Changes

==Career==

==Career==

Born into the Randolph family--the most powerful family in Virginia--Randolph was always in poor health; he studied at Princeton and William and Mary.  he was first elected to Congress in 1799. In 1801, at age 28,  he became chairman of the powerful House committee on ways and means and was in effect the administration leader and spokesman.  

Born into the Randolph family—the most powerful family in Virginia—Randolph was always in poor health; he studied at Princeton and William and Mary.  he was first elected to Congress in 1799. In 1801, at age 28,  he became chairman of the powerful House committee on ways and means and was in effect the administration leader and spokesman.  

A master of parliamentary rules, he used his brilliant but nasty wit to browbeat opponents. For hours on end his shrill but flute-like voice irritated and fascinated, pouring out shafts of biting wit, literary allusions, epigrams, parables, and figures of speech, all to the point of defeating his opposition.  

A master of parliamentary rules, he used his brilliant but nasty wit to browbeat opponents. For hours on end his shrill but flute-like voice irritated and fascinated, pouring out shafts of biting wit, literary allusions, epigrams, parables, and figures of speech, all to the point of defeating his opposition.  

Convinced there was profound corruption in a complicated land deal known as the "Yazoo claims," he decided Jefferson, Madison and other top administation leaders were corrupt, and he broke with them and lost his leadership role. He kept his chairmanship for a while, and thus his power.  But as new Congressmen arrived with equal legislative and oratorical skills, and stronger political bases, such as [[Henry Clay]] and [[John C. Calhoun]], he became more and more irrelevant. In 1825 in the Senate, his mind was disordered and his speeches, while still brilliant, were more than ever extravagant, irrelevant, and eccentric. He never lost his mordant wit; suspicious of Clay and bitterly hostile to President [[John Quincy Adams]], in 1826 he described the alliance of these two leaders as "the coalition of Blifil and Black George," the combination "of the Puritan with the blackleg."  

Convinced there was profound corruption in a complicated land deal known as the "Yazoo claims," he decided Jefferson, Madison and other top administation leaders were corrupt, and he broke with them and lost his leadership role. He kept his chairmanship for a while, and thus his power.  But as new Congressmen arrived with equal legislative and oratorical skills, and stronger political bases, such as [[Henry Clay]] and [[John C. Calhoun]], he became more and more irrelevant. In 1825 in the Senate, his mind was disordered and his speeches, while still brilliant, were more than ever extravagant, irrelevant, and eccentric. He never lost his mordant wit; suspicious of Clay and bitterly hostile to President [[John Quincy Adams]], in 1826 he described the alliance of these two leaders as "the coalition of Blifil and Black George," the combination "of the Puritan with the blackleg."  

He was the most prominent delegate to the Virginia constitutional convention of 1829-30, where he defensed eastern tobacco interests against the westerners. Opposing any significant change in the constitution of the state he was responsible for the victory of the conservatives--and the ultimate secession of West Virginia.  The new president Andrew Jackson appointed Randolph as minister to Russia--a disastrous mistake. His health broke down in Russia and he returned in less than a month. By 1831 he was demented; he drank excessively, used opium, and though previously a kind master was harsh and abusive to his hapless slaves, who, he was convinced, had been faithless in his absence. Starting with a rich inheritance he finally owned more than 8,000 acres of land, nearly 400 slaves, and a valuable stud of blooded horses.  

He was the most prominent delegate to the Virginia constitutional convention of 1829-30, where he defensed eastern tobacco interests against the westerners. Opposing any significant change in the constitution of the state he was responsible for the victory of the conservatives—and the ultimate secession of West Virginia.  The new president Andrew Jackson appointed Randolph as minister to Russia—a disastrous mistake. His health broke down in Russia and he returned in less than a month. By 1831 he was demented; he drank excessively, used opium, and though previously a kind master was harsh and abusive to his hapless slaves, who, he was convinced, had been faithless in his absence. Starting with a rich inheritance he finally owned more than 8,000 acres of land, nearly 400 slaves, and a valuable stud of blooded horses.  

Suffering from various hormonal deficiencies (he never had to shave, and was impotent), Randolph aged rapidly --even at age thirty he looked like an old man. He suffered insomnia, chronic diarrhea, and rheumatism; he died of tuberculosis.  

Suffering from various hormonal deficiencies (he never had to shave, and was impotent), Randolph aged rapidly—even at age thirty he looked like an old man. He suffered insomnia, chronic diarrhea, and rheumatism; he died of tuberculosis.  

==Quids==

==Quids==

* Risjord, Norman K.  ''The Old Republicans: Southern Conservatism in the Age of Jefferson'' (1965) the standard history of the Randolph faction. [http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-old-republicans-southern-conservatism-in-the-age-of-jefferson-by-norman-k-risjord.jsp online edition]

* Risjord, Norman K.  ''The Old Republicans: Southern Conservatism in the Age of Jefferson'' (1965) the standard history of the Randolph faction. [http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-old-republicans-southern-conservatism-in-the-age-of-jefferson-by-norman-k-risjord.jsp online edition]

* Weaver, Richard M. "Two Types Of American Individualism." ''Modern Age'' 1963 7(2): 119-134. [http://www.mmisi.org/ma/07_02/weaver.pdf online edition]

* Weaver, Richard M. "Two Types Of American Individualism." ''Modern Age'' 1963 7(2): 119-134. [http://www.mmisi.org/ma/07_02/weaver.pdf online edition]

====references====

====References====

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Randolph, John}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Randolph, John}}

[[category:Virginia]]

[[Category:Virginia]]

[[category:Republicanism]]

[[Category:Republicanism]]

[[category:Early National U.S.]]

[[Category:Early National U.S.]]

[[category:War of 1812]]

[[Category:War of 1812]]

[[category:Conservatives]]

[[Category:Conservatives]]