John Randolph of Roanoke
A fiery and eccentric Virginian statesman who wielded his wit like a whip in defense of states' rights and agrarian ideals against a rising federal government.
1773–1833 (age 60)·American politician·Birthday: June 2
Biography
John Randolph of Roanoke was the brilliant, unpredictable conscience of the Old South. Elected to Congress in his twenties, he initially served as Thomas Jefferson's floor leader, a role he abandoned with theatrical scorn when he believed the president had betrayed their principles. For decades, his shrill voice and skeletal frame dominated the House floor, where he delivered scathing, extemporaneous speeches against war, debt, and centralized power. He owned hundreds of enslaved people yet opposed the Missouri Compromise, fearing it would fracture the union. His diplomacy as Minister to Russia was as unconventional as his politics; he reportedly refused to wear formal court dress. Randolph's life was a performance of contradiction—a champion of liberty who upheld slavery, a nationalist who despised nationalism—leaving a complex legacy of principled intransigence.
#1 When John Was Born
The biggest hits of 1773
John's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1773Born
1778Started school
1786Became a teenager
1789Could drive
1791Could vote
1794Turned 21
1803Turned 30
1813Turned 40
1823Turned 50
1833Turned 60
Key Achievements
- Served as a U.S. Representative from Virginia for multiple terms between 1799 and 1833, and as a U.S. Senator from 1825 to 1827.
- Appointed as U.S. Minister to Russia by President Andrew Jackson in 1830.
- Led the prosecution in the failed impeachment trial of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase in 1805.
Did You Know?
He was known for bringing his hunting dogs onto the floor of the House of Representatives.
He never married but had a long-term relationship with an enslaved woman, and he freed all his slaves in his will.
His famous last words were reportedly, 'Remorse!'
“I am an aristocrat. I love liberty; I hate equality.”
