Thomas Bennett Jr. (August 14, 1781 – January 30, 1865) was an American businessman, banker and politician, the 48th Governor of South Carolina from 1820 to 1822.

In 1820, the General Assembly elected him as the Governor of South Carolina for the customary two-year term (the state wanted to limit executive power).

More than one million African-American slaves would be forcibly relocated to the Deep South in the domestic trade before the Civil War.)

In mid-June 1822, Charleston white residents were alarmed by reports that a conspiracy had been discovered for a slave rebellion led by free black man Denmark Vesey.

[1] Bennett was concerned about the way the court was conducting its work and consulted with the state attorney general, Robert Y. Hayne, who advised him that the right of habeas corpus was available only to freemen.

He lost the public argument to Intendant James Hamilton, who stressed that white residents had been saved by the city government's quick action.