ouse east of the Exchange), and split them up,
putting the splinters in their hats, and wearing them as trophies. They
next visited the mansion of Gen. P., who had made his fortune dealing in
cotton, and had been a bold Northern champion of Southern rights. But
the general flinched on this trying occasion. He displayed the stars and
stripes, and pledged "the boys" to lead them in battle against the
secessionists.

During the evening, a procession with banners and torch-lights came up
the street and paused before the _Enquirer_ office. They called for
Captain Wise, and I accompanied him to the iron balcony, where he made
them a soul-stirring speech. At its conclusion, he seized me by the arm
and introduced me to the crowd. He informed them of the recent
proceedings in Philadelphia, etc., and then ceased speaking, leaving me
to tell my own story to the listening multitude. That was not my fault;
I had never attempted to make a public speech in my life; and I felt
that I was in a predicament. Wise knew it, and enjoyed my embarrassment.
I contrived, however, to say to the people that the time for speaking
had gone by, and there was no time left for listening. They proceeded up
the street, growing like a snow-ball as they rolled onward. At every
corner there were cheers uttered for Davis, and groans for Lincoln.

Upon returning to my boarding-house (the hotel being found too
expensive), kept by Mrs. Samuels, and her sister, Miss Long, I found the
ladies making secession flags. Indeed, the ladies everywhere seem imbued
with the spirit of patriotism, and never fail to exert their influence
in behalf of Southern independence.

APRIL 15TH.--To-day the secession fires assumed a whiter heat. In the
Convention the Union men no longer utter denunciations against the
disunionists. They merely resort to pretexts and quibbles to stave off
the inevitable ordinance. They had sent a deputation to Washington to
make a final appeal to Seward and Lincoln to vouchsafe them such
guarantees as would enable them to keep Virginia to her moorings. But in
vain. They could not obtain even a promise of concession. And now the
Union members as they walk the streets, and even Gov. Letcher himself,
hear the indignant mutterings of the impassioned storm which threatens
every hour to sweep them from existence. Business is generally
suspended, and men run together in great crowds to listen to the news
from the North, where it is said many outrages are co