The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-22

| tIl tOfllHtu''us tll' ih VI dU~
preparations put stop to the transcri oing
and the printing.
Thus vast amount OF wisdom has been
lost TO the world; but the world has never
complained.
The debates OF the Constitutional Coayen-
ton Of 1861 reported by Mr.. W. II. Sam
uels) werc-much more sensibly-printed in
booll-form. Only one volume, however.
was printed before that appropriation col
| lapsed also; so those debates, too, were not
half finished.
FAILURE OF PEACE MEASURES.
The Legislature had on january 10Th in
yted all the States TO peace congress, or
conference, to be held in Washington on
February 4th. Our commissioners were eX-
President John TYLER, William G.. Rives,
Judge John w. Brockenbrough, George
W. Summers, and James a. Seldom. Seve-
raj States responded to the invitation, and
sent commissioners, but the conference
amounted to nothing. Mr.. Tyler, sent as
commissioner to the President (Bti-
chanan), was not particularly SUCCESSFUL.
Then commissioners from the seeding
States locked TO Richmond, begging Nr-
ginia TO join them. February 18th Hon.
Fulton Anderson. Of Mississippi, and Hon.
IL. l.. Bening. Of Georgia, addressed the
Convention by permission on this subject.
and next day Hon. John ;. Preston, OF
South Carolina, was heard. March 4th
Mr.. Lincoln was inaugurated. The sitla-
tion became graycr and grayer.
A MESSENGER FROM LINCOLN.
On April Sd a special messenger arrived
i'm Richmond from President Lincoln with
.I.. e.. IL
mers to have the Union men in the Con-
vention send to him representative to
discuss the situation. The Union men Sc
lected Hon. John B. Baldwin. He went to
Washington and had an interview with
Mr.. Lincoln. He understood Mr.. Lincoln
to insist thqt the Convention should adj
| jOurn sine die. lts continued session he
regarded as a menace.
This Mr.. Baldwin said would never do,
| nasmuch aS the Convention was in the
hands Of the Union men, and if il ad-
| iourned sine die another one would be
called which would carry the state out OF
| the Union in few weeks. The visit
amounted 10 nothing; but the interview
! itself became historical.
! There was an effort made to show that
| Mr.. Lincoln had made overtures to Mr..
] ipdliiN III " illtu II lNN' W. NNNi''
have ayerted the war. Mr.. Baldwin was
/ himself examined on this point before the
| Reconstruction Committee, and he en-
phaticallv repudaled that version.
He was devoted Union man in those
davs. and would have been only too glad
| to have been the instrument Of pacifyine
| the hclligerent sections.
ANOTHER VISIT TO LINCOLN.
April the Sth the Convention appointed
| William Ballard Preston, Alex. III. II,
| Stuart. and George W. Randolph to 90 t.
Washington and see Mr.. Lincoln with re-
card 70 the policy he intended TO pursue
| towards tie Confederate States. They
started on the 9th. but violent storm pre-
vented them from reaching Washington till
| the 10Th. That was the day Fort Sumter
was fired upon Next day they saw the
| President. His answer, substantially. was
to refer them to his inaugural. Immedi-
ately after that the President issued his cal
for 10000 troops TO suppress the "inslrrec-
tom and Virginia was called upon to FUR
nish her quota. which Governor Letcher
indignantly declined to do. April 18th, IN
secret session. the ordinance Of secession
was passed by vote OF IS to 50. Subse-
quently a good many members changed
their votes from "No" to aye"
TIE ORDINANCE.
The adoption Of the ordinance was kept
secret for two or three days. Meantime
the arsenal at Ilarpers Ferry was seized
| bv the Virginia forces. subsequently
much Of the machinery from that place was
| brought to Richmond and put up in the
armory here. Richmond Mimic mu>ket'
proved 10 be excellent wcaponS.l When
/ it became generally known that the State
| had seeded, there were immediate prepar-
ations for war and great Outbursts OF pop
ular approval.
II was ordered that the ordinance be en-
crossed TO be signed. The work was donc
| bv Mr.. William Flegenheimer in most
/ beautiful manner. The ordinance then re-
ccived the signatures OF the members, in
cluding many who had voted against it.
Most Of those who refused TO sign the
ordinance were from the northwestern part
OF the State. Some Of them became promi-
nert i'm the formation OF the State OF WeS'
Virginia. The ordinance was submitted tc
the people for approval on the fourth
Thursday in May. The State had then
been invaded. II was adopted by great
majority.
The original Of this paper was taker
from the Capitol soon after the evacuation
OF Richmond.
II fell into the hands Of the Fcderals n q
part Of the plundcr OF war, and Is now IN
the state Department at Washington. re-
oucst from the Legislature for it, return
not having been acceded to. There was
/ good lithographic print OF it, but cOpi1'
are getting rare now.
THE FIRST WAR ACT IL RICHMOND.
The first beligercnt act done in Rich
mond against the United states was the
uulling down OF the sign " UNITED STATE
/ COrRT " which was fixed over the Bank
street entrance OF the custom-bOusc build
ing. The ardent patriots OF that day
wanted 10 do something to show their de
testation of the Government. and they
rushed up the steps and out upon the roo
Of the porch. The sign they seized ano
dashed down upon the brick pavement
and il wa, splinIercd into many pieces
considerable numbers OF which were ear
r,cd otf q, rclc>. From that day forward
for more than iour years Richmond was ;
camp. The drum was heard oitener than
fine niano. The pomp and circumstance o
0Iorious war soon dcgcnerated into ;
Scramble for enough hard tack, fat meat
and wheat coffee TO support life, but tht
soldiers and the people were plucky to The
last. They were OF good grit.
GENERAL r. +. LEE.
Colonel Il. T.. Lee having been made
commander Of the military and naya
forces of Virginia. with the rank OF major
general. on TUESDAY. April 23d, the Con
yentIon received him with great ceremo
mony. Vice-Prcsident A. IL. stephens
Governor Letcbcr. and Captain NJ. f. Mau
rv were among those present. Colonel Le'
came into thc hall leaning upon the arm o
Narmoduke Johnson, and President Jan
ncv welcomed him in eulogistic speech.
coloncl Lee. addressing the Presiden
-, C-.;,, -aid i'm rpplv. .. s.pro