Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-05-24

The W WARFARE UPON SENATOR DOUGLAS. Every man
who has risen to cninence statesman has been
forced to go through the fiery furnace Of malignant
vituperation and INSCRIPTIONS calumny. Those
who can endure such ordeal are fully compensa-
ted for their trials and sacrifices in the abiding graf
itude and mistaken confidence of their countrymen.
Senator Douglas is at this time the special mark at
which the whole brood of slandercrs aiming their
envenomCd assaults. He has taken the lead in
great measure, which threatens fanaticism with vir
tual humiliation and with all the reckessness and
vintlictveness Of desperation the is waged not
only against the measure, but against the private
character of Judge Douglas. 1t is this latter feature
in the crusade against him which calls for special
notice. 1t commenced by the conspirators in
Congress, who appealed to the clergy to give to
their work of defamation the white washing influence
of the clerical endorsement. Judge Douglas has
nobly and trumphant!y met and rebuked his asSail
ants and he has the proud satisfaction of knowing
that his vindication is regarded complete by the
patriotic Judgment of the country. Batf1ed in their
efforts to affect his private character by caumnious
insinuations against his motives and his habits of
life, of his enemies have sought TO return to
the days of his boyhood for materials of attack. We
observe i'll a whig print in Wisconsin paragraph in
regard to the character of Judge Douglas whilst
a schoolboy, which is too revolving in its Infamous
SANDERS to be quoted even for refutation But this
will prove to be the most unfortunate movement of
his enemies Tor the success OF their warfare In an
to the charges of the paragraph to which we
allude early associate Of Judge Douglas for
ward promptly through the Milwaukee Morning
News ana makes aVlnulcaton winch VIII recon- up
on the sandcrcrs. He gives the following interest
ing sketch of the early life of Senator Douglas. He
says: Wash. Union.
81 resided in the ncighborhood of Stephen A.
Douglas, in the county of Ontario, New York, while
he was in his youth, from sixteen to twenty-one
years of age. 1 knew him well while he was schol-
at the Canandaigua Academy, was member of
a debating society with him, and during my first
year of practice he student-atlaw in my office.
lie universally esteemed quiet studious, and
exemplary young man.
He was remarkable only for energy of character,
frmness of purpose, and a soundness of understand
ing beyond his years. Having lost his father when
about II years old, he quit the trade of acdgon-
maker, for which he had been designed, procured
his small patrimony (only about $400) to be placed
at his command and with scrupulous economy, de-
voted himself to study until the entire fund was
exhausted Then, with characteristic resolution,
without fortune friends, he embarked for the Far
West selected home in Illinois, taught school,
finished his law studies, and from that period, made
his pricate life public history. His onward and up
ward career from the beginning las been marked
by every feature which should excite the emulation
of youth and command the respect of age Around
the home of his aged mother-tO whom he has been
proverbially kind fal, and generous-hs name is
cherished and honored more for the virtues of the
man than the honors and talents of the senator.
Mr. Douglas may have his political errors but let
those who differ with him oppose his measures and
assai his doctrines. have been reluctantly induced
to make this statement not less tribute to the
truth than as reproof to that unenvablc litteness
which seizes ruthlessly upon private character and
attempts destroy that when it fails to defeat the
elevation overthrow the arguments ofa statesman.
Yours, &C., L.. H."