Mr. Petigru was born in a fortunate period in his country's history. He first saw the light in May, 1789. At that time, the foremost minds of America were studying constitutional questions, and the underlying principles of government. No wonder that this bright young Carolina lawyer should have become interested in affairs of State, formed a definite line of politics and settled for himself the question whether he would assume the role of demagogue or plant himself upon the high plane of statesmanship. He was fortunate too in the place of his birth. Abbeville county, South Carolina, was the home of his nativity and the place of his childhood. It was and is a county prolific of great men. She can rightly claim as her children, either by birth or adoption, John C. Calhoun, George McDuffie, Judge Cheves, Dr. Geddings, Judge James Calhoun, George and Aleck Bowie, Dr. John T. Pressly, the two Wardlaws, and many others whom I might mention. Genius thrives best when it finds kindred spirits around it. If I wanted an illustration of this fact, I would cite Boston with its long list of eminent men. Mr. Petigru received his primary and academic education in his native county, at the school of the celebrated teacher, Rev. Dr. Moses Waddell. He was as fortunate in having such a teacher as Dr. Waddell to start him off as he was in being born of Scotch-Irish parentage mingled with the French.
