Politics
Information about politics in Richmond, VA during the Civil War.

Written Accounts

1869-06-24, Nashville Union and American; Miss Van Lew refuses to close the post office on Memorial Day, decision reversed by President Grant, and she fires the ringleader of the protest
1869-07-21, Nashville Union and American; allegation that Van Lew fired her coachman for voting Democratic, and military authorities are being hypocritical by not arresting her
1869-08-04, National Republican (Washington, DC); Franklin Stearns and General Robert Williams are the top two candidates for a US Senatorship – brief biographical details of each
1869-10-17, Columbia (S. C.) Daily Phoenix; editorial paragraph condemning the appointment of Elizabeth Van Lew as postmaster of Richmond
1869-12-03, National Republican (Washington, DC); new “Walker-Republican” party formed and submitted to voters. Committee includes Franklin Stearns, Walter Taylor, Gen. Charles P. Stone, Gen. J. D. Imboden and others.
1870-04-19, Macon (Georgia) Weekly Telegraph; incredibly detailed article about Lincoln’s visit to Richmond with particular emphasis on his meetings with Campbell and the political fallout of his reconstruction attempt. Includes purported transcriptions
1870-05-21, Nashville Union and American; Miss Van Lew prefers to be called “Postmaster of Richmond”
1870-05-28, Nashville Union and American; most of the clerks at the Richmond post office have resigned or are on strike, citing Miss Van Lew as being a martinet
1870-11-24, Charleston (S. C.) Daily News; report that Elizabeth Van Lew is to be fired as postmaster
1871-05-25, Saline County Journal (Salina, Kan.); interesting post-war details of prominent Southerners –names Joseph R. Anderson and Franklin Stearns as two of the wealthiest men in the South.

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