John Randolph of Roanoke
John Randolph
John Randolph of Roanoke, a fiery congressman and defender of states' rights, was born in Prince George County, Virginia.
- Profession
- Statesman, Orator
- From
- Prince George County, Virginia
- Born
- June 2, 1773
- Years active
- 1799–1833
Early life
Born in 1773 into a leading Virginia family descended from Pocahontas, Randolph was a sickly but brilliant youth.
Career
He served nearly three decades in Congress as a caustic orator, leader of the "Old Republicans," and briefly as U.S. minister to Russia.
Major achievements
His biting wit and staunch agrarian, small-government philosophy made him one of the most quoted figures of the early republic.
Legacy
Randolph remains a symbol of the states'-rights tradition in antebellum American politics.
References
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