The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1862-05-16
more Wrifiugs ON the walls I'm Rich
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Two months ago there was a small panic
in Richmond, occasioned by the discovery
Of some mysterious writings on the walls.
The rebels regarded the phenomenon with
horror, for the words were personal. The
Unionist came out at night and scrawled
unpleasant phrases that reflected upon Davis
and bis crew. The enemy pulled down the
placards and felt better. But, according to
the Richmond Eraminer of April 22d, the
process has just been repeated, and the
rebels seem to be in great rage over it.
The Enquirer says:
Yesterday morning the walls of the
houses of Purcell, Ladd & Co., Binford &
Porter, the POwhatan House, and other
conspicuous establishments about town,
were covered with incendiary ard bIasphes
nous writings, verbatim copy of some of
which we give below. The writing was in
a fair, round and deliberate hand, and all
evidently performed by one and the same
person-the writing in the various places
named being Identical in character. The
dirty work must have been begun before
the street lamps were extinguished at IL
o'clock on Saturday night, as it could not
possibly be accomplished in the dark. We
are confirmed in this opinion by the fact
that all the writings are in the neighbour
hood of the lamps. From the amount of
writing and the size of the letters, granting
it to have been performed by one hand, it is
computed that it could not have occupied
the writer less than an hour; that is, from
eleven till twelve o'clock. Where, it is on
every hand asked, where, during that dull
hour OF the watch, were the much vaunted,
highly paid ($4 per diem and perquisites)
detectives? Where was Rossvally t? Where
was Bob Crow?
That the writer was an Indifferent poet
and an ilIiterate and blasphemous man,
there can be but one opinion among those
who scan
THE WRITING ON THE WALLS.
On Purcell, iadd & Co.'s east wall:
son Yorktowns walls the cry is s still they
come,'"
"Change your bells into cannon, and charge
with Confederate 5's."
Southern Lexicon covered with glory:
Pinks of chivalry.'"
I" The Lord is on our side, but in conse-
quence OF pressing engagements elsewhere,
could not attend at Pea Ridge, Donelson, &C."
I" He will also be prevented from visiting
his chosen 'pinks at Yorktown"
"SOuthern hearts are beating low
Manassas bOasters shun the foe;
Stars and stripes shall wave again.
Notherners tread this ebon MAN,
Or E. 3. Spence & Co.'s west wall:
''Something new under the sun to wit
PetticOat gunboats.' "
Nationals unfurl your banners over York
town walls"
On the Powhattan House south wall:
"Southern boosters grasp the dust,
In the Lord you vainly trust,
For the Lord you fan would cheat
With HaleyOn lips and Plutos feet.'
{" The cry is still they come"
Also copy of the apparently favorite
lines:
"Southern hearts are beating low
On Binford & Porter's west wall:
"0n Yorktown heights the cry is still they
come"
"Change your bells into cannon, and charge
with Confe-"
Here the midnight scribe appears to
have been interrupted in his work, most
probably by the watchman on his way to
extinguish the lamps at the corner.
At an early hour of the day all these
ribald inscriptions, except those on the
house of Purcell, Ladd & Co., and E. B.
Spence & Co., were efaced by the propri-
etors of the different houses. Those at the
latter places, owing no doubt to the fact
that the owners of the two houses resided
at distance from them, were permitted to
remain, and until nightfal proved a great
attraction to Sunday loungers. Many Bit
ter imprecations were vented against the
unknown perpetrator of the scurrilous per-
formance.