The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-04-05

fleet is lying in the harbor of New York
and will sail this afternoon at 5 O'Clock
and, although fear it is almost too late,
yet will submit the proposition which I
intended when [ sent for Mr.. Summers.
Your Convention in Richmond 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
vote in the Virginia Convention on the
right Of secession, which was rejected by
80 to 45-a majority of two-thirds-
showing the strength of the Union party
in shat Convention. Ifyou will go back to
Richmond and get that Union ajority to
adjourn and go home without passing the
ordinance of secession, so anxious am I
for the preservation of the peace of this
country, and to save Virginia and the
Border States from going out, that I will
take the responsibility Of evacuating Fort
Sumter, and take the chance of negotia-
ting 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, s'he would not listen to it for
moment; he hardly treated me with civil
ity. He asked me what l meant by an
adjournment. Did I mean an adjourn
ment sine die? Why, of course, Mr..
Baldwin" said |, "I do not mean to assume
such responsibility as that of surrender
ing 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 after [ have
given up the fort"
Mr.. Bolts was very much incensed, as
he says, that Mr.. Baldwin should have
rejected the proposition, and asked Mr.
Lincoln to authorize him to make it TO the
Union men of the Convention, assuring
him that they would adopt it willingly and
cheerfully. To which Mr.. Lincoln replied {:
"Oh it is too late the feet has sailed,
and L have no means of communicating
with it."
Mr.. Bolts then asked permission to
mention the circumstance for Mr.. Lincoln s
own benefit; but Mr.. Lincoln said "Well,
not just now, Bolts, after while you may"
Mr.. Bolts inference was that Mr.. Lin
coin was assuming responsibility which
would at that day have been extremely
disuasteful to those who had elevated him
to the Presidency but he thought it due
now to history and the character Of Mr..
Lincoln, to make it known.
Mr.. Bolts relates that some weeks after
ward he returned to Richmond and men
toned one evening to Mr.. John F. Lewis,
a Union member of the Convention, the
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 ''is it
true that Mr.. Lincoln did propose to you
that if the Convention would adjourn and
go home without passing the ordinance of
| secession, he would evacuate Fort Sumter p
eyes," said Mr. Baldwin, s'he did"
"My God Mr.. Baldwin," said Mr.
Bolts, "why did you reject such propo-
sition as that ?"
The only answer that Mr.. Baldwin
made was by taking out his watch and
saying: "It only wants twenty minutes OF
the hour of meeting of the Convention
when most important vote is to be taken
| (meanirg the vote on the ordinance OF
secession). am obliged to be there
punctually at the hour, and [ have not
time to make the explanation [ desire
but I will avail myself of the earliest
opportunity to make a full explanation Of
the whole Of it."
From that day to this, Mr.. Botts say!
he never laid his eyes on Mr.. Baldwin
nor heard any explanation from him, no
had directly any communication with him
but he had been informed that Mr.. Bald
win gets very much excited whenever tn,
subject is mentioned in his presence.