Gazette and sentinel., 1860-03-17
John G. Calhoun's Dream.

4 correspondent q; tie Mississippi
Wing has cut from an anonymous
pamphlet Al account Of q dream Of MIR.
Calhoun. about the time oi a stormy
sectional agitation which preceded the
adoption Of the Compromise measures
of 1850:
Mr.. Calhoun, it seems, was drawing
up 4 plan for the dissolution of the Uni
on. when, late al night, being verymuch
exhausted. he fell asleep and had the
following dream, as related by himself:
AT q late hour last night, as / was
sitting in my room writing, ! was sur
prised at the very unceremonious en-
trance of aviSitOr, who came in and
took a seat opposite ne. | was the
more annoyed. as had given strict or
ders to the servants that ] should, on no
account, be disturbed.
The manner in which he entered
perfectly sclE-poSSesSed, taking a seat
opposite me. without a word, no saluta-
ton, 10 apology, as though my room
and all within ii belonged 10 him-exci-
ted in me as much surprise as indigna-
ton. As | raised my head to look at
him over the top Of my shaded lamp, |
! discovered that he vas wrapped in a
thin cloak. which completely hid his
features from my view, and, as | raised
my head, he spoke:
"'What are You writing, Senator
from South Carolina 7" | did not think
Lof his impertinencc at first, but an
swered him Involuntary, 1 am drawing
up a plan for the dissolution of the
American Union y To this the intru-
der replied, in the coolest name pos
sible
"'Senator from Couth Carolina, will
YOU allow ne to look at your right
hand"
HE arose, and as he did 50, the cloak
fell, and ] ~beheid-Great God I! Gentle
men. | beheld the form Of George
Washington F.!
"As though / had no power to resist,
l extended my right hand. | felt a
strange chill pervadc me at his touch-
He grasped it and held it near the light,
thus aliOrding me a full time toexamine
every feature Of his face, and partlcu
larry of his person. 1t was the face OF
Washington. and he was dressed in the
uniform OF the Revolution. After hold
ing my hand for a moment, looking
steadily at me, he said in Il quiet way
"'And with this right hand, Senate
from South Carolina, You would slgI
your name to 4 paper declaring the I'M
!, on d;ssoIvcdE
Yes said I, IL certain contingcr
. CIV arises. ! wiii.'f just at this moment
p a black biotch appeared on the back G
L my hand: | seem to c il now. VIVA
is that !? cried | in alarm: why is tina
" black spot on my hand?
THAT said he, dropping my hand
= is the mark by which Benedict Arnold
known in the next world
e "He said no more, but drew from be
t meath his cloak an object which he pl;
ced upon the table, on the very paper o
which ] had been writing. The obJec
gentlemen, was a skeleton
There said he, with emphasi
there are the bones of Isaac Hayn'
who was hung by the British in Charlie
. ton. lie gave ms ne 10 c~S'aplSh u
Union: and when you attach your nam
e TO a declaration of dissolution, you ma
- as well have the bones of Isaac HayI
before YOU. lie was q South Carolinia1
y and 50 are you but no blotch was
y his hand
! with these words, he left the roor
| started from the contact with the dca
: mans bones, and awokc. Overw"I
by labor, l had fallen asleep and bee
= dreaming"
Many other instances might be rec
ted. to show that some of the most II
portaut events to man that have occr
red since order was brought forth fro
.ir chaos, and the Almighty rolled the fla
cts from His palm, and set the spler
in motion, have been more or less co
.ir nected with dreams. May not III
ut dream of Calhoun's have a happy unf
ence on the perpetuity Of Il glorio
and happy Union?
re
who's afraid :? said a young IA