Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 11.pdf/632

 IVilliam Campbell Preston. tion. Colonel Preston and General Waddy Thompson persevered in their error and re mained consistent and true to their mistaken 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 profession." In another place Governor Perry says: "In order to break down General Jack son's administration, Mr. Calhoun became a Whig, and the ally of Clay and Webster. He then abandoned the Whig party, and because Colonel Preston and General Thomp son would not do so likewise, he drove one from the Senate and took the stump to crush the other. It is, however, the fate of genius to be erratic. For many years Mr. Calhoun was absolute in South Caro lina, and all who sought promotion in the State had to follow him and swear by him. He thought, for the State and crushed out all independence of thought in those below him. It is said by the his torian that on the death of Henry the Eighth of England, that kingdom breathed more freely. I thought, after the death of Mr. Calhoun, the people of South Carolina could think more independently." That Mr. Preston regarded Mr. Calhoun as autocratic and dictatorial, and that he was restive and determined not to be controlled by him, the following extracts from Governor Perry's book show : " I heard Colonel Preston remark at his own table, soon after the death of Mr. Calhoun, that it was the interposition of Providence for the good of the country in taking off Mr. Calhoun at that time. He thought South Carolina would then have peace and quiet once more. But in this he was greatly mistaken, as the result showed. Had Mr. Calhoun been living at the com mencement of our sectional war, he might have opposed it and stayed the attempted revolution. "Whilst in the Senate together, Colonel Preston thought Mr. Calhoun seemed to

593

think that he ought in all matters to follow implicitly in his lead. This entire surrender of his judgment to that of another was what Colonel Preston could not tolerate, and his proud spirit rebelled against all dictation. I once heard Judge Withers say that Governor Miller made the same complaint of Mr. Cal houn whilst he was his colleague in the Sen ate, and that this compelled him to withdraw from the Senate. Governor Hammond once made a remark, that he had much rather be Calhoun's successor than his colleague in the United States Senate." Not only did Mr. Preston show his pluck and spirit by refusing to yield to the dicta tion of Mr. Calhoun, and by giving up office rather than sacrifice his convictions of duty; but his whole public life bore abun dant testimony to his manly, independent character. Again, Mr. Preston was full of enthusiasm. An orator cannot succeed unless he pos sesses a fervid soul and an ardent tempera ment. These cold-blooded speakers chill rather than fire an audience. The success ful orator must always be brimful of en thusiasm. Mr. Preston's eloquence was the joint product of nature and art. He was born an orator. He imbibed a spirit of oratory with his mother's milk. His good old grand mother, we have already learned, was a sister of Patrick Henry, and, like her dis tinguished brother, was endowed with the gift of eloquence. Indeed, we are told that Mr. Preston resembled his great-uncle, Patrick, not only in his ability to speak, but also in his personal appearance. There was a marked resemblance, too, in their style of oratory. Not only did Mr. Preston inherit from his ancestry the gift of eloquence, but he was born and spent his youth in a State whose very atmosphere was permeated with a spirit of eloquence and statesmanship; and, further still, he received his education in a city and at a college where great orators dwelt, and