The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-31
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THE NORFOLK POST


/ Major Anderson, about eighty men, and
| 7 learn from Major Anderson that bis
provisions are nearly exhausted. / have
not only written to Governor Pickens.
/ but have sent special messenger TO
| him, to say that If he will allow Major
| Anderson To obtain his marketing al the
| Charleston market, or will have It sens
to him, will make no effort to provision
| the fort but that Ii he does not do that,
| + will not permit these people to starve.
| and shall send a vessel loaded with bread
aud that if he fires on that vessel, he
will fire upon an unarmed vessel buc l.
shall at the same time send fleet along
with her, with instructions not to enter
| the harbor Of Charleston unless that yes G
sci is fired into, and II she IL, then the
] beet To enter the harbor and protect her.
Now, Mr.. Baldwin. that feet Is now TX.
| ing in the harbor OF New York, and Will
be ready to sail this afternoon at nve
| O'Clock. Although L fear IL Is almost too
late, yet / will submit the proposition
which I intended when l sent Tor MI.
Summers. Your convention in Rich-
niond has been sitting nearly two months
and all that they have done has been TO
shake the rod over my head. You have
recently taken a vote in the Virginia
Convention on the right OF secession
which was rejected by 80 to As, majori-
ty OF two-thirds, showing the strength
OF the Union party in that convention.
III YOU will go back TO Richmond, andgeS
that Union majority to adjourn and go
home without passing the ordinances OF
secession, 80 annex us all for the pfesfF!
walton of the peace of this country, ana
save Virginia and the other Borner
States from going out, then will take
the responsibility OF evacuating Fort
Sumter, and take the chance OF negotta-
ting with the Cotton States, which have
gone out. "Well, Mr.. Lincoln" en-
auired Mr. Bolts, chow did Mr.. Baldwin
receive the proposition ?n "Sir," said
Mr.. Lincoln, raising up his hands, ''hs
would not listen to it for moment he
hardly treated me with civility. lie
asked me what meant by adjournment.
Did mean an adjournment sine DEF
Why, Of course, Mr.. Baldwin, said I. I
meant an adjournment sine die. DO
not mean to assume such q responsibility
as that of surrendering that fort to tile
people of Charleston upon your adjourn
ment, and then for you to return in q
week or ten days, and pass your Ordi.
nance of secession, after have given up
the fort.
Mr.. Bolts, very much incensed, as lie
says, that Mr.. Baldwin should have re-
jected the proposition, asked Mr.. Lin
coin to authorize him to make it to the
Union men of the Convention, assuring
h M that they would adopt it willingly
and cheerfuliy to which Mr.. Lincoln
replied: "Oh, it is too late the fleet has
sailed, and i have no means of conlmu-
nicating with it," Mr.. Bolts then asked
permission to mention the circumstance
for Mr.. Lincoin's own benefit, but MIR.
Lincoln said, "Well, not just now,
Bolts; after awhile yoI may Mr..
Bolts inference wus that Mr.. Lincoln
was assuming responsibility which
would at that day have been extremely
distasteful to those who had elevated
him to the Presidency, but he thought
l. due now to history. and f. t = v'.Ar-
Mr.. Bolts was here asked the question
"are you perfectly sure, according to
your best recollection, that Mr.. Lincoln
told you that he had made that PROPOSE
| ton to Mr.. Baldwin, to evacuate Fort
Sumter on this condition. Answer-"I
know 1t as well as know you are stand.
| ing before me, and that / am answering
your question:"
Mr.. Bolts relates that some weeks af-
forwards he returned to Richmond, and
mentioned one evening to Mr.. John A.
| Lewis, Union member Of the Convex
ton, the substance of the conversation
he had with Mr.. Lincoln, and that next
| morning Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Baldwin
| drove IT, his house, aud had an interview
with him, which he narrates as follows
| We'll, Mr.. Baldwin," said Mr.. Bolts,
| is 1t true that Mr., Lincoln did propose
1 To you that If the Convention would
1 adjourn and 60 home without passing
| tue ordinance of secession, he would
| evacuate Fort Sumter?"
Yes said Mr.. Baldwin, "he did.u
| My God, Mr.. Baldwin, said Bolts.
why did you reject such proposition
! The only answer that Baldwin mada
was by taking out his watch and saying.
1t only wants twenty minutes Of the
hour of the meeting of the Convention.
when q most important vote is to be
| taken,' meaning the vote on the ordi.
nance of secession. I" am Obliged 20 be
there punctnally at the hour, and have
not time to make the explanation I
desire, but will avail myself Of the
earliest opportunity TO make a full ex-
! PLANTATION Of the whole of tn
From that day to this, Mr.. Bolts saws.
he never laid his eyes on Mr.. Baldwin,
nor heard any explanation from him.
nor had directly any communication
| with him; but he had been informed
that Mr.. Baldwin gets very much excited
whenever the subject is mentioned in
his pre,sence. 49,
/ Furth er ON in his testimony Mr.. Bolts
| was asked: 80 !. -.
Question" If this whole proposition
had been CO. nmunicated to the Unionists
OF the Virg inia Convention. topethsr
with call for Il National Conventtoc
would that have prevented the break inc
out OF civil warp Answer tbjnS
II would, for the reason that aIthono1,
the Democracy, which never. meant To
ee satisfied with anything be- war.
despairing of being able TO carry -,
ordinance, would have voted for Tie a.
!ournment while the Union men. WIZ
wanted peace, would also have voted IN.
A careful canvass of the Senate ~.
been made, and it is. found that tho mas
a9sino, cannot muster over IL votes
against the passage of the Civil Piss
| Oil over the veto. This sssnra. -. guts
sage by the majority whenever IL ia ~ Mas pss-
ed to vote. The fact Is admiral Lpress,
dsnocrats, and they already betrav " yh sne
want OF amiability at the prospect. '"e'l
~