The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1862-05-16
More Writings on the Walls in Rich :
mOnd.

Two months ago there was 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 his 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., Binlord g.
Porter, the Powhatan House, and other
conspicuous establishments about town,
were covered with incendiary ard blasphes
nous writings, verbatim copy OF some of
which we give below. The writing was in
a fall, 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 II
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 neighbor~
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 (S4 per diem and perquisites)
detectives Where was RossVally Where
was Bob Crow?
Ehat the writer was an Indifferent poet
and az ilterate and basphemous man,
there can be but 0ne opinion among those
who scan
THE WRITING ON THE WALLS.
On Purcell, I-add & Co.'S east wall:
son Yorktown's walls tie cry is still they
come,'"
Change your bells into cannon, and charge
with Confederate 5's.''
-, :. Southern Lexicon covered with glory:
Pnks of chivalry."
The Lord is on our side, but in conse-
quence of pressing engagements elsewhere,
could not attend at Pea Ridge, Donelson, &C."
90 He will also be prevented from visiting
his chosen 'pnks' at Yorktown
"Southern hearts are beating low
Manassas boasters shun the foe
Stars and stripes shall wave again.
Notherners tread this ebon main.''
Or Z. B. 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:
G. Southern boosters grasp the dust,
In the Lord you vainly trust,
For the Lord you fain would cheat
With Haleyon lips and Pluto's feet"
g The cry is still they come"
Also copy of the apparently iavorite
lines:
Southern hearts are beating low
On Binford & Porter's west wall:
On Yorktown heights the cry is still they
come"
Change your bells into cannon, and charge
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 6 Co., were ef1aced 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 a distance from them. were permitted to
ramaia, and until nightfaA proved great
attraction to Sunday loungers. Many Bit
ter imprecations were vented against the
unknown Dernatrator Of the scurrilOus per-