The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1872-12-25
u sr KEMINISCENCES
p u BaL &c M EN-.
: CONTINUED from last Week.1
By Ex GOVERNOR D. y. PERRY
VILLAIN @. PRESTON.

There have been few public men
who possessed such q combination
OF high endowments, noble quali-
ties and rare accomplishments as
Colonel William Campbell Pres
ton. He was ono of natures no.
bIeinen, i'll person, head and heart.
His figure was striking and conn
manding. He was tall and we'll
proportioned in his person. His
manners were high. bred and court.
ly. In heart he was kind, gener.
GUS and affectionate. His charac,
ter, IN public and private, was
pure and spo,less. His intellec-
tnal qualities were brilliant and
dazzling. He was finished
scholar, an accomplished orator,
and wise statesman. Many of his
bursts Of eloquence, in the Legis-
lature of South Carolina, and in
the American Senate, and before
popular assemblies, are equal to
those of Burke and Chatham.
have heard Colonel Preston
before popular assemblies, at the
bar aud in the Legislature, and l
never heard him on any occasion
when he did not let fall from his
lips some of the prettiest expires.
sions and most heart stirring words
ever altered by a public speaker.
Ills style was always fervid and
rhetorical. His gestures, however,
did not strike me rs being grace
fnl OF studied, whilst l could not
dircst myself Of the idea that his
language was studied, and did not
flow from the inspiration of the
moment. 1t was too ornate TO be
natural, whilst l thought his ges.
lures were too awkward to be stnd.
led. 1t might have been said of
him that he was n man of nature
and art. lie had the kindred
blood of Patrick Henry coursing
through his veins and the kindred
eloquence OF this great Virginia
orator flowing from his lips. No
one could look at him or hear him
speak n word in company without
being impressed with the idea that
he was u great man and an accom-.
rlished gentleman. He was man
OF fine literary taste, as well as
great sch"l arship. l never saw q
private letter of Colonel Preston's
that did not contain somo gem of
an expression.
His reputation in the Senate Of
the United States was not surpass
ed by that of any one Of lis com.
peers for thrilling eloquencc. AS
a statesman he may have had his
superiors in that illlstrious BODY,
but as All orator he at least equal
led any of them. lie was a warm
partisan in politics, and a fierce
Nullitier in the beginning of his
political career. But he died q
most devoted Union man. lie
had seen the 1olly of Modification.
and was opposed to secossian. lie
began to reflect, in the latter. part
of his life, on the effects of dis
union, and foresaw the dreadful
consequences of an attempt to
break up "A great and powerful
government like that of the Atner.
lean Republic. His hope was,
inst before his death, that his own
dear Virginia would,' like a'great
seventy-four gunship, throw her.
self across the stream of, dishniOn
and stop the tide of disaffection
which was rolling on from the
South. G-If.
In private life he was most amia
ble, kind hearted and generous, at.
taching every one to him who
came within the sphere of his ac-
qnaintance. AS President OF the
South Carolina College, he won
the affections of all the students,
and endeare1 them to him in q re.
markable degree. When he en-
tered the senate ol tho United
States he was in opposition to Gen.
eral Jackson and his administra.
ton. All the South Carolina Nnl
lifiers became Wings, and united
with Clay and Webster to break
down the administration. In few
years Mr.. Calhoun and most of his
friends broke from the great Whig
party and again joined the De.
mocracy. Colonel Preston and
General Waddy Thompson per-
severed in their error and remain.
ed consistent and true to their mis-.
taken principles. This threw them
in opposition to their State, which
was under the absolute control of
Mr.. Calhoun. Colonel Preston re.
signed his seat in the Senate, and
resumed the practice of his profes.
sion. In his arguments on the cir
cuit and in the Court Of Appeals
he proved himself an ablc logician
"a pall "a a militant rhato.;o;an