The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-04-04
IMPORTANT REVELATIONS.
JOHN B. BALDWIN -wHo IS REsPoNsIBLE
FOR THE WAR?

| PRESIDENT LMcoLN's INTERVIEW WITH
JOHN B. BALDWIN -wHo rs RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE wAR2
We make the following interesting ex
tracts from the testimony before the commit
tee on reconstruction
The narrative of the transaction given by
Mr. Baldwin is this: After relating the cir
| cumstances of a special messenger beng sent
to Richmond by Mr.. Seward, with request
that Judge Summers, or some other leading
linton member, should come to Washington
to have a conference with Mr. Lincoln, of his
| (Baldwin') being selected, and accompany
ing the messenger to Washington the same
night, of his being introduced next morning
by Mr.. Seward to Mr.. Lincoln, and of Mr.
Lincolns taking him into private bedroom,
that they might be the more free from inter-
| ruption, he gave narrative of the CONVEX
sation, which was opened by Mr.. Lincoln re-
| marking:
Mr.. Baldwin, am afraid you have come
| too late"
| TOO late for wbat2"
II am afraid you have come too late"
said he. :" / wish you could have been here
three or four days ago"
| "Why?n replied Baldwin. "Allow me
to say, Mr.. President, that do not under
stand your remark. You sent special mes
senger to Richmond, who arrived there yes
! terday. returned with him by the shortest
and most expeditions mode of travel known"
| Why do you all not adjourn the Virginia
! Convention !" said Mr. Lincoln
Adjourn it Howe Do you mean sine
die?n
g Yes, sine die. It is standing menace to
| me, which embarrasses me very much.
:" | am very much surprised" said Mr..
Baldwin, to hear you express that opinion
| The Virginian Convention is in the hands of
/ Union men, We have in it clear and con-
trolling majority. We are controlling it for
conservative results. We can do it with
perfect certainty if you will uphold our
hands by conservative policy here.
"If we were to adjourn sine die, leaving
these questions unsettled, it would place the
Union men of Virginia in the attitude of con-
Tossing an inability to meet the occasion.
The result would be that another convention
would be called, which would be under the
exclusive control of secessiOnists, and an Or
dinance of secession would be passed in less
than six weeks. Our true policy is to hold
the position that we have. and for you to up
hold our hands by conservative, conciliato-
ry,s national course The Union men Of Vir-
gnia would not be willing to adjourn that
Convention until we either effect some settle
ment of this matter, or ascertain that it can
not be DONE"
Mr. Baldwin then went on to sketch out a
plan of policy which he thought the Pres
ident should pursue, embracing cOnciiatory
course and issuing proclamation, call
for great National Convention, and the
withdrawal of the forces from Sumter and
Pickens.
This was about the substance of the inter-
view, Mr.. Lincoln giving to Mr.. Baldwin no
pledge and no promise, and making no offer
of any sort Mr. Baldwin visited Mr.. Sew
ard the same afternoon, and found him ex
: tremely earnest in the desire to settle the
matter, and, apparently, shrinking from the
idea of a clash of arms. MIR. Baldwin went
on to Richmond and reported to the gentle
men 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 had offered, if the con-
vention would adjourn sine die, to withdraw
the troops from Sumter and Pickens an
j, as clear" said Baldwin, 6 in my recollection
as it is possible to be, that he made no sucf
suggestion, as understood it, and said moth
ing from which could infer it."
Mr.. John Minor Bolts gave his version O
the interview, as it was related to him by Mr.
Lincoln He says that on Sunday afternoon
April z, 1861, being then in Washington, he
, received note from Mr.. Lincoln, saying
that he would be glad to see him during the
evening; and that he went the same evening
to the White House and remained in con
. versation with Mr. Lincoln from o'clock un
til II o'clock, during which time Mr.. Lincoln
related the particulars of the visit of Mr.
Baldwin, substantially as follows:
"Ah, Mr.. Baldwin ;" said Mr.. Lincoln
"why did you not come here soonerg Ihav'
been waiting and expecting some of yor
{ gentlemen of the convention to come to mt
for more than week past. l had mos
Important proposition to make to you, and l
2 am afraid you have come too late. However
I will make proposition now. We have ir
Fort Sumter, with Major Anderson, about
eighty men, and learn from Major Anderson
: that his provisions are nearly exhausted
!. l have not only written to Governor Pickens
but have sent special messenger to him tc
: say that if he will allow Minor Anderson tc
: obtain his marketing at the Charleston mar
ket, or will have it sent to him, l will make
no effort to provision the fort; but that if he
l does not do that, will not permit these
: people to starve and shall send vessel load
!. ed with bread, and that if he fires on thai
vessel he will fire upon an unarmed vessel
t but l shall, at the same time send flee
, along with her with instructions not to entel
= the harbor of Charleston unless that vessel j;
fired into, and if she is, then the feet is to en-
| ter the harbor and protect her. Now, Mr.
+ Baldwin, that fleet is lying in the harbor O
New York, and will be ready to sail this af
ternoon at 8 o'clock, and although fear it il
almost too late, yet will submit the pro
f position which l intended when l sent fo
: Mr.. Summers. Your Convention in Rich
a mond has been sitting nearly two months
: and all they have done has been to shak.
. the rod over my head. You have recent,
taken vote in the Virginia Convention OF
the right of secession, which was rejected b,
ninety to forty-fve, a majority of two-thirds
showing the strength of the Union party il
, that Convention. If you will go back t.
: Richmond and get that Union majority t.
. adjourn and go home, without passing TIN
ordinance of secession, so anxious am I 70
the preservation of the peace of this country
| and to save Virginia and the other horde
J States from going out, that I soiU take the re
spoasi5ility Of ecacaating Fort Sumter, ant
, take the chance ofnegtiating with the cottol
! States which have already gone out"
, swell, Mr.. Lincoln, inquired Bolts, ''hov
did Mr.. Baldwin receive that proposition {?
Sir" said Mr.. Lincoln, (raising up hi
, | hands &C he vou1d NOT listen tn IL for q rnc