How did newspapers treat President Lincoln?

Answer 1

Although Abraham Lincoln won two elections and had many supporters, in general the press and his political opponents were always critical of Lincoln. At various times, Northern, Southern, and foreign newspapers were constantly critical of Lincoln and in very personal ways. Openly racist articles and cartoons were always published and found an audience among people who held opposing political views but also agreed about Lincoln. From the Radical Republicans to the War Democrats, Lincoln had to bear critical articles. And, Republicans like Edwin Stanton referred to Lincoln, before the 1860 elections as a "giraffe". Sadly, only his assassination brought many of his ardent critics to regret the way they had treated him.

Answer 2

Newspapers during President Lincoln's time covered him extensively, reflecting the diverse political views of the era. Some newspapers praised his leadership and policies, while others criticized him sharply, especially concerning the Civil War and abolition of slavery. Additionally, there were many political Cartoons and editorials that either supported or opposed his actions as president.

Answer 3

And to add to what my colleague correctly noted, the coverage really depended on which part of the country was providing the information. Some northern papers were more favorable towards certain of his policies (such as freeing the slaves), whereas some southern papers regarded him negatively, or even with contempt. Early in Lincoln's career, many newspapers were fascinated by his story-- someone without much formal education who worked his way up, taught himself the law, and after becoming an attorney, later became a successful politician. In fact, newspaper stories noted that he really was called "Honest Abe," due to his reputation for being reliable and credible.

Coverage of the great debates between Lincoln and Douglas were quite thorough (can you imagine an eight-hour debate in today's world of short attention spans?), and even newspapers that favored one candidate over the other were still very thorough in telling the story, because it was the era before telephone, radio, and TV, when the public could only rely upon what was in newspapers and magazines (unless they were at the event). But once he became president and the nation was caught up in controversy, coverage of Mr. Lincoln diverged into partisanship. Unfortunately, his wife Mary was the victim of some of the harshest and most brutal criticism-- today, scholars attribute some of this to the sexism of the times, as well as to the fact that Mary was a well-educated woman with strong opinions, living in an era when upper-class women were not expected to do much other than host lavish parties.

When President Lincoln was murdered, most of the northern newspapers were devastated by the news, and wrote eloquently about how he had saved the union, using adjectives like "beloved," "admired," and "courageous" to describe him. Reporters for his hometown press in Springfield IL were even more emotional, calling the assassination "foul" and "brutal," as well as American history's darkest day. The Illinois State Register discussed memorial events held in that city, and printed a resolution passed at Illinois State University, decrying how Mr. Lincoln had been "unjustly assassinated at the hand of a treacherous coward." But it took a while for some of the southern newspapers to be as deeply moved or saddened by Lincoln's death as those who saw him as an inspirational figure. In fairness, the response varied. Many just reported the facts, and did not editorialize about the news at all; but some, for example the Charleston (South Carolina) Courier, noted the city was in mourning, and stated that many in the public were indignant that such a thing could have happened; people in that city saw it as a stain on America's honor.