The New York herald., 1863-02-05

nrs. Lfncoin and the Radicals Of Both
PARTIES.
whatever may be the personal habits, tho
social antscedents or the political opinions OF
the President of the United States, his high
good citizen and honorable num- Especially is
this remark true in regard to the domestic rela-
tions Of the head Of the nation. The President
u er o6scio the representative of the govern
mont, and those who insult him or his family,
whether In the chit ohst and gossip OF society,
from the rostrum OF the public orator, or
through the columns Of the newspapers not
only violate the rules of etiquette, but are
guilty Of attempting to bring the nation into
contempt We regret to state that these offences
are proven against the radical leaders, and
especially the radical organs, Of both the re-
publican and democratic parties.
1t was about year ago that the radical re-
publican press began Z scandaious onslaught
upon Mrs. Lincoln, the wife of the President.
The motive Of these attacks was the report that
Mrs. Lincoln did not agree in opinion with the
abolition radicals upon the slavery question
This discussion about the political opinions Of
. lady who pretcnds to NO political influence,
and whose tastes lie In an altogether differ
snt direction, was conducted with most un-
warrantable license. The New England pa
pers, though assuming to represent moral,
pure and scrupulously fastidious communities,
disgraced themselves by publishing the most
Infamous ISLANDERS. New England speakers
banded Mrs. Lincoln's name about in the most
ungentlemanly manner, and did not scruple to
assail her as q sympathizer with the rebels, be-
cause they could not then induce the President
to yield to their fanatical demands. The New
York Tribune was foremost in this dirty work,
and many of our readers must still remember
the Iribune's vulgarities upon Mrs. Lincoln's
ball and ball dress, and the annoying para
graphs in regard to her French and the studies
she was making, /" that she may better discharge
the duties of her elevated station" Nor can
the proceedings Of the kitchen committee of
Paul Pry Hickman yet be forgotten or forgiven.
In short, the cowardly and brutal radical repub
licans, afraid to attack the President openly,
continued for a long while to abuse and insult
his wife, who, so far from giving them the
slightest excuse for their assaults, was distin-
guished then as now for her benevolence, her
amiability, the absence of that vulgar display
which too many women would affect in her
position, and for those graces Of person and
deportment which beft the wife of the Chief
Magistrate Of a great country.
At that time several Of the democratic jour
nails were the first to resent and protest against
this objectionable attempt to drag q
lady into the mire Of political contro-
versy. Now, however, the tide has turned,
and, with apparently no other provoca-
ton than a desire to wound the President
through his domestic affections, the radical
democratic organs are villifying Mrs. Lincoln
as scandalously as did the abolition papers
few months ago. One Of these democratic
organs recently announced that Mrs. Lincoln
was in favor Of emancipating the slaves Of ,
the South and concluded its remarks by the
boorish suggestion that the President might
hail his wife "as the first slave emancipated by
his proclamation" The Journal of Commerce.
whose editors make great pretensions to piety
and patriotism; the Express, which is conducted
by men who profess to be perfect chevaliers
sans reproche in their intercourse with ladies'
and the World, which is managed by few very
young men who have probably associated only
with each other, and have thus acquired very bad
manners and worse sense, have each copied and
given circulation to bit Of Washington gossip,
which no decent paper ought to print with
out accompanying 1t with the proper condem-
nation, and which is to the effect that "Mrs.
Lincoln looks rather pretty, owing in great
measure, doubtless, to the elaborate coat of
paint which tinged her features with unnatural
beauty" Washington gossip is q term usually
synonymous with falsehood, and never was the
falsehood more absurd and palpable than in
the present instance. 1t may be useless, per-
haps, to remind the radical democratic editors
that such publications, if uncontradicted, have
tendency to ALLEVIATE from the President
and his family that popular affection and
respect almost indispensable to the welfare
of the country during such . crisis as this.
That alienation it seems to be the object Of
these editors to accomplish. Neither, possibly,
will they be at all moved by the consideration
that their articles may excite contempt for the
nation and its rulers in foreign countries which
may operate most disadvantageously to our
cause. But certainly these editors should re-
feet that, while they may injurs Mrs. Lincoln in
the estimation Of the ignorant and the envious,
they equally injure themselves by the publication
of what is false in fact, Objectionable in its sub
ject, and contrary to all the recognized usages
Of polite and refined society. To those who
know Mrs. Lincoln her character speaks>for
itself, and her merits are as great as they are
unobtrusve. The sick and wounded soldiers
in the hospitals about Washington bless her
kindness, her benignity and her generosity.
All who are brought into social intercourse
with her admire her womanly virtues, her good
ness Of heart and her rare modssty, which
adorns, while 1t cannot entirely conceal, the