William Campbell Preston.
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knew then that he had been one of the great orators of the world." A letter from Hon. James Hemphill, who has been for many years a distinguished member of the Chester bar, gives some in teresting facts pertaining to Mr. Preston. Mr. Hemphill writes : " I had very little per sonal acquaintance with Col. W. C. Preston. I saw him for the first time in 1828 (seventy years ago). I was then a school-boy of fifteen, at a school in Richland County, on Cedar Creek. It was a time when some ar dent patriots undertook to starve out the New England manufactories by wearing homespun clothes. Colonel Preston was a candidate for the legislature, and was dressed in a complete suit of homespun. He also shot at a mark with a Sand-Hill voter for a water-milin, as the Sand-Hills called it, and ' Ye banks and braes and streams around won the bet — outshot the Sand-Hills. I The castle of Montgomery.' — next saw him in Washington City in 1842, When he had finished, Mr. Preston sat silent when he was a member of the United States for a few moments, and then raising his face, Senate. I was introduced by our Repre he surprised the class by saying: 'I do not sentative, General Rogers, of York County. know that I can do it, but I am going to I had some conversation, but not a great make an effort to show you how I think deal. Mr. Calhoun was his colleague in the those fine lines should be spoken.' Helping Senate, and they were said not to be friendly. himself by the table, he stood up, placed his I may add, although hardly pertinent to the crutches beneath his shoulders, and taking us case, that I also became acquainted with all in with his eyes, I heard a low and tender Mr. Calhoun, and spent an hour or more in voice speak slowly and distinctly the two his room. I was delighted with his kindness first lines. Then all at once the aged and and affability. I saw Colonel Preston a few I never heard him bowed body lifted itself erect, and stood times subsequently. straight and strong; the crutches fell on make but one speech, at Winnsboro, in a law either side, and there stood before us a case. He spoke very well, with great power. His power of invective was strong. He majestic, Apollo- like form, with great lumi nous eyes, and an all-irradiated face. I lost gained his case. I suppose there is a sketch the power of conscious hearing and seeing, of him in Judge O'Neall's " Bench and Bar." and I have never been able to recall anything (My copy has been lent out.) When his else, until Mr. Preston fell panting into his funeral took place in Columbia, the court of appeals was in session, and it is said that chair; and finding myself with my class mates, leaning far forward, nearly out of our | Judge O'Neall wanted the court to adjourn chairs, I caught my breath, and regained my 1 to attend the funeral. The other members seat. As soon as the old man had recovered of the court refused, and Judge O'Neall ad from his exhaustion, a few of us went for journed himself and went. The latter part ward, and with awe and tenderness, helped I is certain, for Judge O'Neall had it noted in him downstairs, and to his house. We the proceedings of the court and reported in to see and hear him, as he must have ap peared in his prime, when making a great speech. He taught my class elocution. Usually it was rather a farce. His recitation room was in the second story. We helped him up the steps, and to his chair. He would sit bending over his table, with the class book before him, and his crutches leaning against the wall. He would call in order the students, who had been required to select, memorize, and speak passages, either prose or poetry. As you finished, the old man would lift his head, and say, ' Very good, Mr. — ' and then call on another, and so on to the end, without a word of comment or criticism. Once, however, one of the class spoke in a very dudish way Burns' Highland Mary:
