Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-08-11
Correspondence of the L. :. Gazette.


WILLIAM c. PRESTON.
My dear Chandler That tall. Athletic. s,nsv
comP'eHloned Senator, with large expressive ewes.
strongly mFked features, and commanding person
who hGsjusI risen to address the chair, is MIR Pres.
ton, Of South Carolina; a name endeared to the
Wings Of the whole Union, and only second in their
hearts to that of HENRY CLAY.
You observe MIR Preston commences his remarks
IN suhdued tone, though his enunciation is q, dis
tInct aud slow that we have difficulty in hearinr
every word. As he proceeds and warns with ms
SUBJECT he becomes more animated his eye Iphts
up, ms voice becomes louder, his cOuntenance be.
gins 70 s7eak, ms uiterance is more rapid sRd his
HANDS and arms "sut the action 10 tha wordr IN 8,
very energetic and graceful manner PresentIv
you will hear one of those bursts of eoauepcs which
never tai TO come from him, and elscrfy the Senate
and audience, whenever he speaks upon a subject
OF sufficient Importance call forth his MOWERS
OF those bold, brilliant, and appropriate metaphors
which spring iiom his prolific Imagination and dsz
ze the minds OF his hearers, the electric fluid Is
sent from the Surchirged cloud, and dazz es the sd
uirIng observer. Now you are hurried forward by
The rapid and dashing current Of his eloquence
without the power Of resistance even where YOU IN.
cilned to stop and think. Anon, you come into a
calm aud beautiful eXpnnse, where the current Is
scarce percepuble, where all around is placid and
inviting, and you are held Il were by a spell Of
delight, unwilling tOmOye. Presently the scene la.
gins 20 darkon, the clouds lower and wear a threat.
e"nIng aspect, you ookarsund and hold your breath
1911 burst OF indignation and torrent Of sireas-n
pours down, not upon yours, but tho devoted heads
OF ms antagonists who fec. IT, whitening effect md
recOIi from IT'S force
No man IN either house Of Congress is endoy.
Ell with greater versatility Of talent, or possesses
80 brilliant IN Imagination, combined with such
h1eney and eIOquence Of language, rs MIR. Preston.
In the varied expression Of the coun enancr the mo-
duition of the voice, and graceful sc,ion Mr. Pres
ton docs not come up to Mr.. Clay; hut nc has more
bnIIlancy OF thought, though no wICJs not a kasn-
cr weapon Of sarcasm. Mr. Preston is a Murat, at
the head Of bis dashlng squadronS, bearing down
all before him, the admiration even Of his foes MIR
Clay IS Napoleon whose eye ovoriOpks the whole
hc,d, who sees every movement OF his Antagonists
and makes a corresponding one Of his own forces,
and who lends them into battle, himself always in
the front rank and where the ight Is th,ckest
In private and social iIic Mr.. Preston is remark
ably unassImng and accessible and IN coayersu-
ton troc, lively, playful ord interesting: lie IT, in
truth, the very beau idGGi VI Southern gentleman;
combining that elegance and amenlty Of manners
with that self respect, nice Of honor and pro.
pnety, perfect acquaintance with the conventional
customs Of rCfncd society, which can only be acqur-
ed by intercourse IN early life with the best crc es
and which are found, Perhaps to a greater extent
among the oldest lsmlies IN South Carolina than IN
any other section Of the country.
Mr. Preston is by birth q son of the "Od Denim
on," and defendant Of the celebrated orator end
patriot, Patrick Henry, whom he Is said TO tssem.
b.s no much m feature Gs in mental qualities lie
cmgrntcd many years ago to $. Carolina and en-
tered upon the practice Of law, m which, cs every
man must possessing his powers of CiCqucncc, he
Inns been CmIuonuy successful. lie first entered tie
Senate tho successor believe, ofCoI. Uayno in
1854, and Immediately broke upon the vision Of the
nation wi'h tho Dri1ncy Of star II the first mag
u,iudo and this, seven years ofpublc lite have PROV
cd him % be. flo came into The Senate an nppp.
nou. % the Jackson 1nd Van Buren, dynasty, South
Carolina, following Mr. CoihoUu's cad then being
. IL.
usurpauon aud miyrI,c. Up 70 September 1857
when Mr. Calhoun made such n sudden aud extra
/ ordinary somerset, and "swOre eternal hicndshIp
| with bis deadlest enemy" Mr. Preston stood by
him shoulder 10 shoulder doing battle against tho
enemies Of the constitution and resisting the svceu-
l ing torrent Of executive cncroichmcnL From that
I time, however, They separated. 10 was not IN Nj
| P's nature thus 70 abandon the principles he had
/ sustained ard take 70 his cordial embrace the very
| men he nnd his State and colleague had denounced
| os usIrpCrs and iuyorcrs Of prescription cHtrava-
ganco and fraud IL w1s pnin'Il, doubtless, Tor Mr.
| p. to be thus separated from bis colleague whom
he hal on several OCCASIONS CALAMITY sustained aud
defended; II vas more painful 10 see majority ol
the people Of South Carolina abandoning tic prin.
| cpIes upon which, and 20 sustain which they had
sent him TO tho Senate but moro painful than either
| would have been an Abandonment on his own part
| Of these principles, and the humiliation Of being
charged without being able 10 reply, with yielding
up al that he had before coutcnded for, and go ne
over n those who were trampIing upon the constt.
luton and supporting executive supumacy. ~
p. chose rather TO separate from his colleague thar
from his principles, and from that day they hav,
occupied different and opposite sides Of the house
though presume they entertain high personal re
| spect for each other.
From his entrance into the Senate in 1891, Mr. p
has been one Of the foremost IN tho front rank o
the Wings; IN that position he has become know
and endoared 70 the friends of liberal principle
! throughout the Union; and had not tho term 9Th
chivalrv Of the Soutp become somewhat stale nn
rdicuou', by the boosted, ieirlessness Of anohe
South Corolinion, should say he'was the porsonif
cation Of southern chivalIyj he is the chevale
Bayard Of Americs, and IL his own modesty wi
/. not permit him, his friends will inscube upon hi
helmit, sans pstr, sans rsproshs
Yours, truly, AN AMERICAN.