The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-12

rur wARFARE UPON SENATOR DOUGLAS.

Every man who has risen to emnence statesman
has been forced to go through the fiery furnace Of mag
pant yitupeaton and INSCRIPTIONS eaiumny Those who
can endure such ordeal are fully compensated Tor e
trials and sacrifices in the abiding gratitude and mistaken
confidence Of their countrymen Senator Douglas Is al
this time the special mark at which the whole brood OF
sanderers are aiming their euvenomed assaults lie has
taken The lead in great measure which threatens anati-
sm with virtual annihilaon and with all the reckless
ness and yindciiveness Of desperation the war is waged
not only against the measure but against the private char
aeer Of Judge Douglas Is this latter feature in the cru
sade AGAINST him which calls for special notice 1t was
commenced by the conspators in Congress- who appealed
to the clergy give TO their work Of defamation the white
washing influence of the clerical endorsement. Judge
Douglas has nobly and umphanty met and rebuked his
asaants and he has the proud satisfaction OF knowing
that his vndcaon is regarded complete by the patr
otto Judgment of the country Baed in their efforts to affect
his private character by cumous nsnuatons against his
motives and his habits of life Of his enemies have
sought to the days Of his boyhood for materials of
attack We observe in wing print in Wisconsin para
graph regard to the character of Judge Douglas whilst
schoolbo which is too revolving in its infamous slam
ders be quoted for REPUTATION But this viii prove
to be the unfortunate of his enemies for
the success of their warfare In to the charges
the paragraph to which allude early of
Judge Douglas forward promptly through the Mil
wauke Morning News and makes vndication which will
eco upon the slanderers He gives the following inter
esng sketch of the early life of Senator Douglas He
says.
g" resided in the neigborhood Of Stephen A. Douglas
the county of Ontario New York. while he in his youth
from sixteen to twcny-one years of age knew him well
while he a scholar at the Canandagua Academy,
member of debating society with him. and during my
year practice he was student at-law in my Office lie
maiuoseiy esteemed qua studous, and erempla-
ry young
He remarkable only for energy of character, firm
Of purpose, and sounness of understanding beyond
his years Having lost his father when about II years old
he quit the trade of nayon-oke for which he had been
designed procured his small parony (ony about $4,000
be placed at his command and with scrupulous economy,
devoted himself to study until the entire fund exhausted
Then with characteristic resolution, without fortune
friends he embarked for the Far West selected home in II
no taught school, finished his law studies and from that
period made his private life public history His and
upward from the beginning has been marked by every
feature which should excite the emulation of youth
mand the respect of age Around the home OF his aged
moherto whom he has been proyerbially kind lia and
generoushis cherished and honorcd for the
virtues OF the than the honors and talents the senator
Mr. Douglas may have his political errors but let those
who differ with him oppose his and asa bis doc
rine have been reluctantly induced to make this state
ment not less tribute to the truth than az reproof
that unenviabe eness which sezes ruhessy upon private
character and attempts destroy that when fails 10 de-
feat the elevation overthrow the arguments Of states
Yours, &c, l.. H. -