Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-01-18
WHY TRADUcE OUR PRESIDENTS

We copy from the San Francisco National the
following well.merited and well-written rebuke to
the abusers and slanderers of the worthy Chief Mag
istrate, and commend it to the attention of all:
sOute an old man tenants very large white house
at our distant Federal Capital There is boar frost
upon his erst dark locks, and his checks and brow
are ploughed with deep burrows. lie is the master
engineer of a complex governmental machinery
Strange is it. that man advances IN the pathway
of civilization, the legal network surrounding him
grows more minute and intricate in proportion to
his progress. While the red savage is ruled by the
simple edict of his pariarchal chief the enlightened
Republican letters himself with Il myriad of written
laws. The very aged man, of whom we speak, has
little joyous pastime. Mostly when men become
and their muscles are shrinking and their snews
brittle from aridty they seize stout cane, and
surrounded by pratling grandchildren, they betake
themselves to lawns and greenwood and lounge and
bask away the sunlight Mostly with green old age
comes ease and sweet abandonment. There is no
such calm or mellow joy in the declining years of
him who wieds the baton of Federal rule. In
other lands of intelligent sway the head of the gov
eminent is an irresponsible puppet and the cares
and tolls of craftsmanship submitted to the subof
dinates The diadem presses an indifferent and in
dolent brow. No maidens merriment is the office
of President of these United States. Who presdes
these thirty millions of nervous souls has en-
barkcd upon the labors of Sysiphus. The territory
ricious monarch of Macedon. The human masses
he controls the thralls of dStcmpered restless
ness that scarcely brook any limit. His sub
jects are wild and fermentlng integences who
cognise no law or master beyond their selt-reguated
The laws they have inscribed upon the
statutory page completely null if arrayed against
public sentiment Of so peculiar people is that
very old man the head and front. He has been pro-
NOTED to the Of ali extraordinary experiment in
the great matter of selfgovernment.
Our inquiry is docs Federal Executive de-
the constant and fearful abuse that is showered
upon aim?
If there be truth in biography and the testimony
of his contemporaries the department of our Chief
Magistrate has been peculiarly decorOus during his
entire career, while his private life has been Singu
larly beyond reproach At quite an early period of
his eventul life he entered upon the political arena.
Passing through various grades of preerment he
energies into the Presidency, after continuous po-
litical apprenticeship of half century. In his time
grave matters have agitated the national heart, and
questions of severest moment to the republic have
been permanently adjusted. In the terrific storm
of passionate mnd-n the fierce conflict of giant in
tellects, Marked and suaye and polished contest
ant in the hottest of the melee, the stawart in
dividual who is now Federal Palinurus Amid
these majestic frames he was no pigmy He has
impressed hS-bOd and correct suggestions upon eve
ry portion of federal legislation of any conSe-
quence. In the flush of buoyant manhood, or adj
NaDCn5 10 the strength OF mluQle age, or In the
wisdom of maturcr years, he has ever been the
courcd associate Of the bravcst and purest and most
intellectual of the land. lie has mingled with
vast credit in the deliberations of the Senate cham
ber He has sat in gravest counsel with his imme-
diate Presidential predecessors. lie has visited for
cign courts on missions of delicate and perplexcd
diplomacy. \ very Penelope in continuous action,
he has evinced ripe scholarship courteous address,
ntclle It of deep, and nervous and varied powers
Who but the delriouS and besOtted partisan will
dare to say, that a man sprung from the soil and
with an educated morality, is not an American pa
triot? Is he ambitious: Then his hopes fruition
results from earnest devotion to the interests of
his country. Patriotism is policy.
At last then, has James Buchanan reached the
most distant and difficult goal of human elevation.
He has clambered to a miraculous height. He has
attained the summit at the verge of his mortal
recr. 1t is no stretch of kindness to suppose that
there floats about him the pure atmosphere of loft
lest intention. lie knows that the impartial Genius
of History is waiting to catch up his name. With
a brief limitation to his term of Office and en-
pressed determination to retiracy it is very hard to
believe that Chief Magistrate is struggling for
the infamous record of Borga or Caligula.
\ whitening shame his monstrous and IN
scrupulous detractors! With every Indictment to |
justice and purity, they intimate that he emuates
the bold, bad name OF the Roman Catiline. Why |
this venomOus eXpcctoration of Shiny epithet? Is |
the spirit of insane party in these United States
foul and putrd that its chief behest is unfounded Vi
tuperation against an aged and good man, who has |
battled through long life for his countrys veal
Buchanan has no bride save the land of his BIRTH |
His good name is the only offspring he will transmit
to poSterity. Why, then, SANDER and vfy that
aged man, who night and day, and amid storm and
sunshine, bravely stands at the helm of the Ship of
State? His energies enough for the hcrculean
toll He is gnidng it safely and with all his might
through domestic dlssensons and foreign aggreS-
sons. He has done well, very well. He will be
reckoned hereafter peer among the purcst and
abest of our Presidents.
Again, we say, bitter burning shame the
traducers of our good, and aged, and excellent Pres
idcnt".
No foIln