The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-06-05
tFos ,as Richmond D,spatcA.l
The Lase Wm. z. Preston. OF 9outh Capo

The death OF this accomplished scholar.
statesman and Christian gentleman has latsIv
been noticed by yon. and has revived recoi lee.
s'ens o. ~ @ H aHyi mat feel Ike perpst.
mission, therefore, will make the Dispa,eh
the medium Of doing so.
was resident Of Colum bia in the wears
1926. and q. and saw COL PREsToN al-
nsost oaaiy, he being relative of the gentle-
man win whom was living, C'N Seevesayio,
Of later fame,) and with whom he was on
terms OF the most friendly intercourse This
rave me An opportunity to become acquainted
with him in the exercise of those remarkable
coiloqutal powers with which he wus so
highly gifted. His familiarity with classical
literature was equally remarkable, and he
could NJ all times command a fund Of Illus.
trstion drawn from such sources. This was
carried most happily into his public efforts At
the bar, and before other tribunals. He had
read the Dibie with reverence befitting its
divine authority and it's sublime teachings,
and with the highest appreciation Of its pure
and elevated die ton and imagery. His quo
tations from il, therefore, were not Of that
catch-word sort too common with our pu blic
speakers, but were always introduced with
due regard 10 propriety aud good taste.
Reference has often been made to his mas
terly defence Of Judge James, who was i'm.
peacned for drunkenness, before the Senate OF
south Carolina, in 1928. II was this speech
that hrst attracted public attention to him as
al orator. Just at that time South Carolina
ff.g5Ipnlshsd e consse,aation Of erilliaat wen.-
ana Preston ranked as stars of the first mag.
nitude. but perhaps il is not invidious to- saw
that Pres ton excelied them all in that charm
OF flushed oratory which can be teit, but
which. like that Of his iliustrious ancestor,
Patrick Henry, well nigh battles all attempts
TO describe 1t. was one Of the delighted and
deeply interested listeners to COL Preston's
celebrated defence of Judge James. before al
luded to. The scene has often been described
before, perhaps nowhere better than in
O'Neafs Bench and bar of South Carolina
only desire to add my tribute of admirat ton
to the splendid forensic effort OF that Occa-
sion, especially as it is impressed on my men,
ory by PresiOn's defence of his old friend
He entered upon that defence with all the ar
dor OF his nature. The tribunal was u most
augustone. The accused was Revolutionary
patriot, who had served his country well, and
possessing character unsullied except by in
dulgence in a habit which, alas has too often
oVertaken and overwhelmed other worthy
men. Ii. as was probably true, he had COM
mitted grave errors AS Chancellor, il was ac-
knowledged by all but a few, whom he had
made bitter enemies by his judicial decisions,
that they were errors of the head, and not OF
the heart
Col. Preston knew how to touch the chords
OF popular feeling with masters skill, and
his ailusion TO the Judges Revolutionary
services was in his happiest style. He drew q
picture OF the men and scenes Of the Reyolu-
tion-each man a hero, and each scene one OF
thrilling interest. Just here he introduced a
Scripture quotation with fine effect Refer.
lAuk " lnc udxe Cl luOSc WHO WeTo sent
by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan aud
make report Of the country and its inhabi-
ants and after glowing comment upon the
virtues and valor of the great actors in the
War OF the Revolution, he exclaimed-" In
those days, Mr.. President. there tUere giants in
the Iand.'
The peroration of this mastery speech was
in the highest style of OratOrical excellence
1t WAS followed by the most profound silence,
which was at length broken by r. Barnweli
Smith, (now Rhett,, one of those appointed to
conduct the prosecution He opened his re-
ply to Preston by saying, with the deepest
emotion, Mr.. President, rise abashed and
dazzied by the blaze of eloQuence that has
preceded me. We're 1 to consult my private
feelings at this moment, would stay this
prosecution but sir, have public duty to
perform, and the justice of the country must
be served The appeals OF Preston, eloquent
and earnest as they were, conld not save the
poor old Judge; but his speech on that occa-
sion gave him Il reputation which soon became
national. and which was well sustained DUR
ing his public life. +. J.
ROANOKE Co. VA, June ,, 1860.