Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-05-24
EXTRAORDINARY DREAM.


On Monday, the llth day of May,
1912, at 8 pm, the Hon. Spencer Per-
ceval, Premier and Chancellor Of the
Exchequer, in the British Cabinet was
assassinated by an unhappy maniac,
named John Bellingham; and there rs
associated with the event one Of the
most extraordinary dresm.stories that
records give as well authenticated
The allegations are that Mr. John
Williams, residing near Redruth in Corn
wall, on the night after the assassina-
ton, had dream that he was in the
lobby OF the House of Commons, where
he never had been that he saw small
man enter, dressed in blue coat and
white waistcoat; that Immediately after
wards he saw q man dressed in brown
coat with yellow basket buttons, draw
pistol from under his coat, and discharge
it at the former, who instantly fell, the
blood issuing from wound little be-
low the breast. In the dream the report
of the pistol was heard, and the color in
the victims face was seen to change;
the murderer was seen to be seized by
some gentlemen, by whom, on inquiry,
he was told the victim was the chancel-
lor. Mr.. Williams had known nothing
whatever of Mr. Perceval. The dream
made so great an impression on him
that he woke his wife and related it to
her. On going to sleep again the dream
was repeated, and he again woke his
wife to tell her SO; and after that it was
repeated third time, on which he arose
and dressed himself 1t was now be-
tween one and two o'clock in the morn
ing.
This dream is one of those which have
evoked all the metaphysical and all the
physical and all the superstitious theories
on the subject, in order to account for
the facts, admitting them to be so. 1t
has been urged that the spirit of Mr..
Williams must have been a very witness
of the deed, and of its surroundings,
which he so distinctly recognized on Wis
iting the House Of Commons some six
weeks afterward, 1t has been urged that
there is such relation between the
mental organization of some persons that
some events which forcibly excite that of
one of them will impress themselves on
that Of the other, and that in this way the
facts must have reached Mr.. Williams
mind. Some have argued that the
foreknowledge of events is nothing more
than disclosure of what already exists
'All things really are, though not yet
revealed in time And that as the
mind in dreams annihilates time and
space, so Mr.. Williams mind merely
slightly anticipated the ordinary mode of
acquiring knowledge of an event that had
really occurred. There have not been
wanting those who have attributed the
occurrence 10 direct interpositioO Of
divine Providence.
Without entering into the questions
involved in these proportions, We are
not at all satisfied that the circumstances
are not explicable without having re-
course to them. In the ordinary course
of the mail coach of that period, the in
telligsnce reached Redruth on Wsdnes-
day ferenoon-say in about forty hours,
which would give an average rate of
travel OF little over 635 miles an
hour-Redruth being about 265 miles
from London. Now, il needs nothing
miraculous to quadruple that rate Of
travel-that is, to make something over
twenty-six miles an hour for purpose;
and, If that were done, Mr.. Williams
dream knowledge may be accounted for
in a comparatively simple manner.
Redruth might be so reached in about
ten hours-just about the time which
had actually elapsed-allowing about
twenty minutes for difference of time be-
tween London and Redruth since the
time of the assassination, when Mr.
Williams rose. There are instances on
record in which that time has been far
more than equaled. In 1881 Mr.. 0bRlds.
den rode 200 miles in 7h. Ism. As, ex-
elusive Of III. 22m. 56s. stoppages; and |
even in India that time has been sur |
passed. What may have been the pur-
pose Of such rspidiiy in Transmitting the |
news is not necessary to discover; but |
there is strong suggestiyeness in the |
facts that Mr.. Tucker, Mr.. Williams
son in-law, acknowledged that Mr.. Per
ceval had been the greatest enemy to |
him be had ever met through life; and |
that Mr.. Williams son FASTENED as soon |
as possible 10 inform Mr. Tucker Of the !
assassination, "as it might occasion
some great ministerial changes, and /
might affect Mr.. fuckers political |
friends"
Where such possibilities as these are
clear, quite irrespective Of numerous
facts which might appear on examining
the subject With a direct view to them, TO |
say nothing Of yet other possibilities, it
is quite Unnecessary to have recourse to
occult means Of accounting for the facts.
Nee deus iHfcrsif, Risi digHus piRdiee
HodB
This dream needs not divine interpo-
.ition 70 explain he origin. II may have