The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-03-31

ting nearly two months, and all that
they have done has been to shake the
rod over my head. You have recently
taken vote in the Virginia Convention
on the right OF secession, which was re-
jected by 80 to 45-a majority of two
thirds-showing the strength Of the
Union party in that Convention. Ifyou
will go back to Richmond and get that
Union majority to adjourn and go home
without passing the ordinance of seces-
sion, so anxious am 1 for the preserva-
ton of the peace of this country, and to
save Virginia and the Border States
from going out, that 1 will take the re-
sponsibility ofevacuating Fort Sumter,
and take the chance ofnegotiating with
the cotton States which have already
gone out"
"Well, Mr.. Lincoln" inquired Mr..
Bolts, show did Mr.. Baldwin receive
that proposition?"
"Sir, said Mr.. Lincoln raising up his
hands, "he would not listen to It for a
moment; he hardly treated me with
civility. He asked me what I meant by
journment sine die Why, of course.
Mr.. Baldwin said did not mean an adj
journment sine die. I do not mean to
assume such a responsibility as that of
surrendering that fort to the people of
Charleston upon your adjournment,
and then for you to return in week or
ten days and pass your ordinance of
secession aftor have given up the
fort.
Mr.. Bolts was very much incensed,
he says that Mr.. Baldwin should have
rejected the proposition, and asked Mr..
Lincoln to authorize him to make 1t to
the Union men of the Convention, as
surfing him that they would adopt it
willingly and cheerfully. To which
ATr T.tunalr 30
late; the fleet has sailed, and have no
means of communicating with it."
Mr.. Bolts then asked permission to
mention the circumstances for Mr.. Lin
coins own benefit; but Mr.. Lincoln
said: "Well, not just now, Bolts; after
while you may"
Mr.. Botts's inference was that Mr..
Lincoln was assuming responsibility
which would at that day have been OK
tremely distasteful to those who had
elevated him to the Presidency; but he
thought it due now to history and to the
character OF Mr.. Lincoln, to mako it
known. Mr.. Bolts was hero asked:
@. Are you perfectly sure, according
to your best recollection, that Mr.. Lin
coin told you that he had made that
proposition to Mr.. Baldwin, to evacuate
Fort Sumter? A. / know 1t as well
as know you are standing before me,
and that am answering your quss-
ton.
Mr.. Bolts related that some weeks af-
forward he returned to Richmond and
mentioned one evening to Mr.. John f.
Lewis, Union member Of the Conven-
ton, tho interview he had had with
Mr.. Lincoln, and that next morning
Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. Baldwin drove to
his house and had an interview with
him, which he narrated as follows:
Mr.. Baldwin. said Mr.. Bolts, sis 1t
true that Mr.. Lincoln did propose to
you that If the Convention would adj
journ and go homo without passing the
Ordinance Of Secession, he would eYac-
uate Fort Sumter ?"
eyes," said Mr.. Baldwin, she did,"
"My Godl Mr.. Baldwin," sud Mr..
Bolts, "Why did you reject such q
proposition as that ?"
The only answer that Mr.. Baldwin
made was by taking out his watch and
saying: at only wants twenty minutes
of the hour of meeting OF the Conven-
ton, when most important vote is to
be taken (meaning the vote on the or
nance of Secession.) am Obliged to be
there punctually atthe hour, and I have
not time to make the explanation de-
sire, but I will avail myself of the earli-
est opportunity to make full expla-
nation of the whole oft"
From that day to this Mr.. Bolts says
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 ex-
cited whenever the subject il mentioned
in his presence.
Further on in his testimony, Mr..
Bolts was asked if this whole PROPOSE
ton had been communicated to the
Unionists of the Virginia Convention,
together with call for National Con-
vention, would that have prevented the
breaking out of civil war?
A. 1 think it would; for tho reason
that, although the Democracy, which
never meant to be satisfied with any
thing but war, despairing of being able
to carry the ordinance, would have
voted for the adjournment, while the
Union men, who wanted peace, would
also have voted for an adjournment.
The testimony in relation to this in
teresting historical episode is confined
to the three witnesses, Messrs. Lewis,
Baldwin and Bolts. It is quite volum-
tnous, but the foregoing extracts con-
tain the pith and marrow of 1t.
EXAMINATION OF GEN. TERRI.-Hn
VIEWS OF VIRGINIA.
WASHINGTON, March %.
EN1W