered a majority emancipation, Randolph feared an even- While Randolph supported manumission of the electoral college vote, the election tual slave rebellion, which could be a (voluntary emancipation), he stopped short was thrown into the House of Repre- bloodbath. of abolition (emancipation by government sentatives. Clays considerable clout was While Randolph did not support the decree, especially by federal action), op- given to Adams, leading to Adams elec- immediate emancipation of slaves in posing federal efforts to limit or diminish tion by the House.

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