Stephen Decatur Miller graduated from South Carolina College and practiced law in Sumterville. He entered politics, campaigning for the Senate on a platform advocating for the abolition of tariffs. After a period in public office, Miller transitioned to farming in Mississippi. He is survived by his second wife and their four children, one of whom became a notable historical figure through her writings.

Stephen Decatur Miller's political career is marked by an ideological agility that juxtaposes his advocacy for tariff abolition with a later retreat from politics. His rhetorical style is both radical and calculated, as evidenced by his bold stance against tariffs while simultaneously employing a militaristic metaphor to describe reform. Miller's personal life, marked by the loss of his first wife and children, and his subsequent marriage to a younger woman, adds a layer of complexity to his public persona. His eventual shift to farming in Mississippi suggests a departure from political entanglements, yet his legacy is intertwined with the regional economic tensions of his time.