INTERESTING SKETCHES, 1 STATISTICS, ETC. The Dream of John C. Calhoun. It may not be considered inappropriate by some-although it may by others to produce at this time the narrative of a vision, which it is said Mr. John C. Calhoun had some years ago :-it was written by Mr. James A. Scoville, for many years the private secretary of that distinguished statesman: The other morning, at the breakfast table, our friend, the Hon. John C. Calhoun, seemed very much troubled and out of spirits. You know he is altogether a venerable man, with a hard Scotch-Irish face, softened in its expression, around the mouth, by a sort of sad smile, which won the hearts of all who conversed with him. His hair is now snow white. He is tall, slim, and angular. He reminds you very much of Old Hickory. That he is honest, no one doubts; he has sacrificed to his fatalism his brightest hopes of political advancement-has offered upon the shrine of that necessity which he worships all that can excite ambition--even the Presidency of the United States. But to my story: The other morning at the breakfast table, when I, an unobserved spectator, happened to be present, Calhoun was observed to gaze frequently at his right hand, and brush his left in a hurried and excited manner. He did it so often that it excited attention. At length one of the persons composing the breakfast party--his name, I think, is Toombs, and he is a member of Congress from Georgia--took upon himself to ask the occasion of Mr. Calhoun's inquietude. "Does your hand pain you?" he asked of Mr. Calhoun. To this Mr. Calhoun replied, in rather a flurried manner. "Pshaw, it is nothing. Only a dream I had last night, and which makes me see, perpetually, a large black spot, like an ink blotch, upon the back of my right hand. An optical illusion, I suppose." Of course, these words excited the curiosity of the company, but no one ventured to beg the details of this singular dream, until Mr. Toombs asked quietly: "What is your dream like? I am not very superstitious about dreams, but sometimes they have a great deal of truth about them." "But this was such a peculiarly 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, I will relate it to you." Of course the company were profuse in their expressions of anxiety to know all about the dream. In his singularly sweet voice Mr. Calhoun related it. At a late hour last night, as I was sitting in my room, engaged in writing, I was astonished at the entrance of a visitor who entered, and, without a word, took a seat opposite me at the table. This surprised me, as I had given particular orders to the servant that I should, on no account, be disturbed. The manner in which the intruder entered, so perfectly self-possessed, taking his seat opposite me without a word, as though my room and all within it belonged to him, excited in me as much surprise as indignation. As I raised my head to look at his features, ver the top of my shaded lamp, I discovered that he was wrapped in a thin cloak, which effectually concealed both his face and features from view; and, as I raised my head, he spoke- "What are you writing, Senator from South Carolina?" I did not think of his impertinence at first, but answered him voluntarily: I am writing a plan for the dissolution of the American Union." (You all know, gentlemen, that I am expected to produce a plan in the event of certain contingencies.) To this the intruder replied, in the coolest manner possible: "Senator from South Carolina, will you allow me to look at your right hand?" He arose, the cloak fell, and I beheld his face. Gentlemen, the sight of that face struck me like a clap of thunder. It was the face of a dead man, whom extraordinary events had called back to life. The features were those of General George Washington!-yes; gentlemen, the intruder was none other than General George Washington. He was dressed in the Revolutionary costume, such as you see in the Patent Office. Hon. Mr. Calhoun paused, apparently much agitated. His agitation, I need not tell you, was shared by the company. At length Mr. Toombs broke the embarrassing pause: แ Well, what was the issue of this scene? Mr. Calhoun resumed: The intruder, as I have said, rose and asked to look at my right hand. As though I had no power to refuse, I extended it. The truth is I felt a strange thrill pervade me at his touch; he grasped it and held it near the light, thus giving me time to examine every feature. It was the face of Washington. Gentlemen, I shuddered as I beheld the horrible dead-olive of that visage. After holding my hand a moment, he looked at me steadfastly and said in a quiet way: "And with this right hand you would sign your name to a paper declaring the Union dissolved?" I answered in the affirmative, "Yes, if a certain contingency arises, I will sign my name to the declaration of dissolution." But that moment a black blotch appeared upon the back of my hand-an inky blotch, which I seem to see now-"What is that?" said I, alarmed, I know not why, at the blotch upon 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 it upon the very paper upon which I was writing; the object, gentlemen, was a skeleton. แ "There," said he, "there are the bones of Isaac Hayne, who was hung at Charleston by the British. He gave his life to establish this Union. When you put your name to the declaration of a dissolution, why, you may as well have the bones of Isaac Hayne before you. He was a South Carolinian; so are you. But there was no blotch on his hand! With these words the intruder left the room. I started back with the THE NAVY OF THE UNITED STATES. 51 contact with the dead man's bones, and awoke. Overworn with labor, I had fallen asleep and been dreaming. Was it not a singular dream? 66 All the company answered in the affirmative, and Toombs muttered singular-very singular," and, at the same time, looking curiously at the back of his right hand, while Mr. Calhoun placed his head between his hands, and seemed buried in thought. The Navy of the United States. THE HOME SQUADRON. The following list of these and other vessels of the Navy now in active service, will be interesting: Brooklyn, first-class steam-sloop, 25 guns, Capt. W. S. Walker, now at Hampton Roads. Crusader, third-class screw-steamer, 8 guns, Lieut.-commanding J. N. Maffit, at Mobile Bay, Jan. 6. Falmouth, store sailing ship, Lieut.-commanding Charles Thomas, moored at Aspinwall. Mohawk, third-class screw-steamer, 5 guns, Lieut.-commanding T. A. M. Craven, cruising off Cuba and Key West. Macedonian, first-class sailing-sloop, 22 guns, Capt. James Glynn, sailed from Portsmouth Jan. 13, probably for the Gulf. Pawnee, third-class screw-steamer, 4 guns, Com. S. C. Rowan, at Philadelphia, repairing engines. Pocahontas, second-class screw-sloop, 5 guns, Com. S. H. Hazzard, at Vera Cruz, Dec. 23. Powhatan, first-class steam-sloop (paddles), 11 guns, Capt. Samuel Mercer, Vera Cruz, Dec. 23. Sabine, sailing-frigate, 50 guns, Capt. H. A. Adams, at Sacrificios, V. C., Dec. 23. St. Louis, first-class sailing-sloop, 20 guns. Com. Charles H. Poor, Sacrificios, V. C., Dec. 23. Supply, store-ship, 4 guns, Com. Henry Walker, sailed from Pensacola Jan. 12, for Vera Cruz. Wyandotte, third-class screw-steamer, Lieut.-commanding O. H. Berryman, off Pensacola, Jan. 10. The other vessels are distributed as follows: MEDITERRANEAN SQUADRON.-The Iroquois, Release, Richmond, and Susquehanna. BRAZIL SQUADRON.-Congress, Pulaski, and Seminole. AFRICAN SQUADRON.-Constellation, Mohican, Mystic, Portsmouth, Relief, San Jacinto, Sumter, and Saratoga. PACIFIC SQUADRON.-Cyane, Fredonia, Lancaster, Levant (missing), Narraganset, St. Marys, Saranac, Wyoming, and Warren. EAST INDIA SQUADRON.-Dacotah, Hartford, John Adams, Saginaw, and Vandalia. ON SPECIAL SERVICE.-The Constitution at Annapolis, the Niagara last at Hong Kong, and Pensacola fitting out at Washington Navy Yard. RECENT RESIGNATIONS FROM THE NAVY. Captain.-Victor M. Randolph, Virginia. Commanders.-H. C. Hartstene, South Carolina; T. W. Brent, Florida; E. Farrand, New Jersey. Lieutenants.-T. P. Pelot, South Carolina; James H. North, South Carolina; John M. Stribling, South Carolina; R. T. Chapman, Alabama; Francis B. Renshaw, Tennessee; J. R. Eggleston, Mississippi; George E. Law, Indiana; J. R. Hamilton, South Carolina; Robert Selden, Virginia; Passed Assistant Surgeon.-A. M. Lynach, South Carolina. Paymaster.-W. W. J. Kelly, Florida. Masters.-John Pearson, Florida; T. B. Mills, Alabama. Midshipmen.-John T. Walker, South Carolina; S. S. Gregory, North Carolina; John Gemball, South Carolina; W. W. Wilkinson, South Carolina; E. C. Merriman, New York; J. E. Holcombe, Georgia; H. L. Fill; Robert Flourney, Georgia; William E. Yancey, Alabama; John R. Price, Alabama; S. G. Stone, Alabama; J. G. Baldwin; Napoleon J. Smith, Alabama; F. M. Roby, Mississippi; Wm. F. Robinson, Alabama; Robert E. Fonte, Tennessee; R. H. Bacot, South Carolina. Engineer.-E. S. Boynton, Connecticut. Navy Agent.-B. D. Heriot, South Carolina. His First Surrender. A Tallahassee correspondent of the Jacksonville Southern Confederacy gives the following account of the capture of a United States arsenal: "About seven o'clock on the morning of the 6th inst., the arsenal at Appalachicola, at the mouth of the Chattahoochee river, was besieged by the troops of the State of Florida. In consequence of the weakness of the command an entrance was gained. Mr. Powell, who has been in the service of the United States since 1840, and had command of the place, acted in a gallant manner. After the troops had entered, he faced the line and thus addressed them: "OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS: Five minutes ago was the commander of this arsenal; but, in consequence of the weakness of my command, I am obliged to surrender, an act which I have hitherto never had to do during my whole military career. If I had a force equal to or even half the strength of your own, I'll be damned if you would ever had entered that gate until you walked over my dead body. You see that I have but three men. These are laborers, and cannot contend against you. Take my sword, Captain Jones!' 66 'Captain Jones of the Young Guard of Quincy received Mr. Powell's sword, and then returned it to him and addressed him as follows: 66 6 My dear Sir! Take your sword! You are too brave a man to disarm!' "The whole command then gave three cheers for the gallant Powell." Captain Abner Doubleday, second in command at Fort Sumter, was born at Balston Spa, New York, in 1819, entered West Point in 1838, and graduated in 1842. He served gallantly in Mexico and Florida till 1858, when he was sent to Fort Moultrie. Capt. Wm. S. Walker, of the Brooklyn. The United States sloop-of-war, Brooklyn, is commanded by Captain Wm. S. Walker, who is a native of New Hampshire. He entered the navy as a midshipman at twenty years of age, and has reached his present position by regular promotion. He commanded the Saratoga in the Japan expedition, and during the war with Mexico commanded a gun-boat, but was not called into active service. He is about sixty years of age, and is highly esteemed by those who know him. He is a brave and gallant DISTRIBUTION OF ARMS AMONG THE SLAVE STATES. 53 officer, and one of the best disciplinarians in the navy. Two of his children live in Boston. The Duties on Sugar. The amount of duties paid on sugars imported into this country, to protect the interests of Louisiana, has averaged more than seven millions per annum for the last five years, and during the decade closed have amounted fully to fifty-seven millions of dollars. In 1860 the value of sugar imported was $28,931,100, the duty on which (twenty-four per cent.) amounted to $6,943,664. Of the total consumption of sugar in this country, it is estimated that forty per cent. is the product of the Louisiana plantations. The capital invested in these is probably not less than thirty millions of dollars, and may exceed that figure considerably. During the last quarter of a century the sugar product of that State must have reached the sum of $250,000,000. Distribution of Arms among the Slave States. On the 30th of December, 1859, an order was received from the War Department, directing the transfer of 115,000 muskets from the Springfield, Mass., and Watervliet, N. Y., arsenals, to different arsenals at the South. Orders were given, in obedience to these instructions, on the 30th of May, 1860, and the arms were removed during the past spring, from and to the places as follows: From Springfield Armory, 65,000 percussion muskets, caliber 69-100ths of an inch. From Watertown Arsenal, 6,000 percussion rifles, caliber 54-100ths of an inch. From Watervliet Arsenal, 4,000 percussion rifles, caliber 54-100ths of an inch. Of which there were sent as follows: The arms thus transferred which were at the Charleston Arsenal, the Mount Vernon Arsenal, and the Baton Rouge Arsenal, have been seized by the authorities of the several States of South Carolina, Alabama, and Louisiana, and are no longer in possession of the Ordnance Department. Those stored at the Augusta Arsenal and at North Carolina are still in charge of the officers of this Department. In addition to the foregoing, there have been transfers from the armories to different arsenals, as the exigencies of the service demanded, for immediate issues to the army and to the States, under the act of April, 231,808, and which I infer are not intended to be embraced in the call of the House of Representatives. Thirty-six Thirty. The reader who is curious to know exactly where runs this oft-mentioned line, will get a clear idea of it by taking the map and tracing it as follows: It commences at the point on the Atlantic coast, where the dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina commences; passes along the line dividing those States; along the line between Tennessee and Kentucky; along the line between the States of Missouri and Arkan |