The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-06-01
WIN. C. PRESTON.

Mr. Preston, although Pcnnsyvanian by
birth and Virginian by parentagc., was reared
III South Carolina Not only by edticatiop. but
by social intercourse from earl you'll, he was
Carolinian--a Curoinian by choice bcca'lses"
Carolinian in character. No one, who was IN
the political contest Of lS30-'33,- can forget his
noble appeals to the pride and .honor OF the
State. aud the heroic love and devotion he
manifested in her defence d His fame as great
ora tor, rests on his speeches delivered IN this
contest. He afterwards entered the Senate Of
the United States where he charmed by his
he was there not the proud eagle breasting the
tempest. The discussions about United
Stafes Bank, or the removal Of the Deposites,
or the Independent Tseasury. were not qnes-
tons TO bring out the powers of his aspiring
nature lie was man for a revolution; and
the great contest ofS'33-inv olvings the very
question Of taxation which fired his illustro1s
kinsman, PATRICK HENnY-lifted him up TO "a
Kindred clement We do not believe, that DUR.
ing the whole revolution Of '76 any orator. not
PATRICK HENRY himsclf--cver uttered as mag
nifcent speech rs Mr.. PREsToN, in our Legis-
lature, ON the question of calling State Con-
vention to act ontlie Tariff Laws His oratory
on that occasion was not the burst of few
momen Is but long.sustained effort of nrgu.
ment, reasoning an passion, which rolled on
like mighty river, breaking lis way through
rocks and mountains, and sweeping everything
before its majestic course to the toundless ocean.
The noble and exalted spirit which seemed TO
animate him-the proud defiance of wrong,
and the intense dis6an Of submitting to it
the passionate appeals Tor liberty, and the
mighty destiny Of those who died for it-nnd
the gorgeous picture of singl. weak State,
with nothing but the sword of the spirt-the
spirit Of Truth-to make her victorious over
armies with banners, and win for her an i'm.
mortality of glory-can never be forgotten we
presume, by those who heard it. When entren'
ted to write out this speech for publication, he
said that he could nol-"lt would he like dres
sing up a corpse" And so it would have been
for his mu jrstic presence-the dignity, grace
and fire, which enforced his eloculion, could
never appear in the cold record of his burning
thoughts.
: The same hall witnessed also the greatest
forensic effort we doubt now ever male i'll the
State. on the impeachment of Judge JANIS.
The Senate was at one time moved to tears.
and General DAVID X. WILLIAMS one of the
Senators-a man of the bravcst and purest
nature, buried his head in his hands on his
knees whilst his strong frame shook. convulse1
with grief. We do not believe, that CuRnAN
( or ERsK1SE, ever surpassed this great and mas
terly effort ofgenius and oratory. Yet moth
ing remains Of Mr.. PRESTON. in print. to show
what he really was. His avelbaps his diff cui.
ty in writing, with the consciousness that he
could not faitgfully portray himself in the spon-
taneous efforts of his oratory-led him to neg
iect committing to writing his Chief exhibitions
of eloquence. His nnnners--his wt-his ora.
tory. must all be traditional. One Of his dis
tinguished contemporaries mentioned to US, his
Personi6cation when on circuit, In play yfulness
OF; Mercntio Mt n little country inn. Although
he had often seen the character portrayed. on
the stage, he never comprehended it before. A
new and sudden blaze, was thrown over tile
conception of Observation-Disclosures. - TX