Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-03-02
John @, calhoun's Dream. /,


A correspondents Of the Mississippi
Wing has cut from an anonymous pamph-
let an account ofa dream ofMr. Calhoun,
sbOut the time Of the stormy sectional sg-
itOtion which preceded the adoption of the
Compromise measures of 1850. T
Mr.. Calhoun il seems was drawing up
plan for the dissolution Of the Union
when, late at night, beisg very much ex-
hausted, he fell asleep and had the follow
ing dream, rs related by himself.
AT a late hour last night, as l was sit.
ting in my room writing, I was surprised
at the very unceremonious entrance Of
visitor, who came in and took seat beside
me.
81 was more annoyed, as / had given
strict orders TO the servants that should
on no account be disturbed.
"The manner in which he entered-per-
fectly self-possessed-taking a scat oppo-
site me-without word--no salutations,
no apology-ss though my rsom and all
within belonged to him, excited in me as
much surprise as indignation. As rais-
ed my head to look at him over the top of
my shaded lamp, discovered that he was
wrapped in a thin cloak, which completely
hid his features from my view, and, ss 1
raised my head he spoke.
"'Wbat are you writing, Senator from
South Carolina?' / did not think ofLis
impertinence at first, but answered him
involuntarily, Il am drawing up a Plan for
the dissolution Of the Americas Union L
To this the intruder replied in the coldcss
manner possible:
"Senator from South Carolina, Will you
allow me to look at your right hand2"
"He arose. and as he did so the cloak
fell, and 1 beheld-GRFATsGoDi GEN
TLENEN BEHELD THE FORM OF Gro.
WASHINGTON
Gas though ! had no power to.resist, r
extended my right hand. felt a astrange
chill pervade me at his touch--he grasped
il aud held IL near the light, thus afford
ing me full time to exami ne every feature
Of his face, and particularly of his person.
II was the face Of Washington, and he was
dressed in the uniform of the Revolution.
After holding my hand for moment,
looking steadily at me, he said, in quiet
way;
"tAnd with this right hand; Senator
fiom Sosth Carolina, you would sign your
name to paper declaring this Union dis
solved?"
eyes, said I, IF "a certain contingency
arises, | will Just at this moment black
blotch appeared ON the back of my hand
seem to see It even now "What is that?
cried l in alarm, "why is that black spot
on my hand?"
"That," said he, dropping my hand. nis
the mark by which Benedict Arnold il
known in the next worIdv' sf -
"He said no more, but drew from be.
meath his cloak an object which be placed
upon the table, on the very paper on which
had been writing. The object, gentle-
men, was skeleton
There, said he, with emphasis, there
are the bones of Isaac Hayne, who was
hung by the British in Charleston. He
gave his life to establish the Union. And
when you sign your pane to declaration
OF dissolution, you may as well have the
bones Of Isaac Hayne before you. He
was South Carolinian and so are you
but no blotch was on his hand"
"With these words be left the ROOM
started from the contact with the dead
mans bones, and awoke. Overworn by
labor had fallen asleep and been dream.
ing" nv 1900
Many other instances might be recited
to show that some of the most important
events to man that have occurred since
order was brought forth from chaos, and
the Almighty rolled the planets from His
palm and set the spheres in motion, have
been more or less connected with dreams.
May not this dream of Calhoun's have a
happy influence on the perpetuity Of our
glorious and happy Union2