 He was admitted to the South Carolina bar in 1827, but pursued journalism and became the editor of the "Greenville Mountaineer" in 1832.The paper was adamantly against nullification and Perry was able to parlay his influence by being elected as a delegate to both the Union Convention and the Nullification Convention.Turner Bynum, who was editor of the pro-Calhoun "Greenville Sentinel" newspaper, met Perry in a duel.