University of Virginia Library

SOUTHERN TO THE CORE.

Randolph's southern proclivities were often manifest in so
violent a manner as to be the source of not a little amusement
to his friends. It is well known that he had periods when
his entire being seemed to be in a state of electrical discharge,
and during these periods it required only the slightest excuse
to draw a shock from him.

One of his Richmond friends tells an illustrative story to
the effect that one day he was passing along the street when
Mr. Randolph hailed him in a loud tone of voice and asked if

he (the friend) knew of a good ship in the James River in
which he (Randolph) could get a passage for England. Mr.
Randolph said he had been sick with a fever for forty days
and his physician had ordered him to England.

The friend told the statesman from Roanoke that there
were no ships on the James River fit for his accommodation
and that he had better go to New York and sail from that
port.

"Do you think," shouted Randolph, "that I would give my
money to those who are ready to make my negroes cut my
throat? If I cannot go to England from a Southern port I
will not go at all!"

After thinking the matter over a little, the friend remembered
a boat in the river that might do and told him so. Randolph
asked the name of the boat and was informed it was
the "Henry Clay."

He threw up his arms and exclaimed, "Henry Clay! No,
sir! I will never step on the planks of a ship by that name!"

About two years from that time Mr. Randolph went to
England, not, it is true, on board the "Henry Clay," albeit
he did ship from the port of New York.

A fellow-passenger, noting that he had a great box of
books with him, asked why he had brought so many.

"I want to have them bound in England, sir," he replied,
severely.

"Bound in England!" the other exclaimed, laughing.
"Why did you not send them to New York or Boston, where
you can get them done cheaper?"

"What, sir," replied Randolph, more sharply. "Patronize
some of our Yankee taskmasters; those patriotic gentry, who

have caused such a heavy duty to be imposed on foreign
books. Never, sir, never! I will neither wear what they
make, nor eat what they raise, so long as my tobacco crop
will enable me to get supplies from old England; and I shall
employ John Bull to bind my books until the time arrives
when they can be properly done south of Mason and Dixon's
line."