the wildest shouts of joy. Young men
threw up their hats, and old men buttoned their coats and clapped their
hands most vigorously. It was next hinted by some one who seemed to know
something of the matter, that before another day elapsed, Harper's Ferry
would fall into the hands of the secessionists.

At night the enthusiasm increases in intensity, and no further
opposition is to be apprehended from the influence of Tim Rives,
Baldwin, Clemens, etc. etc. It was quite apparent, indeed, that if an
ordinance of secession were passed by the new Convention, its validity
would be recognized and acted upon by the majority of the people. But
this would be a complication of the civil war, now the decree of fate.

Perhaps the occurrence which has attracted most attention is the raising
of the Southern flag on the capitol. It was hailed with the most
deafening shouts of applause. But at a quiet hour of the night, the
governor had it taken down, for the Convention had not yet passed the
ordinance of secession. Yet the stars and stripes did not float in its
stead; it was replaced by the flag of Virginia.

APRIL 17TH.--This was a memorable day. When we assembled at Metropolitan
Hall, it could be easily perceived that we were on the threshold of
momentous events. All other subjects, except that of a new political
organization of the State, seemed to be momentarily delayed, as if
awaiting action elsewhere. And this plan of political organization
filled me with alarm, for I apprehended it would result in a new
conflict between the old parties--Whig and Democrat. The ingenious
discussion of this subject was probably a device of the Unionists, two
or three of them having obtained seats in the Revolutionary Convention.
I knew the ineradicable instincts of Virginia politicians, and their
inveterate habit of public speaking, and knew there were well-grounded
fears that we should be launched and lost in an illimitable sea of
argument, when the business was Revolution, and death to the coming
invader. Besides, I saw no hope of unanimity if the old party
distinctions and designations were not submerged forever.

These fears, however, were groundless. The Union had received its
_blessure mortelle_, and no power this side of the Potomac could save
it. During a pause in the proceedings, one of the leading members arose
and announced that he had information that the vote was about being
taken in the other Convention on the ordinance of secessi