The National tribune., 1882-01-14
CALHOUN'S SPOTTED HAND.
THE STORY AS TOLD IN 1861.

The other morning, at the breakfast table
when l, an unobserved spectator, happened to be
present, Calhoun was observed to gaze frequently
st MS right hand and brush it with his left in
hurried and nervous manner. He did this so
often that it excited attention. At length one
of the persons comprising the breakfast party
his name think is Toombs and he is a mem
Der of Congress from Georgia-toOk upon him
self TO ask the occasion of Mr.. Calhoun's dis
ouietude "Does your hand pain you?" he
asked of Mr. Calhoun. To this Mr.. Calhoun re-
piled. in rather hurried manner, Pshaw it is
nothing but dream had last night, and which
makes me see perpetually large black spot, like
an ink blotch, upon the back of my right hand;
an optical illusion, l suppose" OF course these
words excited the curiosity of the company, but
no one ventured to beg the details of this singular
dream, until TooB1bs asked quietly, "What was
your dream like? I am not very superstitious
about dreams; but sometimes they have great
deal of truth in them" But this was such pc
culiarIy absurd dream said Mr. Calhoun, again
brushing the back Of his right hand; however,
if it does not intrude too much on the time of
our friends, l will relate it TO you" OF course
anxiety TO know all about the dream, and Dir.
Calhoun related it, at a late hour last night,
as l was sitting In my room, engaged in writing,
| was astonished by the entrance of visitor
who, without a word, took a seat opposite me at
my table. This surprised me- as l had given
particular orders to the servant that ] should on
no account be disturbed. The manner in which
the intruder entered, perfectly selfpOssessed,
taking his seat opposite me without word, as
though my room and ali within it belonged to
him, excited in me as much surprise as indigna-
ton. As l raised my head to look into his
features over the top of my shaded lamp, | dis
covered that he was wrapped in thin cloak,
which effectually concealed his face and features
from my view; and as I raised my head, he
spoke: What are you writing, Senator from
Soatn U"1v1i-~" p did not think of his imperti-
nence at first, but answered him voluntarily, Il
am writing a plan for the dissolution of the
American Union you know, gentlemen, that
I am expected to produce a plan of dissolution
in the event of certain contingencies To this
the intruder replied, in the coolest manner pos
sible Senator from South Carolina, will you
allow me to look at your hand, your right hand p
He rose the cloak fell, and l beheld his face
Gentlemen, the sight of that face struck me
like thunder-clap. It was the face of a dead
man, whom extraordinary events had called
back to life. The features were those of General
George Washington He was dressed in the
Revolutionary costume, such you see in the
Patent Office" Here Mr.. Calhoun paused, ap-
parently agitated. His agitation, l need not
tell you, was shared by the company. Toombs
at length broke the embarrassing pause "Well,
what was the issue of this scene?' Mr. Calhoun
resumed. "The intruder, as / have said, rose
and asked to look at my right hand, as though
had not the power to refuse 1 extended it.
The truth is, l felt a strange thrill pervade
me at his touch; he grasped it and held it near
the light, thus affording full time to examine
every feature. 1t was the face of Washington.
After holding my hand for moment, he looked
at me steadily, and said in a quiet way, And
with this right hand, Senator from South Caro-
lima, you would sign your name to paper de-
claring the Union dissolved?' l answered in
the affirmative. Yes said, IF certain con-
tingency arises, / win sign my name to the
Declaration of Dissolution But at that moment
black blotch appeared on the back of my hand,
which / seem to see now. What is that? said
l. alarmed, I know not why, at the blotch on
my hand. That said he, dropping my hand,
is the mark by which Benedict Arnold is
known in the next world He said no more.
gentlemen, but drew from beneath his cloak an
object which he laid upon the table-laid upon
the very paper on which l was writing. This
object, gentlemen, was skeleton. There said
he there are the bones of Isaac Hayne, who was
hung at Charleston by the British. He gave his
life in order to establish the Union. When you
put your name to Declaration of Dissolution,
why, you may as well have the bones of Isaac
Hayne before you-he was South Carolinian
and so are you. But there was no blotch on his
right hand With these words the intruder left
the room. started back from the contact with
the dead mans bones and-awOke. Overcome
by labor, l had fallen asleep, and had been
dreaming. Was it not singular dream?" All
Che company answered in the affirmative, and
loonos muttered, Singular, very singular" and
at the same time looking curiously at the back
OF ms night hand, while Mr.. Calhoun placed his
neao between his hands and seemed bu led in
Ihought-From an old newspaper
no" Slrong our churches would become if all
were DaDtlSeQ with the Srir;4 90