One of the most eccentric and accomplished politicians in all of
American history, John Randolph (1773--1833) led a life marked by
controversy. The long-serving Virginia congressman and architect of
southern conservatism grabbed headlines with his prescient
comments, public brawls, and clashes with every president from John
Adams to Andrew Jackson. The first biography of Randolph in nearly
a century, John Randolph of Roanoke provides a full account of the
powerful Virginia planter's hard-charging life and his impact on
the formation of conservative politics.
The Randolph lineage loomed large in early America, and Randolph
of Roanoke emerged as one of the most visible -- and certainly the
most bombastic -- among his clan. A colorful orator with
aristocratic manners, he entertained the House of Representatives
(and newspaper readers across the country) with three-hour-long
speeches on subjects of political import, drawing from classical
references for his analogies, and famously pausing to gain
"courage" from a tumbler at his side. Adept at satire and
uncensored in his verbal attacks against colleagues, he invited
challenges to duel from those he offended; in 1826, he and the
then--secretary of state Henry Clay exchanged gunfire on the banks
of the Potomac.
A small-government Jeffersonian in political tastes, Randolph
first entered Congress in 1799. As chairman of the powerful Ways
and Means Committee he memorably turned on President Jefferson,
once and for all, in 1805, believing his fellow Virginian to have
compromised his republican values. As a result, Randolph led the
"Old Republicans," a faction that sought to restrict the role of
the federal government.
In this rich biography, David Johnson draws upon an impressive
array of primary sources -- Randolph's letters, speeches, and
writings -- previously unavailable to scholars. John Randolph of
Roanoke tells the story of a young nation and the unique philosophy
of a southern lawmaker who defended America's agrarian tradition
and reveled in his own controversy.
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