Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History

Book

Open Original Text

ble than that of _beef_; it was the cry of _tar and
feathers_: from the application of which, it is said, that nothing
saved him but a precipitate flight and the speed of his horse.

FOOTNOTE:

[6] James Waddell, it is said, was a relative of the celebrated
teacher, Dr. Moses Waddell, of Georgia, president of the State
University, 1819-29.

JOHN RANDOLPH.

~1773=1833.~

JOHN RANDOLPH of Roanoke, was born at Cawson's, Virginia, being a
descendant of Pocahontas in the seventh generation. He lost his
father early in life. His beautiful mother, to whom he was devotedly
attached, afterwards married St. George Tucker, who happily was a true
father to her children and educated John himself. Her death in 1788
was a life-long distress to her gifted son.

He was a prominent actor in all the stirring political life of the
times, being in Congress from 1800 until his death, except from 1812
to 1814, and again in 1830 when he was minister to Russia, a position
which he resigned, however, in order to return to the excitement of
politics at home. He freed his slaves by will on his death, which
occurred in Philadelphia as he was preparing to go abroad for his
health. Many anecdotes are told of him, and he is one of the most
interesting and striking figures in our history. See Benton's account
of his duel with Clay; also Life, by Garland, and by Adams.

WORKS.

 Letters to a Young Relative.
 Addresses.

John Randolph is noted for his wit, eloquence, and a power of sarcasm
scathing in its intensity which he often employed, thereby making many
enemies. "He is indeed original and unique in everything. His language
is simple, though polished, brief, though rich, and as direct as the
arrow from the Indian bow."--Paulding.

THE REVISION OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

(_From a Speech in the Legislature, 1829._)

Doctor Franklin who in shrewdness, especially in all that related to
domestic life, was never excelled, used to say that two movings were
equal to one fire. And gentlemen, as if they were afraid that this
besetting sin of republican governments, this _rerum novarum lubido_
(to use a very homely phrase, but that comes pat to the purpose), this
maggot of innovation, would cease to bite, are here gravely making
provision that this Constitution, which we should consider as a remedy
for all the ills of the body politic, may itself be amended or
modified at any future time. Sir, I am against any such provision. I
should as soon think of introducing into a marriage contract a
provision for divorce, and thus poisoning the greatest blessing of
mankind at its very source,--at its fountain-head. He has seen little,
and has reflected less, who does not know that "necessity" is the
great, powerful, governing principle of affairs here. Sir, I am not
going into that question which puzzled Pandemonium,--the question of
liberty and necessity,--

 "Free will, fixed fate, foreknowledge absolute;"

but I do contend that necessity is one principal instrument of all the
good that man enjoys. The happiness of the connubial union itself
depends greatly on necessity, and when you touch this you touch the
arch, the keystone of the arch, on which the happiness and well-being
of society is founded. Look at the relation of master and slave (that
opprobrium, in the opinion of some gentlemen, to all civilized society
and all free government). Sir, there are few situations in life where
friendships so strong and so lasting are formed as in that very
relation. The slave knows that he is bound indissolubly to his master,
and must, from necessity, remain always under his control. The master
knows he is bound to maintain and provide always for his slave so long
as he retains him in his possession. And each party accommodates
himself to the situation. I have seen the dissolution of many
friendships,--such, at least, as they were called; but I have seen
that of master and slave endure so long as there remained a drop of
blood of the master to which the slave could cleave.

Where is the necessity of this provision in the Constitution? Where
is the use of it? Sir, what are we about? Have we not been undoing
what the wiser heads--I must be permitted to say so--yes, Sir, what
the wiser heads of our ancestors did more than half a century ago?
Can any one believe that we, by any amendment of ours, by any of
our scribbling on that parchment, by any amulet, by any
legerdemain--charm--Abracadabra--of ours can prevent our sons from
doing the same thing,--that is, from doing what they please, just
as we are doing as we please? It is impossible. Who can bind
posterity? When I hear gentlemen talk of making a Constitution for
"all time," and introducing provisions into it for "all time," and
yet see men here who are older than the Constitution we are about
to destroy (I am older myself than the present Constitution: it was
established when I was a boy), it reminds me of the truces and the
peaces of Europe. They always begin, "In the name of the most holy
and undivided Trinity," and go on to declare "there shall be
perfect and perpetual peace and unity between the subjects of such
and such potentates for all time to come;" and in less than seven
years they are at war again.

GEORGE TUCKER.

~1775=1861.~

GEORGE TUCKER, a relative of St. George Tucker, was, like him, born in
the Bermudas, and came to Virginia in 1787. He was reared and educated
by St. George Tucker, and practiced law in Lynchburg. He served in the
State Legislature and in Congress, and in 1825 he was elected
professor of Moral Philosophy and Political Economy in the University
of Virginia, a position which he filled for twenty years. His novel,
"Valley of the Shenandoah," was reprinted in England and translated
into German.

[Illustration: ~University of Virginia.~]

WORKS.

 Essays in "Old Bachelor" Series.
 Letters on the Conspiracy of Slaves.
 Letters on the Roanoke Navigation.
 Recollections of Eleanor Rosalie Tucker.
 Essays on Taste, Morals, and Policy.
 Valley of the Shenandoah.
 A Voyage to the Moon.
 Principles of Rent, Wages, &c.
 Literature of the United States.
 Life of Thomas Jefferson.
 Theory of Money and Banks.
 Essay on Cause and Effect.
 Association of Ideas.
 Dangers Threatening the United States.
 Progress of the United States.
 Life of Dr. John P. Emmet.
 History of the United States.
 Banks or No Banks.
 Essays Moral and Philosophical.
 Political Economy.

Prof. Tucker was a voluminous writer and treated many subjects. One or
two early works of imagination and fancy gave place later to
philosophy and political economy, and his style is eminently that of a
thinker.

JEFFERSON'S PREFERENCE FOR COUNTRY LIFE.

(_From Life of Jefferson._)

He tells the Baron that he is savage enough to prefer the woods, the
wilds, and the independence of Monticello, to all the brilliant
pleasures of the gay metropolis of France. "I shall therefore," he
says, "rejoin myself to my native country, with new attachments, and
with exaggerated esteem for its advantages; for thoug

Previous Next