Washington 14 1842
My dear friends,
Your kind letter of the 8 was received on yesterday,
Saturday morning as they have generally come, and I feel grateful
for the information, that you and the most of our friends are so
well; yet I am pained to learn by your letter of the dangeous
siutation of little Augustus Paddock, and cannot but hope from the
situation of the little fellow when you wrote, that he may recover. It
would be a heavy stroke upon his parents to loose him; but not
our will, but Gods will be done!
It is now the middle of August, and I am still here, - and
for any thing that [see], I cannot inform you when it is likely
I shall be able to leave this place. A few days since we had
nearly fixed the 22d inst for the adjournment of Congress. The
Tariff had passed both Houses of Congress, and although I did
not exactly like every part of it, it was
however
as good as could be pass-
ed under the circumstances in which we were placed. It retained
the distribution of the proceeds of the public lands, and I believe
gave a fair protection to the agricultural and manufacturing
interests of the North. But you will have learnt before this reaches
you that whatever benefits the country had a right to expect from
it, have been blasted by the will and obstinacy of one man.
The bill had the united opposition of all the Locos in both branches,
of Congress, with only one exception, and all the free trade whigs
of the South, leaving but a base majority in either house to mature
and carry out the measure. Had the Southern whigs generally gone
with us in favor of protection, we should have probably made the
bill more perfect. But it matters but little now, as the bill did not
please his majesty. Many of our Southern and Western whigs, are disposed
to go home and leave every thing in status quo; That is to say a govern-
ment without any revenue, or money in the treasury, and all the business
throughout the country prostrate. Others are desirous, for the benefit
of the Country as well as the credit of the government, to make another
attempt at a tariff, and, if they cannot succeed without it, to give up
the public land for the present. The whigs of both houses have had
several meetings and have not yet been able to agree upon any
plan. The Senate have agreed to go for a tariff upon the plan
of Mr Simmons' report ( a copy of which I sent you) but we cannot
obtain Representatives enough to pass it in the other House. I think,
and I believe all our Deligation are with me in the opinion, that
if we cannot pass a tariff, without giving back the public lands, we
ought to relinquish them. We can never drive any benefit from them
while Tyler is at the head of the government, and should the whigs
hereafter get the ascendency, they can then appropriate them; and
should the Locos get into power, they would repeal the act, if we do
not give it up, because it is considered as a measure emanating
from Mr Clay. So you see how we are situated, embarrassing enough
truly! I will say no more upon this subject, you will find enough
on the newspapers. The Treaty has been agreed upon and is
now before the Senate, but not yet acted upon. I think it likely
to be opposed by the Loco part of the Senate. I have heard some ex-
pressions that have favored such a result. Yet I have not heard any
explicit
expression
from any of them, and perhaps there will not be much opposition.
It requires two thirds of the Senate to ratify a treaty. I am not at liberty
to enter into particulars. I will however say that it is in my opinion
much better than none; as, if ratified, it will settle a long existing
question, that might possibly lead to war. The line agreed upon is
nearly the same as proposed by the king of Holland, and settles the
divisional line from St Croix to the Rocky mountains; but not be-
yond. I am sorry it did not continue to the Pacific ocean,
and thus put at rest all future questions of boundaries.
You observe that the haying season has been wet. There has been
much rain in this part of the country for nearly two month past,
scarcely a day passes with thunder showers. They do not cut much
hay,
here,
but what they did cut was much injured by the rains, as well
as the wheat crops generally through Maryland, and some part
Virginia. There are plenty of Watermelons and Cantelopes, as well
as very fine peaches, and pears
in the market.
I have seen no currants, I think
they do not flourish so far South. Plumbs also are plenty. The
Hibiscus (and the Affrican [African] ) has been lately in bloom-- it is a large
white flower, considerably larger than the common hollyhock, it is
a showy flower, the center part is red. I would like to get some
seeds, but I shall probably return to Vermont before the seeds are ripe.
I have lately discovered several very pretty flowers that are new
to me, and will bring you some of their seeds, if I shall tarry
until they get ripe. In one of your late letters you mentioned
that Mr & Mrs Washburn had been to St Johnsbury. I was rather
surprised to hear that they had returned to Massachusetts without
visiting Craftsbury. It appears they made but a short tarry at St
Craftsbury, and probably were limited as to time.
I begin to grow impatient to return once more to Vermont. I have already
been here twice as long as I expected when I left home; and still entertain
sanguine hopes that I shall meet you again in the course of two or three
weeks, and I hope we shall find all of us in good health.
Free
S C Crafts U S Senate
Nathan S Hill, Esquire
Craftsbury
Vermont
S. C. Crafts
Augt-14-42
You enquire about Mr Young, He is well I saw him yesterday, he was then
at a meeting of our delegation to consult on matters &c There is a perfect agreement of our dele-
gation on all the measures that have come before Congress.
Please to give my love to Mr & Mrs Corbin; Mrs Clark, and other friends. You may venture
to write after you have received this, as I expect a letter dated a week [ ] will
find me here.
I remain most sincerely and most affetionably
yours, Saml C Crafts