Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1860-02-02
John G. Calhoun's Dream.

A correspondent of the Mississippi Wing
has cut from an anononym6us phamphlet On ac
count Of a dream Of Mr.. Colhoun, about the
time of the stormy sectional agitation which
preceded the adoption of the Compromise
measure of 1850:
Mr.. Calhoun, it seems was drawing up 6
plan for the dissolution of the Union, when,
late at night. being very much exhausted he
fell asleep and had tie following dream, as re
lated by himself,
At late hour last night, as was sit.
ting in my bedroom writing, was surprised
at the very Ineeremonious entrance of a visi
tor who came in and took seat opposite me
81 was more annoyed, as | had giver
strict orders to the servants that should on
no occasion be disturbed
The manner in which he ntered-perfect
ly self-possessed-t taking a seat opposite me-
without word, no sautation--no apology
as though my room and. all within it belonged
to him, excited in me as much surprise as in
dignation AS | raised my head to look al
hfm over the top of my shaded lamp, dis
covered that be was wrapped in 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? did not think of his i'm
petinence at FIRST, but answered, him invol
UNFAIRLY am drawing up plan for the
dissolution of the American Unionn To this
the intruder repliedan the coolest manner pos.
sible:
"' Senator from South Carolina will you
allow fne to look at your right handH
He arose, and as he did so the cloak fell,
and beheld--GREAr GoDI GENTLEMEN! /
BEHELD THE FORM OF GEoReE WASHINGTON!
AS though had 10 power to resist, /
extended my right hand 1 felt strange
chill pervade me at his touch-he grasped it
near the light, thus affording me full time to
examine every feature or his face, and partic-
ularly his person. 1t was the face of Wash
ingtop, and he was dressed in the uniform of
the Revolution. After holding my hand for
a moment, looking steadily at me, he said, in
a quiet way:
And with his right hand, Senator from
South Carolina, you would sign your name to
a paper declaring the Union dssovedr
Yes said /, if a certain contingency
arises will Just at this moment black
blotch appeared on the back of nv hand; |
seem to see it even now! What is that?'
cried in alarm, why is that black spot on
my handP
That said he, dropping my hand, is
the mark by which Benedict Arnold is known
in the next worldr
" He said no more, but drew from beneath
his cloak an object which he placed upon the
table, on the very paper on which had been
writing. The object, gentlemen, was skele-
ton!
There said he, with emphasis, there
are the bones of Isaac Hayne, who was hung
by the British in Charleston He gare his life
to establish the Union And when you sign
your name to a declaration of dissolution. you
may as well have the bones of Isaac Hayne
before you; but no butch qcas on his hand
with these words he left the room. l
started from the contact with the dead man's
bones and awokel Overworn by labor had
fallen asleep and been dreaming"
Many other instances might be rected 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 con-
nected with dreams. May not this dream of
Calhoun's have happy influence on the per-
petulty of our glorious and happy Union!