The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-08

secession but declined to Use it at that time.
| In liljb Gov. Perry was one Of the delegate
! from this state to the famous Charleston con
vention of the Democratic party. lie refused
to withdraw with the other delegates IRON
this state and rcnlnlned, voting Stranl,E 10
4: NJ +. Hunter OF Eirsinia, us the candidate
of the party for President.
| The galleries hiSSrd him every time ne roS
! to vote, and when he rose To speak inc illsS'n!
/ became 81 loud and continuous that he coult
with difficulty proceed. TIC chairman, MI
Gushing, threatened to clear the galleries, bu
! the man who had faced and defrd angry mul
tiiudes and put his life and property III 12op
ardy score of times was not the one TO ID
frightened hy such demonstrations. a."
them remain. Mr.. Chairman he said in th'
d"cp, strong tones and deliberate manner nj
ways chaTact criSti. of him. 81 would llN'
! them to hear what have to say:
In 1861 an election was ordered for conEcn
tiOii Of the people of South Carolina to declare
| the Union disSolccd. Governor Perry f"uGh
secession then us he had fought il and nulltf II
cation before lie predicted The war and the
| defeat of the South, and urged that it Was folly
| to scccde with Il Democratic majority III Con
grc>S. i'm the Supreme Court anu III me coun
try. But the wave overpowcred MIN. liz
went down flying his colOrS 10 the las
and raising his voice for the Union GrccnviliI
county was carried along In the rush and B
r. Perry, James Il. Royce and Chicf Justice
O'Ncall, the union candtdatcS for the cpnven
ton, were defeated, Gov. Perry being heatcr
in his own county The first time in thirty
years. But when the secession ordinance was
adopted he ieided to the will of the najorit,
and went with his State. "l0 on are all going
to the devil and will go with YOU WAS his
good humorcd announcement Of his purpose
From that time he WAS answering i'll his
loyalty to the Confcderacy.
In the miSiortuncS brought on by disregard
of his advice Gov Perry shared with his. peo-
nle lie stood by them with conspicuous
iirmncSS and bo!dn"SS in the dark hours after
the war. He was not only With the people
but felt with them, and some OF his sDccch@s
of that time gave evidence of the bitterness
that was then over the spirit OF the South.
Bat without the solicitation OF himself or his
friends he was chosen by President johnson
the provisional governor of the State. Inc
lappOiHtmcnt WIS received with unlvcrSal
satisfaction. Gov. Pcrry's consistent record
as Il uniOn man wen for him the good VIII ni
The Norih and he already possessed the fnil
confidence of the people of this state. HIS
strength of character and intellect and COOL
sound judgment fitted him we'll to guide the
State through that stormy time. Quiet Dig
nifty and the purpose TO restore tie Sale "a
peace aud prosperity marked his conduct
during his administration of six months. lie
ignored all party claims and alliances, ap'
pointed to fill the offices those persons WHO
had occupied them at the close of the war,
obtained an order abuliShng the military
tribunals that had been trying civil and
criminal cases so fur rs white persons were
concerned, and restored the confidence of the
people by refusing to levy or collect taxes
and using the pnrdonins power liberal y.
Under his government tie first election after
the war was held, resulting in the choice OF
the Hon. J. L.. Orr. Meantime Gov. Perry
bal labor>d actively in behalf Of the State
with the Federal administration ana sue
cccded in making an impression on the rra-
Sident and Secretary S; ward which GGGVt.
l"ss did mach to mitigate the rigor OF
her treatment. The legislature elected. and Ill
session duriag Gov. Prrry's term. did much OF
the work he had given his energies to against
such opposing odds during malay years; The
parish system he had fought so hard was
11l,1 rif- Ilt
presidential electors WAS given 10 the peonic,
the rcnicniiary was established and the
courts Of LAW and equity were ANA gamntcd,
and the State was separated from all conn2c-
zion with banks.
At the expiration OF his service as governor
II" returned 10 GrrCnrilic, hut he continued
his active interest in public affairs ana his
efforts to improve the condition Of his state
and people. lie wDS e.c"!rd TO the United
States senate, bat. like tie other snnt!rrn
senators was dcuicd The Srat. he WAS Il Bit
tor opporcn. OF the reconstruction measures
and Wrhtc and spoke strongly 10 prove th#t
tive people woul( he better uud..r an indcii-
mite military ralc than under negro and car
pc; ba."cr governmental conclusion " hlct'
al the whit" people had reached by 1876 when
their campaign cry was: champion or a
military govcrnOr!'
In 1876 he WAS delegate to the Pnilaacl.
phia convention. In lSiS he repre- .cnteI the
state in the national dcm"crailc convrnt:"i
that nominated! ScymOur.aud BIair. His ia>t
prominent public service was in 1875 when AZ
the age of Il he went rs one Of The South
Carolina do cga!s'n to the 81. Louis convcn-
tiOn hy which Ti.uea and Hendricks were
nominated.
Govcrro: Pcrry'S political career is that
most known AMI Interesting TO the public,
but through long years IL WAS Il SUCCESSION oi
apDarrnt failures In the practice %! his pro
ftsSion in which he was matched against sin.
g.e antagonists, AMI not against Il legion OF
politicians and o!aiorS and angry multiiuGe'
of people. he was uniformly successful. He
l,i,y rl
retained il to the cnd, winning honor a:id
money. His practice waS always marked by
Conscientious devotion TO his causes, rarrf"l
study and strong logical handling. lie was
always 4 digniiic'l and courteous lawyer. CIV
ing O;lrrS all the r'Sp"ct they m"Tited aId
rsidly cXactng like treatment, cnn!orninS
his conduct u tAc highest Stiniar;tS OF prJ-
fcS' iOua rtiiicS- He WIS employed by Gsl.
Thompson in ls1l 10 assist in the defence oi
Ur. Gardner, indicted in the district OF Col
umhia for periu:y in presenting false claims
a%alnS. The Mexican government. II WAS II
famous case OF the time and Offered fees then
considered immense. but> Gov. Perry, after
spending several weeks Investigating til"
case. hCcan" convinced of Gar.incr's guilt
and rromp'iy rrturnrd home. When he b.
came convinced that the Judiciary Of this
s;la.r WIS corrupt he retired almost entirely
from a'tivc praciire and sought the rciirc-
meat q! his farm ':S;inS Ss'uci near Green
vile city, where lie !iHS lived since and where
he died.
COY. Perry du";n: his l:fc had many friends
and nauy enemies. He wnS not an eiiuSivc
man and made little display Of his :ricn'l-
ships, but they were valuable and enduring.
lie was "a plain, blunt man. and when ne
disiti, Il or ni*trGStcd made 40 sccr1. OF ii.
stubborn II his opinions, h. WAS always Will.
ing to cnncCGe honesty t. his nppon"riS ana
10 give courtesy while ii WAS appreciated aud
rtciproc;ird. His fighting Was al done fi,iIlS
and openly. OF ScrunulnuS integrity and with
unspottcd purity OF character, h:. hated RAJ
caiIy and mctnntSS or any thing he t0Gl. i"!
II with bitter ana unrclrniing hatred ANA WL>
always ready tD lead warfare against it, He
did moi often win friends; he commanded
them hy tie rorcc Of lis charat ter and his un
Swcrving loyalty.
lie married in 1887 in The city of Charlie ton
Miss E!iZaAc:h +. Mccall, dnng!Iicr OF IirXt
Mct'all and Il niece Of Robert !. !;ayne. They
had seven children. OF whom four survive
Mrs. VIM. Eratiin, l;' preventative W. III. Per
ry Dr.. iicNt NJ. Perry. nf Philaacl%hia and B
T.. Perry. ,!r. Mrs. Perry survives the Cover
nur; OH bcr more especially his death come
huudrctls of friends ih:OuahOut thr country
arc with the entire l'rily, special measure
OF i: will he for her VIII" has SO many years H.
luEtraicd til" devotion and love of which wu
man is capable aS wife and mother.
Governor Perry WAS Il man of pure life, sim
| pic tastes and temperate habits. During the
last ten years i!rSt of his time has been sirl
at his pll"c in tn" country where hc hai bull
oneOf the haud>Onic$t residences in the state
lie usually drove into town III his carr iHGc, rc
crircd his mail, remained in the uliicc ul III:
law firm, culnpO"ed OF himself, W. ii. Perry
and Julius IL. licywari,: 4 few hours in th'
forenoon. and Returned ID his h"Ilr. There
! he had one OF The most complete libraries II
| tie country, covering The whole range oi lll
! craturr, anu he de- ot"d himself 10 max i'll.
/ ncw literary acquain!a;icc$ and renewing o!'
OEcS. He was an eager buyer and rCaGcr U
ncw books and q prolific writer Tor th" press
although lie rarely appeared in print DARN!
! the last years o! his lii" except when h.S III
! tcreSt wa& especially AROUSED in SOME matter
OF local Or genera! rulni;!,'nt. At one tia" li'
! Prepared G3i published in i!"wSirl"rs Il Sc:!r:
! -! lis.urIci!! sketches uf this section of tn'
STATE and "reminiscences oi the many diStin
:.u,sh"d men Mc had l:roMn and been as.nci:t
tc, with. = p:nc o! .irSc have been compile,
~. ed ~ i,.n, farm ne ii,Xt VI 4