The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-07-17
Benjamin r. Perry, Esq, the Provi.
sional Governor Of South Carolina

ems District, South Carolin, Noyem-
Der 20, lSk5. He is descended fron,
the same Massachusetts family which
produced Oliver II. Perry. Ais father.
Benjamin. Perry, fought in he army Of
the Revolution. After theslose of the
war he removed to Charls.on, where
he married Miss Ann Fdter, dauoh.
ter of Lieut.. John Foster, q the Eevo-
lutionary army, and becane E planter.
The son Of this marriage, $eujam;n +.
Perry, spent biz youth in the district
in which he was born. He attended
school in the same viciniJ until seven
teen years of age. In 1874 he entered
the law Office of Juds Earle, but
finished his law studies ii the office Of
Col. Gregg, Of Columbis and was adj
mitted to the bar in 1S.7.
During the memorable notification
contest of 1882, Mr.. Ierrv edited a.
newspaper published in Greenvillc op-
posing The nu!li!ica,io1 doctrines of
Calhoun, with much ability and great
persistence. Among o:her interesting
arguments wsich he was forced 70
deliver was a bullet in the heart of a
nulhhcatlon editor who baG cha!enc.
ed him, aud with whom the mistaken
principles Of chivairy compelled Perry
! to tight duel. He was a delegate 20
the Union Convention which as:
sembled at Columbia in August, 1882.
In 1894 he was defeated by ma
Jo-lty ofsxty votes only as the Union
candidate for Congress from the
Anderson, P;ckeus:and Grecnville Dis
trlcts. For the two years following
this defeat he devoted himself to the
law. in 1896 he was elected to the
State Legislature without opposition,
and in 1888 was again returned. While
holding this Office the second time he
became prominent with Nlemminger,
lately rebel Secretary Of the Treasury,
in closing mp the connection between the
State aud the banks which had existed.
In 1914 he was elected to the State
Senate. lie was the only member Of
that hody who voted against the cx-
pulsion from the State Of Mr.. Hoar,
the Massachusetts State agent. 1t is
noteworthy that Memminger was the
only member Of the Lower Hou,c
who voted against the same resolution.
In 1850, when the disunion feeling
again rose high, Mr.. Perry established
Union paper at Greeuv:He, and ner-
sered i'll its publication, though at
great. persona! risk. A speech which
he made liz the Legislature was widely
published throughout the North aud
South, and was hailed as the first ray
of light from benighted South Caro-
lima. Mr.. Perry's speech and Presi-
cent Jackson's action had wonder
ful effect in killing off secession in
South Carolina, and when, in 1851 an
election was held for State conven-
ton to dissolve the Union, nobody but
the Union men voted, and the State
did not secede.
The career Of Mr.. Perry since this
period we are not familiar with:} He
has always maintained his position in
opposition to the right Of secession.
In 1850 lie laughed at the idea of
South Carolina seeding at that time,
aud expressed the opinion that he
should live to see the State 'one Of the
most thorough going Union States Of
the Republic On the adjournment
of the Convention without seeding,
he was told that one-ba!f of his pro-
phecy was now true. y es,' replied
MIR. Perry, and the other l.aif will be
true. I shall yet live to detesd the
States Rights doctrines of Virginia ,