The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-03-31

that we have, and for You TO UNFOLD our hands
ny conservative, conciliatory, national
course. Inc Union men of Virginia would not
De willing TO adjourn that convention until we
either effect some settlement of this matter or
ascertain that 1t cannot be done'
Mr.. Baldwin then went on to sketch ont n
plan OF policy which he thought the President
should pursue, embracing a conciliatory and
assuring proclamation, a call for n great M
tional convention, and the withdrawal of the
forces from Sumter and Pickens
ms was about the substance of the inter
view, Mr.. Lincoln giving 10 Mr. Baldwin no
pledge and no promise, and making no offer Of
any sort. Mr. Baldwin visited Mr.. Seward
the same afternoon, and found him extremely
earnest in the desire TO settle the matter, and
apparently shrinking from the idea of n elias
OF arms. Mr.. baldwin went on TO Richmond
and reported to the gentlemen who had sent
him.
Further on in his testimony he added, that
he understood that Mr.. Lincoln had given a
somewhat different version of the interview,
representing that he ha offered if the Con yen .
tion would adjourn sine die, to withdraw the
troops from Sumter and Pickens. u am rs
clear, sad baldwin, - in my recollection as it
Is possible TO be, that he made no such sugges-
tion. as L understood it. and said nothing from
which / could infer it,"
Now, again, strange as it may seem, several
of the colleagues of Mr.. BALDWIN in his visit
to President JOHNSON, in February last, who
We're, like himself examined by the Committee
OF Reconstruction, gave the purport of that
conversation To two of the newspapers of this
city, and their report differs from the above
Official statement from the jouradI IF the ram
mHeet
The DiSpatct thus upon the authority of n
member of the committee) reports the tenor of
Mr.. BALDwIS's testimony on this point:
" Mr.. Lincoln asked why the Virginia Con
although there was Il Union majority in the
convention, they would not adjourn while
ignorant Of the plans for the adjustment of
our sectional difficulties He had also said
that If he had Mr.. Lincoln's power, he could
settle the disaftection in fifteen minutes by
Withdrawing the troops from Sumter and
Pickens and by calling convention of all the
States. Mr.. Lincoln had replied that he
would do this. Mr.. Howard said that he felt
certain that Mr.. Lincoln never had promised
10 withdraw the troops from Sumter as an
lnducement to the Virginia Convention to ad-
lourn, for he would have been swept from his
seat by the indignant people of the North
Mr. Baldwin replied that his memory was
good, and that such was his impression but
that as he was alone with Mr.. Lincoln on tha t
occasion. and there was no one now to rebut
his testimony, he would not give it as any
thing more than an impression left upon his
mind
The Eromjaer, upon the authority of another
mean the committee sent by our Legislature
to convey to President JOHNSON the legisla
tive resolutions sustaining his policy, in Fe-
bruary last,) gives the following version:
/" Mr.. Baldwin was then asked if he remem
bered n conversation that had taken place
between himself and President Lincoln prior
TO the Virginia ordinance Of secession. Mr.
Baldwin said that he did, and mentioned that
Mr.. Lincoln had then informed him that if
the Virginia Convention, then in session,
would adjourn, he (Ar. Lincolnj would aban
don Fort Sumter to its fate. Mr.. Howard
insisted that Mr.. Lincoln would not have
dared to make such propositions, as it would
have aroused 4 storm of indignation through
out the entire North. Mr.. Baldwin reiterated
that he had Il good memory, and that such
was his impression of the tenor of Mr.. Lin
coins remarks.
These two reports would make it appear
that Mr.. BALpwIS's statement before the Re
construction Committee accorded fully with
Mr.. BoTTs'~, and these reports concur in the
remarkable point of the expression of mere
dulity by Mr.. HOWARD. Yet, when we recur
10 the official rpcord QftRe c0nD,tee bfrt tcijch
Mr.. BALDwINs teStimDay inos gircn (as pub
lished in the Northern papers, we find q COM
pletely different version
il is certainly a muddle.