John Randolph of Roanoke ALS "Death has been busily

John Randolph of Roanoke ALS "Death has been busily engaged in pursuit of his work this spring..."

1p, measuring 7.75" x 9.75", No place, dated April 18, 1816. Signed "John Randolph of Roanoke" and addressed to David Parish Esq. In his letter, Randolph discusses his recent ill health and the recent deaths of many others around him. Reading in full:

"I had forgot to return the copy of the D. of Kent's letter to your venerable father. Since I wrote last I have been laboring under great depression of health & spirits. It is in that frame of body & mind that I now write. You will therefore have the goodness to excuse this apology for a letter. Death has been busily engaged in pursuit of his work this spring. Since poor Stanford, two of my valuable friends have been taken off, & all here for whom I cared a share* have been seriously ill. I do not know when I have been so depressed as during the last fortnight. You will not have been a sufferer by my creaking, but in arranging my papers (as you have an Augean task to the) preparatory to the breaking up of congress. I found the enclosed in the map upon my table. They talk of adjourning about the last of the month. …*Messer Mercer, Tazewell (who arrived a few days past), F. Key, Hanson, Lewis, Mason of N.H., Two of our House be at the point of death (Taylor of N.Y. & Thomas of Ten:) Blount & several more very ill." The letter has flattened mail folds, with ink spots and soiling. Edge mounting present at the left vertical front edge. Boldly signed.

John Randolph of Roanoke (1773-1833) served in the House of Representatives at numerous and various points between 1799 and 1833. He initially served as President Thomas Jefferson's spokesperson in the House, but the two had a falling out in 1805 as a result of what Randolph saw as a dilution of traditional Jeffersonian principles and the mistreatment of Samuel Chase during his impeachment. Randolph went on to declare himself leader of the "Old Republicans". Under President Andrew Jackson, he served as Minister to Russia. Despite being a skilled orator and a House leader, Randolph was frequently ostracized due to his heavy drinking, use of opium, and person eccentricities made worse by his lifelong ill health. Modern scientists believe that he had a latent form of tuberculosis that prevented the onset of puberty and caused him extreme pain throughout his life. Randolph would eventually die from tuberculosis at the age of 60.

David Parish (1778-1826) was a German land speculator who played a great part in financing America's military in the War of 1812. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1806 and purchased a plot of land containing 200,000 acres in the St. Lawrence River Valley. During the War of 1812, he brokers a loan of $7.5 million to aid James Madison and the war effort. From 1819 to 1823, he also served as the American consul in Antwerp.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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