a hard-working and conscientious member. James G. Blaine, a Republican also first elected in 1862, later characterized Randall as "a strong partisan, with many elements of leadership. He... never neglects his public duties, and never forgets the interests of the Democratic Party." Randall was known as a friend to the manufacturers in his district, especially as it concerned protective tariffs. Despite being in the minority, Randall spoke often in defense of his constituents' interests. As House described him, With his party continually in the minority, Randall gained experience in the functioning of the House, but his tenure left little evidence in the statute book. He attracted little attention, but kept his constituents happy and was repeatedly reelected. War and Reconstruction When the 38th Congress convened in December 1863, the Civil War was approaching its end. Randall was a War Democrat, sometimes siding with his Republican colleagues to support measures in pursuit of victory over the Confederates. When a bill was proposed to allow President Abraham Lincoln to promote Ulysses S. Grant to lieutenant general, Randall voted in favor, unlike most in his party. He voted with the majority of Democrats, however, to oppose allowing black men to serve in the Union Army. When it came to political plans for the post-war nation, he was strictly opposed to most Republican-proposed measures. Republicans proposed the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1865, which would abolish slavery, and Randall spoke against it. Claiming opposition to slavery, Randall said his objections stemmed instead from a belief that the amendment was "a beginning of changes in the Constitution and the forerunner of usurpation". After Andrew Johnson became president following Lincoln's assassination, Randall came to support Johnson's policies for Reconstruction of the defeated South, which were more lenient than those of the Republican majority in Congress. In 1867, the Republicans proposed requiring an ironclad oath from all Southerners wishing to vote, hold office, or practice law in federal courts, making them swear they had never borne arms against the United States. Randall led a 16-hour filibuster against the measure; in spite of his efforts, it passed. Randall began to gain prominence in the small Democratic caucus by opposing Reconstruction measures. His delaying tactics against fellow Pennsylvanian Thaddeus Stevens's military Reconstruction bill in February 1867 kept the bill from being considered for two weeks—long enough to prevent it from being voted on until the next session. He