The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-26
Mr.. Balt,,cin's Defence.
INTERVIEW BETWEEN HON. J. h.
BALDWIN AND MIR. LINCOLN.
Mr. BaIdwtn's Statement of the Same
i'm Reply to Mr.. BOtts's Evidence BE-
fore the Reconstruction Committee.

I regret very much that circumstances
beyond my control have prevented All ear
her notice from me of the testimony given
before the Reconstruction Committee by
John +. Lewis, John NJ. Bolts and myself
in relation to my interview with President
Lincoln on the 4th OF April, 1861.
] regarded it as just to all parties to
await the publication of the testimony in
full, and when, by the kindness of friends
and the courtesy of public officers, was
furnished with it in advance of the regu-
lar publication, found il necessary to sub
nit it to the examination of the gentlemen
to whose testimony | desired to appeal in
support of my statement.
publish herewith so much of the tesl-
monv rs relates to the subject.
| find the report of my testimony to be
substantially correct and | refer 10 the
account therein given as in accordance
with nv distinct recollection of what
passed. and with what | have uniformly
and invariably stated to every one, with
out exception, with whom ! have al any
time conversed fully on the subject.
My memory is fully and strkiugly sus
tanned by the statements herewith pub
lishcd from Allen b. Magruder, Esq, the
special messenger with whom | went TO
Washington and to whom | gave a hurried
account of the interview Immediately
after it terminated; and from Messrs.
George W. Summers, John Janney, Alex
ander II. II. Stuart and Samuel Price,
members of the Convention, who, with
Robert f. Scott, Esq, of Fauquier, had
concurred in sending me to Washington,
and to whom | reported fully on my return
to Richmond next day.
think il probable ] have made the
same statement to al least fifty different
persons.
No witness was present al the converse
ton between Mr.. Lincoln and myself, and
no opportunity atterward occurred 10
compare our rccollcctionS of what passed.
If, therefore, any substantial discrepancy
shall he found between my account and
any rel authenticated statement given by
Mr.. Lincoln, can only say, that, claiming
what have said To be correct and true, |
have vet no disposition TO question that ne
had the same belief as 10 what he stated.
| use the term "wEII. AUTHENTICATED,
intending thereby to exclude any such
account as that reported by Mr.. Bolts,
which, though given as "due TO history
and due 10 the memory OF Mr.. Lincoln,
would cast upon him the rcproach OF a
statement inaccurate in lis details ana M
possible in its substance.
Tie very first sentence attributed 10y
Mr.. Bolts to Mr.. Lincoln misStatcs the
manner in which the interview was brought
about, and the time at which II took
place.
He is represented as saying, "Hot h. hai
! nJoh ,re,L o. tca do,E jCtorr that, po$|'-
! bin 4 tort,ijii, ,rrit1 10 Nr. SannH1r>.
| asking him 10 come TO Washington, Wittn"t
! dciog, as he had a most important PROPOSE
| ton to make To him" and as making no
/ allu>ion whatever to having sent special
messenger. judge Summers says he
"recr;.ed 10 irtter from VI. Lincoln,
| but that ~, one duyh received note from
! Mr.. Seward stating that the President de
sired t. see him, and suggesting that he
should come Ia Washington for that pur-
pose Il, n fer dau>, il practicable. and that
on the merit day Mr. Magrudcr arrived ~ a
special messenger Mr.. Magrudcr fixes
his arrival as on tIir,uiau lprH >. and
saws that on Tuc>1tv, HD ID, Mr. Lincoln
| told him "hc desired to sec Mr.. Summers
on matters OF the highest Importance ,
that he did not irish II trust 70 Tie m1i3 ~
| HetelerupL, but preferred to send >pc-
cial messenger t. communicate with hiln
, contidcntially.'
Mr.. Lincoln is made 10 liN the time of
| the interview as on .'thc FiidoY prcced"I.
,rhich ,ras tie stu" Mr.. Magrudrr fixes ii
distinctly as having occurred on HUSddH
the 4th he saws, "on Wednesday night
We lett Richmond, and reaching Washing
ton early next morning, Thursday, ! called
about 10 o'clock on Mr.. Seward and intro
duced Colonel Baldwin" He also men,
tons the fact that .waS 10 speak that
evening in Alexandria, and the AlcXan-
dria papers Of the 9TH contain notices Of
the fact that did speak there on the night
of the 4th OF April. The Journal OF the
Virginia Convention shows that | was not
present on the 4th of April, and that | was
present and voting before the adjournment
on the 9TH. (See Journal OF the Commit
tee of the Whole, PIP. u and Al
1t will naturally suggest itself that while
such inaccuracies would hardly have been
committed by Mr.. Lincoln in statement
made within a few days and while the mat
ter was fresh in his memory, they might
well happen in an account given by any
one of conversation five years after
il took place. Mr.. Bolts, however, wholly
rejects any such idea, for when asked if
he had taken any memorandum Of his con
versation with Mr.. Lincoln, he says he did
not that there was no necessity for IL, and
that it was impressed so strongly on his
mind that il could never be oblitcratcd.
He even undertakes 10 give IN Mr.. Lin
coins own words, the proposition which !
am supposed 10 have rejected, and for the
rejection of which Mr.. Bolts records HIM
self as /" very much inccnScd," viz: " Ion
hare recently tahen Il rote in tie Virginia
Generation on the right Of secession 'rbich
,caS rejected by ninety TO .torty,fre, Il MAJOR
ity Of ttcO-HrdS, Sho,ri"g. lie strengthen the
Union party in that Convention and i you
trW 90 back 10 HcLmond and get that Union
majority To 0djo1oW and 90 home ,rdboH
passing the ordinance Of secession, 50 mr.
io,ls an far The prcSur"tiow of tie peace
Of this country, and ID SarC Virginia nm
tie other barrier States from going ont, that
/ ,cM take the responsibility IF cracaating
Fort S,onter and tikc the chance of pegotj0-
tina ,riM the cation STATES rhich hGcr oireody
gone out"
According TO Mr.. Bolts, this is Mr.. Lin
coins proposition, as made to me, in Mr..
Lincoln's own words. In answer to
question whether he felt sure Of it, he
replied: know it rs well as | know you
are standing before me and that am an
swcring your question: Ii any part of