The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-11-22
JErF. DAWES DREAM.


Ono day while sitting il, ID tsii ts6 old fash
ioued high. backed chair in the parlor Of
a Hotel at Richmond in May,"1sG2, Gu:
loving good pipe aud Northern paper;
md having just become interested in the
latest news; | heard tho door Or the room
open and the footsteps of;-tgo Persons
approaching. They seemed to,be, falling
con6dentially together, and>l,thoushtit it
nv duty to make known my presence BY
some sign, so that I might uothedr any
thing not intended for my earT,;bqt 90
pccrinc into the room imagine my sur
prise when Ixecognizcd iurnc OCCUPANTS;
jeff. Davis and histraitor friend, Toombs
Of Georgia. I hcsitatcl no longer, but
settled myself back in my seat and bent
every energy to listen to the conversa'
ton, which was carried on in low
tone.
But said Toombs, Mr., Davis, you
must not give way TO the racarlcs OF
YOUR brain. Come, tell me all about
this wonderful dream, and my word for
it, YOU will feel better after the recital,
Davis, rising, turned the key in the door,
and resuming his seat close by Toombs,
gave the following version Of the dream
that disturbed him. Said he. | had a
party Of friends to supper last night,
who prolonged their visit to late hour.
ate heartily, during the evening, and
experienced a strange feeling Of heavi..
ness before retiring. My room, you
know, is well supplied with large win:
dows, and the night being a splendid
one, lay on my back g:zins out on the
heavens, sparkling as it were with
diamonds, and rumiuatiug on the dcsti.
ny of the Confederacy. How long !
continued thus. l know not, but stealing
over my senses, as it appeared TO me, in:
stantly came n clearer perception Of our
cause from the beginning. | thought
myself in Washington, in that same
room where We all met that iGht to per-
feet our plans for the destruction of the
great Republic. l thought that you
were there, Toombs, and Breckenridge,
and all the rest, and [. seemed to live
over again the closing scenes which were
enacted in Congress, and | was startled
from the contemplation by low, deep,
solemn voice close by my pillow, saying
" Jefferson Davis-Jciferson Davis !!
This was the beginning. started and
looked round to sec who it was that
spoke in those awful tones, and cold
chill Of horror crcpt over me rs | saw a
dim, shadowy figure disappear in the
distance. Presently my gaze became
fixed, aud before inc passed the whole
Southern land, one State after another.
Maryland, hcaving and tossing as upon
the waves Of the ocean, doubling which
wuy to plunge Virginia had a smiling
exterior, but the most deadly, damning
hate ranking in her heart; Georgia,
crazy with the enormous weight of her
sins and her passions, anxious to give
them vent in tho warm blood Of the
Northern heart; and SO passed they all.
ono after the other, the last appearing
still more hellish than the first. No
sooner were these ended than BY some
singular change in my position, ! i'm.
agincd myself standing on the top Of
Bunker Hill, and once more the pano-
rama Of the Statcs was presented before
me. This time it. was Of the North.
But Why enter into the details Of this
vision, for saw them in all the beauty
Of their free System the children on
their way to school, the old people to the
noon. day prayer meeting, the farmer in
the field and the scholar in his study.
All this passed rapidly before ME, and |
felt o fire in my heart, that to my dig
ordered brain threatened to consume me
entirely. Again the scene changed, and
| found myself on height overlooking
Charleston harbor, just at the moment
the Star Of the West was attempting to
carry provisions to the starving garrison
within. saw the shot fired, forcing
her return, and my heart sunk within
me as | heard that deep, solemn voice
close beside me say" Jefferson Davis.
Jefferson Davis ! this is your preparation
for the halter = Again, | saw another
Gcet sail 10 the relief Of Sumter-saw
the bombarduent and its final fall.
Once more l imagiaed myself standing
on the summit Of Bunker Hill, and the
whole North lay spread out at my feet,
and, my God the change that had come
over this laud! Where, from this very
spot and extending out to its iarthcss
corner, there was n hurrying to and fro
-mcn shouldering their muskcts and all
tending to one point, Washington. Ny
eyes fairly blazed from my head, when
from the clear blue sky above me, ]
heard once again the mysterious voct
ringing in my ears, Jefferson Davis,
Jefferson Davis behold the armed le'
gions Of the North see the agony Of
parting, see the misery and desolation
that are to follow. Jefferson Dsvis, this
is your work - My limbs trembled as
I heard these words uttered in those aw-
full tones. My brain reelcd, and |, fell
headloug from my position. ..-
At this point, JEFF. Davis stopped
talking and wiped the cold sweat from
his brow. Toom5s remarked that it was
most wonderful dream-most wonder,