Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 4.
Frank Moore, Ed.

The Writing on the Wall.

Richmond, Va., February 28.--It was observed yesterday morning, that the walls in different parts of the city were scrawled over with inflammatory and treasonable mottoes. The circumstance attracted but little attention at first, as the chalked letters were supposed to be the amusement of some idlers. On further examination, however, it was found that these mottoes were displayed all over the city, with a system and consistency that showed that there were purpose and organization in this appeal to the multitude. The following are some of these mottoes; they are written in large and singularly well-formed letters, at different points in the city, extending even to the suburbs on Church Hill, and show a literary merit that could hardly be ascribed to the blackguard, and is seldom found in mere rowdy scrawls on the street-corners:

Nationals, to the rescue! [50]
Nationals, arise and gird on your strength!
Unionists! it is time to assert your rights!
Too many stars on the flag!
The Scorpion of Secession — it has stung itself.
The South--the land of the white man.
The Northern advance--it is the tread of the freeman, etc.

We candidly believe that these devices, appearing in different parts of Richmond, and betraying a singular unity of design, was the work of traitors in our midst. Without any police worth the name, and with traitors scrawling their appeals in the most public places of the city, while Mr. Mayo's night-watchmen are snoring in the doorways of houses, the time has come for our citizens to wake up to their situation, and to establish at once a Vigilance Committee for their protection against the spies, incendiaries and assassins who are lying in wait, perhaps only for the next disastrous turn in our affairs. Every man and woman too, (for there are Union brawlers and adventurers in petticoats as well as in breeches,) who utters treasonable sentiments should be held to instant responsibility, and the villain who should be found making an inflammatory appeal like those referred to above, should be shot dead in his tracks. Such retribution would be mercy in the end. A Vigilance Committee at present is demanded by the most conservative and precious interests of society; it is demanded for safety; terror must be struck in the minds of Lincoln's agents and emissaries in Richmond, and treason must be reduced by prompt measures before the debt of vengeance becomes too large and too terrible, and the blood of hundreds is demanded at our hands.