The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-26


Lincoln and myself, and he again inquired
| how could withhold such conversation
from the Convention; to which again re-
piled that | had reported to those who sent
me. and that IL was not reported 10 the
/ Convention for the reason that there was
nothing in the conversation upon whlch the
Convention could act, or upon whlch l, as
member of the Convention, would nave
been willing to act. ! soon found that !
was undergoing species OF reprooi ~
which was not accustomed, and that thc
conversation was likely to be long ana
not very pleasant one; so | put an emu
to it by telling him that if he desired 10
know all that had passed between Mr.. LIN
coin and myself / had no objection 10 Ten
him. or to discuss the matter fully with
him. out that could not do so then, as inc
Convention was about to meet, ana ic''
bound to be present at an important vote
expected that morning.
NY experience in my profession haSSaliS-
fed me that there is hardly any limit TO the
capacitv of men to misunderstood con-
ycrsation, especially on subject ABOUT
which the parties have not equal lnforma-
ton. So far as | know, neither Mr.. Bolts
nor Mr.. Lewis knew anything of the ac-
count given by me of my interview Win
Mr.. Lincoln, and | do not know under
what previous impressions they listened TO
what | said. | cannot, of course, account
for any construction they, or either OF
them, may have placed upon what passed
between us.
There are some things, however, about
which 4 man of integrity cannot be mis-
taken, and in regard to which no lapse oil
time or change of circumstances can create
a doubt in his mind, and one of these Is
the consistency of his statements at any
given time or place with the requirements
0. known truth.
Mr.. Bolts says that at his house, on the
occasion referred to, the following CONVEX
sation occurred between us:
"Wcll, Mr.. Baldwin, is it true that Mr..
Lincoln did propose to you that If the Con
vention would adjourn, and go home with
out passing the ordinance Of secession, ne
wonId cvacuate Fort Sumter p Yes,
said Baldwin. she did" "My God" said
+ q" Mr.. Baldwin, why did YOU reject such
proposition as that 2" The only answer
he made was by taking ont his watch and
saving. ait wants only twenty. minutes OF
the hour Of meeting of the Convention,
when most important vote IL to be taken.
am obliged to be there punctually at the
hour, and have not time to make the eX-
PLANTATION desire, but | will avail myself
of the earliest opportunity to make iull
explanation of it,"
AT the time of my conversation with Mr..
Bolts, ii was fresh and clear in my memory
that Mr.. Lincoln had made me no such
proposition, or anything like it, or indeed
any offer of any kind and I am enabled
1. therefore upon my independent rccollec-
ton of the conversation, and upon my
knowledge of what was due to the truth OF
the matter, to oppose to this statement OF
Mr.. BottS'S my distinct, emphatic, and nm
qualified denial and contradiction. could
not, and did not, then and there, or at any
+ other time or place, admit directly, or by
any Just implication, the truth OF any such
statement, or Of any equivalent for it.
1t seems from the testimony of Mr.
Bolts, that ne has written this whole affair
in his book, and that he has been
very anxious to bring the memory
of Mr.. Lewis t. vindicatc the truth OF
his history. For this purpose he has
} time and again appealed to Mr.. Lewis by
letter, and in person, to write ga letter
giving him substantially all that he rccol-
lcctcd about it," At last Mr.. Lewis salts
fled him 10y telling him, There is no occa-
sion for it. ] have put it all down in my
testimony before the Reconstruction Com
mittcc on OATH
Mr.. LcwiS's whole recollection Of the
matter as thus given is aS follows:
- took Colonel Baldwin 10 the house OF
Mr.. Bolts, who told him he was informed
that such an interview had taken place.
Colonel Baldwin did not deny it. In an
Swcr to Mr.. BottS'S question of how. in the
name Of God, he could take the response
bility of Withholding the knowledge of such
an interview from the Convention, Colonel
Baldwin remarked that ii was then near
the hour for the meeting of the Convcn-
ton and that hc was compelled TO BE-
there, but would sec him again.
This statement is claimed by Mr.. Bolts
as applying 10 and confirming his account.
do not so regard ii but to avoid all mis-
understanding, deem ii proper 10 say that
| make no distinction between a direct
admission of such Il statement as that
which Mr.. Bolts claims to have made to
me, and a failure to deny ii whenever
brought to my attention and that, for the
reasons I have given, am able To speak
with equal clearneSs and confidence rs to
both.
The journal Of the Convention shows
that on that day voted for the substitute
offered by Mr.. Scott for the ordinance Of
secession, and then against the ordinance ;
and il appears from the secret debates,
which were afterwards published, that |
spoke against the ordinance just before the
final vote was taken.
1t is true, as Mr.. Bolts has stated,
that when Virginia seeded ! deter
mined, without one moment of doubt
or hesitation, TO follow her fortunes;
and from that time forward | devoted
every energy OF mind and body
to make good the position she had taken.
But it is equally true, and was equally we'll
known To Mr.. Bolts, though for some rea-
son he has failed to state il, that ! was as
active and determined in my opposition to
secession as any man in Virginia, and that
the ordinance was passed against my most
earnest advice and rcmOnStranCe. ! have
not therefore been able to understand
upon what motive it is supposed that |
could have undertaken, without authority,
10 reject. or, in violation of good faith, to
suppress any proposition or suggestion
coming from the President, and having for
its object the preservation of peace and
the restoration Of the Union.
The gentlemen at whose instance ] went
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