The loathsome Mr. Lincoln (part 1 of 2)

“….The epithets ranged from mere familiar cognomens intended to bring him into contempt, like ‘Abraham,’ ‘Uncle Abe’ (cf. ‘Adolf,’ ‘Uncle Joe’) and ‘Old Abe’ to names carrying with them the imputation of meanness of character, physical ugliness, despotic pretensions: ‘The Criminal,’ ‘The Perjurer and Murderer,’ ‘The Widow-Maker,’ ‘Lying Fiend,’ ‘Vulgar Buffoon,’ ‘The Illinois Blackguard,’ ‘Vulgar Imitator of Royalty,’ ‘the detestable, drunken, would-be tyrant at Washington,’ ‘The Northern Ape,’ ‘The Monster,’ ‘The Baboon,’ ‘The Gorilla,’ ‘Fanatic Abe,’ ‘His Sable Excellency,’ ‘The Usurper,’ ‘The Tyrant,’ ‘The Despot,’ ‘King Abe’ and ‘Abraham the First, King of the Northern Nation.’

“Many editors… used the epithet without mentioning his name at all. When the Raleigh Register, for example, announced ‘Another Proclamation From the Tyrant,’ or when the Raleigh Standard called for recruits to ‘drive the hirelings of the Northern Ape back from…sacred soil,’ no further identification seemed necessary.”

— From “Malice Toward One: Lincoln in the North Carolina Press” by Richard Bardolph  (Lincoln Herald, Winter 1951). Tomorrow’s excerpt addresses how the press depicted Lincoln and race.

One thought on “The loathsome Mr. Lincoln (part 1 of 2)”

  1. Yes — its pretty clear North Carolina was steeped in hate for anyone that was for human rights for blacks. They especially detested Lincoln because he dared to say blacks should have all the rights enumerated in the Delcaration of Independence.

    The predictions in the North Carolina press obviously did not come true. All the blackw were not “extinquished” within 10 years.

    This was not the only state that said or implied they would killl all the blacks if they were freed. Alabama leaders said this “They therefore must remain with us; and if the relation of master and slave be dissolved, and our slaves turned loose amongst us without restraint, they would either be destroyed by our own hands– the hands to which they look, and look with confidence, for protection– or we ourselves would become demoralized and degraded.

    The former result would take place, and we ourselves would become the executioners of our own slaves. ”

    We can’t free em – cause we would have to kill em!

    Lot of insane lunatics in the South at the time.

    The Southern Press destested Lincoln almost as much as they loved God for giving them slaves. It was an insane period in history that only took 150 years, a Civil War, repeated federal troops, and three Constitutional Amendment to begin to correct it.

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