John Randolph of Roanoke

11. An Irreclaimable Heretic

11 An Irreclaimable Heretic his harshest words of proud rebuke, his bitterest taunt and scorning, Fell fire-like on the northern brow That bent to him in fawning. “i have discharged my duty towards you,” Randolph wrote to his constituents , “lamely and inadequately, i know, but to the best of my poor ability.”1 Though Randolph believed four out of five of the citizens in his district opposed the war, patriotic fervor was edging into southside virginia, bringing on its wings condemnation of his anti-war stance.2 Locals in a tavern offered toasts calling for Randolph to receive “a suit of Tory uniform, tar and feathers.”3 The Richmond Enquirer censured him as “a nuisance and a curse.”4 The political consequence of such discontent was that John Eppes announced he would again challenge Randolph for Congress. Latching onto the patriotism of the moment, Eppes declared his candidacy on July 4, 1812. Randolph scoffed dismissively. Eppes, he said, had entered the race while “under the influence of our American Bacchus, to whom the vine has not yet been dedicated.”5 Randolph crisscrossed his district for two months. he rode thirty-four miles in a heavy rain to campaign in Prince Edward County. he debated Eppes on at least four occasions.6 one rapt viewer recalled how Randolph’s presence on the stump emptied “the courthouse, every store, and tavern, and peddler’s stall, and auctioneer’s stand, private residence.”7 one audience stood in the sun for five hours listening to him.8 he was only thirty-nine years old, but he was a legend to the freeholders from whose ranks he came and to the younger men who all their lives had known but one representative . After his years of service, he said at Charlotte, he would have preferred to ask his constituents for an honorable discharge. But in “the hour of trial and in the day of danger,” his sense of duty would not allow it.9 he 150 an iRReClaiMable heRetiC 151 then launched into a defense of his position on the war. “These are no ordinary times,” he said to the assembled throng. “The state of the world is unexampled ; the war of the present day is not like that of our revolution, or any which preceded it, at least in modern times. it is a war against the liberties and the happiness of mankind; it is a war in which the whole human race are the victims, to gratify the pride and lust of power of a single individual. i beseech you, put it to your own bosoms, how far it becomes you as freemen , as Christians, to give your aid and sanction to this impious and bloody war.”10 Eppes cast himself as an unabashed supporter of the administration. his supporters accused Randolph of being a foreign pensioner and “abounding in British gold.”11 Randolph fired back, indignantly saying that his relationship with the voters had survived “the press, the intrigue of envious and aspiring men, [and] the whole patronage of the Executive government” and would survive this latest smear.12 Eppes was an interloper, a racehorse imported to run against him. Randolph repeated this line throughout the district , reminding the voters that an opponent should have come from their own stock. “Where are your Daniels, your Bouldins, and your Carringtons,” he asked, naming the most prominent families in the area. in Prince Edward , this roll call was met by a snip from Colonel Gideon spencer, who believed his family should have been included. “And your spencers,” he yelled from the crowd. “Yes, and your spencers,” Randolph replied, pausing for effect , “always excepting you, Colonel.” The crowd roared its approval.13 “Prince Edward was never more unanimous,” Randolph wrote after the raucous rally, “her blood is up . . . it spread like electricity.”14 Yet the strong undercurrent of support for the war persisted. “There is a great sentiment prevailing,” Randolph noted, “that this disapprobation should be suppressed to avoid an ill effect abroad.” The only war by which his constituents could judge their conduct was the American Revolution, and during that war, Randolph well remembered, “every man not entering heartily into the cause was justly deemed an enemy and often treated as such.”15 The election was turning into a referendum on patriotism, a far more formidable foe than Eppes. When Randolph arrived in Washington for the second session of the Twelfth Congress, it seemed as if his predictions about the war were coming...