author
William C. Preston
A prominent 19th-century American statesman, he is remembered for his eloquent speaking and his role in South Carolina politics during a turbulent era. His memoirs and speeches offer a firsthand window into public life in the early United States.
1 Audiobook
The Bitter Cry of Outcast London An Inquiry into the Condition of the Abject Poor
by Andrew Mearns, William C. Preston
About the author
Born in Philadelphia in 1794, William Campbell Preston became a lawyer, educator, and politician whose career was closely tied to South Carolina. He studied at South Carolina College and later at the University of Edinburgh before building a reputation as a gifted public speaker.
Preston served in the South Carolina legislature and then represented the state in the U.S. Senate from 1833 to 1842. During those years he was associated first with the Nullifier movement and later with the Whig Party, reflecting the intense political debates of his time.
Beyond politics, he also served as president of South Carolina College. He died in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1860, and is still noted for his speeches, public service, and the posthumously published Reminiscences of William C. Preston.