John Randolph of Roanoke

by Russell Kirk

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John Randolph of Roanoke -- Roanoke being the name of his home in Charlotte County, Virginia -- is unique in American political history. Only twenty-six when first elected to Congress in 1799, he readily became the most forceful figure at the Capitol. An incomparable orator, he was also, in the observation of Dumas Malone, "a merciless castigator of iniquity." For most of his public career Randolph was a leader of the opposition -- to both Jeffersonians and Federalists. He was, writes show more Russell Kirk, "devoted to state rights, the agricultural interest, economy in government, and freedom from foreign entanglements." Above all things Randolph cherished liberty, and he famously declared, "I love liberty; I hate equality. "This fourth edition incorporates the corrections and modest revisions provided by the author shortly before his death in 1994. Among the new material is a transcription of the first-hand account of Randolph's death that relates information long deemed apocryphal. The account is by Dr. Joseph Parrish, who was at Randolph's side when he died in 1833. show less

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87+ Works 4,298 Members
Russell Kirk (1918-1994) was the author of The Conservative Mind, Eliot and His Age, The Roots of American Order, and twenty-six other books in several fields. He was the president of two educational foundations, editor of the quarterly University Bookman, recipient of several literary awards, and has been a visiting distinguished professor on show more both sides of the Atlantic. James McClellan (1937-2005) was James Bryce Visiting Fellow in American Studies at the Institute of United States Studies of the University of London and before that Senior Resident Scholar at Liberty Fund Inc. Some of his works include Joseph Story and the American Constitutional and The Federalist: A Student Edition. Jeffrey O. Nelson is senior vice president and chief marketing officer at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. He edited two book collections-Redeeming the Time, by Russell Kirk, and Perfect Sowing: Reflections of a Bookman by Henry Regnery-and is co-founder of the Russell Kirk Center. show less

Common Knowledge

Canonical title
John Randolph of Roanoke
Original title
Randolph of Roanoke; John Randolph of Roanoke: A Study in American Politics
People/Characters
John Randolph

Classifications

Genres
Nonfiction, Politics and Government, History, Biography & Memoir, General Nonfiction, Philosophy
DDC/MDS
328.73092Society, Government, and CulturePolitical scienceU.S. Congress - Legislation & Legislative ProcessNorth AmericaUnited StatesBiography And HistoryBiography
LCC
E302.6 .R2 .K5History of the United StatesUnited StatesRevolution to the Civil War, 1775/1783-1861Biography (Late eighteenth century)
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Reviews
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Rating
(4.10)
Languages
English
Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
5
ASINs
5