fs used by the slaves
without first enquiring of the slaves if they could spare it. He
would say to the person wanting to buy "You must ask my slaves."
"and my mother said:" continued Mr. Randolph "He would often go
among his slaves, parents & children & pat them on the head
saying 'all these are my children.' His chief body guard was a
faithful slave called John White for whom some special mention &
provision was made in the will."

This man went with the colony to Ohio, was respected by the
others & treated by them just as if he had not been favored by
the Master, says Mr. Randolph.

The master gave as his reason for not marrying that should he
die--his heirs would want to hold the slaves or sell them and he
wanted neither of the things to happen.

He often called the slaves together and asked which they
preferred: "Freedom while he lived or after his death and they
always said after his death."

Mr. Fountain Randolph has in his possession an old copy of "Life
of Randolph of Roanoke" written by Hugh A. Garland, & Published
in New York in 1850 by D. Appleton & Co. and Published in Phila.
the same year by G. S. Appleton & Co. It is in two volumes. Mr.
Randolph had both Vols. but loaned Volume I to the Indianapolis
lawyer & has not been able to get it back.

The Randolph will is set forth in Vol. II from which I made the
following notes:

Will 1st written in 1819 & left with Dr. Brockenbrough saying:

"I give my slaves their freedom to which my conscience tells me
they are justly entitled. It has long been a matter of deepest
regret to me that the circumstances under which I inherited them
and the obstacles thrown in the way by the laws of the land have
prevented my emancipating them in my life time which it is my
full intention to do in case I can accomplish it. All the rest &
residue of my estate (with exceptions herein after made) whether
real or personal, I bequeath to Wm. Leigh, Esq., of Halifax, Atty
at Law, to the Rev. Wm. Meade of Frederic and Francis Scott Key
Esq., of Georgetown, D. C. in trust for the following uses and
purposes viz:

1st To provide one or more tracts of land in any of the States or
Territories not exceeding in the whole 4000 acres nor less than
2000 acres, to be partitioned & apportioned by