It is the more strange, because in climbing a mountain the pets of the democratic party. He was very much flattered But I cannot imagine that Mr. Randolph was ever, in principle, a genuine democrat. All his feelings and all his tastes, when I knew him, were aristocratic. He was the EVERY NUMBER EMBELLISHED WITH A STEEL ENGRAVING. THREE DOLLARS A YEAR. VOLUME I. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION, ANN-STREET, NEAR BROADWAY. NEW-YORK, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1843. THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS, WITH A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL AQUATINT VIEW, At this elevation, you may wear woollen and sleep under blankets in midsummer; and that is a pleasant temperature where much hard work is to be done in the way of pleasurehunting. No place so agreeable as Catskill, after one has been parboiled in the city. New-York is at the other end of that long thread of a river, running away south from the base of the mountain; and you may change your climate in so brief a transit, that the most enslaved broker in Wallstreet may have half his home on Catskill. The cool woods, the small silver lakes, the falls, the mountain-tops, are all delicious haunts for the idler-away of the hot months; and, to the credit of our taste, it may be said they are fully improved Catskill is a "resort." From the Mountain-House, the busy and all-glorious Hudson is seen winding half its silver length-towns, villas, and white spires, sparkling on the shores, and snowy sails and gaily-painted steamers, specking its bosom. It is a constant diorama of the most lively beauty; and the traveller, as he looks down upon it, sighs to make it a home. Yet a smaller and less-frequented stream would best fulfil desires born of a sigh. There is either no seclusion on the Hudson, or there is so much that the conveniences of life are difficult to obtain. Where the steamers come to shore, (twenty a day, with each from one to seven hundred passengers,) it is certainly far from secluded enough; yet, away from the landing-places, servants find your house too lonely, and your table, without unreasonable expense and trouble, is precarious and poor. These mean and menus plaisirs reach, after all, the very citadel of philosophy. Who can live without a cook or a chambermaid, and dine seven days in the week on veal, consoling himself with the beauties of a river-side? (COMMUNICATED.) PAYABLE IN ADVANCE. NUMBER 23. RECOLLECTIONS OF JOHN RANDOLPH, OF ROANOKE. I HAVE mentioned Mr. Randolph's admiration of those who made no pretensions to what they did not understand. "Shoemaker, stick to your last," was often in his mouth. Speaking one day of a favourite overseer, he said: "With a little more education, sir, he would be fit for any office under the government. He has the proper kind of confidence in himself, sir. When he feels that he is in the right, he will not give up even to me, sir; and I respect him the more for it. Last year, sir, I undertook to instruct him in a new mode of planting tobacco on my estate, which I had picked up in Washington, and I requested him to give it a trial. He heard me patiently and then replied: I respect your opinions, Mr. Randall (for he never pronounced my name rightly) on all subjects but one-planting tobacco. You're my superior, sir, in every other kind of knowledge; but I reckon, sir, that I understand planting tobacco better than you or any other man on the plantation; and you need not lecture me out of your books, when I understand nature; therefore, sir, if you please, I'll plant your tobacco in my own way, or I'll not plant it at all! His downright common sense (a scarce article just now!) was irresistible, sir, and I struck at once; gave it up, sir; and that season I raised a great crop.” Even his favourite slaves came in for a share of his praises. Who has not heard of the faithful "Juba" and "John ?" Their devotion to their master surpassed "the love of woman." He was never tired of narrating some anecdote of their attachment. Many a time, when describing the character of some leading politician, whose character he did not particularly admire, he would say: a general, sir, or a member of congress, and cannot be corrupted even in Washington, sir !” Why, sir, he has not half the talents of my man Juba. Give Juba some more learning-book knowledge, I mean, sir, not head-work, he has that-and I'll match him against On the smaller rivers these evils are somewhat amelior-half the cabinet, sir, for real, substantial talents. He'd make ated; for in the rural and uncorrupt villages of the interior, you may find servants born on the spot, and content to live in the neighbourhood. The market is better, too, and the society less exposed to the evils that result from too easy an access to the metropolis. No place can be rural, in all the virtues of the phrase, where a steamer will take the villager to the city between noon and night, and bring him back between midnight and morning. There is a suburban look and character about all the villages on the Hudson which seems out of place among such scenery. They are suburbs; in fact, steam has destroyed the distance between them and the city. The Mountain-House on the Catskill, it should be remarked, is a luxurious hotel. How the proprietor can have dragged up, and keeps dragging up, so many superfluities from the river level to that eagle's nest, excites your wonder. It is the more strange, because in climbing a mountain the feeling is natural that you leave such enervating indulgences below. The mountain-top is too near heaven. It should be a monastery to lodge in so high-a St. Gothard, or a Vallambrosa. But here you may choose between Hermitages, "white" or "red," Burgundias, Madeiras, French dishes, and French dances, as if you had descended upon Capua. Mr. Randolph first entered congress in the year 1799. So very youthful was his appearance, that the speaker of the house of representatives hesitated before he administered to him the usual oath, saying: "You must pardon me, Mr. Randolph, for asking whether you have reached the age to entitle you to a seat here?" 'Go, sir, and ask my constituents; it was they who sent me here!" was his indignant reply. 66 The speaker construed this characteristic answer into an affirmative, and immediately administered the oath. The actual fact was, that when elected he was not of the legal age; but he attained it before the meeting of congress, and thus barely "saved his distance.” It is well known that for some years he was one of the pets of the democratic party. He was very much flattered by the great" apostle of equal rights," Thomas Jefferson, and gave his support to the measures of the administration after the defeat of the elder Adams. But I cannot imagine that Mr. Randolph was ever, in principle, a genuine democrat. All his feelings and all his tastes, when I knew him, were aristocratic. He was the |