Newbern weekly progress., 1860-05-29
WILLIAM CAMPBELL PRESTON.

An honored name has been added 10 the lsI VI
names canonized by death, ana cohsecTaIeu III
the memory of Carolina
William Campbell Preston has departed TO the
"chambers of the mighty dead.
We quote the following abstract from hedneIa s
I" Men of the Times:
man and lawyer Of South Carolina, was born on
the 9th December 1894, in Phlladelphla, whlle
his father was attending Congress at that place
os q member from Virginia His maternal grand
mother was the sister of Patrick Henry. lie was
educated at the University OF South Carolina,
where he " as remarkable for his general capacity
as a student, and great readiness OF speech
as a Youthful speaker. In lol2 he graduated and
returned to Virginia, where he studied law III The
office Of William Writ, at Richmond. In 1916
he went to Europe, and after visiting France
Engiand, and Switzerland, resided for some time
in Edi1 burgh, here he attended, together with
the late Mr.. Legare, the lectures of Hope, Play
fair. and Brow n. In 1919, Mr. Preston returned
to the United States and being admitted to the
bar in 1921 commenced the practice Of law IN
VIRGINIA. In 1922 he removed TO Columbia, IN
South Carolina, where he continued to practice
his profession with graet distinction and success.
In 1921 Mr.. Preston elected to the House OF
Representatives, where he soon became leading
member, and distinguished himself as ali able ad-
vocate of State Rights and Free Trade. In ls32
2Ir Preston elected to the Senate OF the Unl-
ted States, where he at once assumed high posi-
tion AS a able and eloquent debater. In 1872 he
resigned his place in the Senate, and returned to
the practice Of his profession in South Carolina.
In 1s45 he became President of the University
of South Carolina which Office he filed with
GREAT credit until 1851, when he was forced to re
sign in conseq equence of i'll health. Mr.. Preston is
remarkable for winning power of eloquence,
which charms and captivates the feeling. His
o,atorv is thus characterized in this tasteful
tribute bv his friend DIR Lieber, in an Grafton be
fore the members OF South Carolina College:
stand here where an orator has stood, of wide and
hiuh American repute, those wealthy eloquence
hoI 4,,rfh SDnf n a
the native energy of his Saxon ldlom, pertumed
with the fragrance of Il scholars MIND, ana the
aroma of cultivated taste-a speaker W hose ora
tory is yet fondly remembered by the humbesf
classes Of our people. 1t is not more than
twe,vernonth ago that one of them. as they as
seubled around the house Of justice, said within
my hearing, pointing at HIM, That man used to
talk like a mocklng-blrd
In a series of sketches of orators and statesmen
-. ;.biished in the Mobile Tribune the author,
INT. B. A. Reynolds) remarked of Mr.. Pres
This gentleman one of the most gifted of
the heroic band of Nulliters and subsequently
became one of the most distinguished statesman
of our country, electrifvlng the Senate and all
ranks and classes of men, with that matchless ora
torv which III its effects like OF those tire
mendous tropical storms, which sweep away
everything before them. He spoke like
inspired towering above the conflict Of debate,
and bathing in the sunbright excellence Of his
Notification controversy eclipsed everything since
the time of Patrick Henry, :. the forest-borne De-
mosthenes, who shook the Philip of the seas
His first speech in the Senate of the United States
was highly complimented by his opponents,
particularly by Forsyth, who said that he could
well believe the blood of Henry flowed in the
veins of the eloquentCarolinian. And such indeed,
is the fact for Preston's mother was a near re-
Iati7e of the great Firginian.
But it was not to his oratory alone that Pres
ton was indebted for reputation for he was dis
tiugushed lawyer, brilliant wit. and superb
conversationalist; indeed we once heard Senator
Butler say that the most brilliant things he ever
heard from any man in conversation were uttered
by Preston. This is great praise hen reflect
that Butler has long mingled faniliarly with the
most celebrated men of the country and is
himself inferior to in the Union as an
eloquent speaker and fascinating conversations
ast.
In fact William Campbell Preston the most
eloquent man that America has produced since
the Revolution. No orator in the country could
stand before him for single instant He lowered
above the argument and the audience in those
splendid harangues that stirred up your blood
until you ready, like the Athenians of old
TO take up and march against the Macedo-
mans Oh. how great, how noble how sublime
were the oralons of Preston Jefferson said that
Patrick Henry spake as home wrote ; but Preston
was the god Of H0mer.