RANDALL, Alexander Williams, statesman, born in Ames, Montgomery County, New York, 31 October, 1819; died in Elmira, New York, 25 July, 1872. His father, Phineas, a native of Massachusetts, resided in Montgomery county, New York, from 1818 till 1851, was judge of the court of common pleas there in 1837-'41, and removing to Waukesha, Wisconsin, died there in 1853. Alexander received a thorough academic education, studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began to practise in Waukesha in 1840. He became soon afterward postmaster of that place, and in 1847 was chosen a member of the convention that framed the state constitution. He then devoted himself to his profession till 1855, when he was elected to the state assembly. The same year he was an unsuccessful candidate for the attorney-generalship, and was appointed judge of the Milwaukee circuit court to fill an unexpired term. In 1857, and again in 1859, he was elected governor of Wisconsin, and at the beginning of the civil war, and pending the convening of the legislature, in extra session, he called the 2d regiment into existence, and used the public funds in advance of lawful appropriation ; but he was fully sustained by the legislature when it assembled. At the close of his gubernatorial term, 1 January, 1861, he was dissuaded from his purpose of entering the army by President Lincoln, and appointed United States minister to Italy. On his resignation and return in 1862, he was made first assistant postmaster-general, and in July, 1866, postmaster-general, and served in that capacity till March, 1869.