Washington, June 11 1842
My dear friends,
I have receieved a letter from W E Paddock, dated
June 3d in which he says that you were well. I have for a
day or two past been looking for another letter from you,
your last being dated, May 25. I should be glad to hear from
you, at least, once a week, I must depend chiefly on you
for an account of what takes place at Craftsbury, as I do not
expect any others to write, unless occasionally, and upon business.
I remain perfectly well, am regular in my living and ex-
ercise, and hope I shall be able to preserve my health until
I get back to Craftsbury. But when that will be, no human
being can tell. Congress sits six or seven hours each day, yet
they make but small progress in dispatching the business be-
fore then. The House of Representatives have at legnth commenced
upon the Tariff. But there are so many disagreement upon the
mode, manner, and amount of duties to be [ ], that it will re-
quire some weeks to mature an act for this purpose; and it is
yet doubtful whether an act can be got through Congress, that
will answer the expectations of the people at the North. It is
agreed on all hands that the duties on importation must be
considerably raised for the purpose of revenue; and I believe
an act especially for that object might be passed without much
difficulty. This alone would afford some protection. But there is a
S.C. Crafts. June 11 1842.
large party opposed to making any considerable discrimination
for the purposes of protection; and I very much doubt whether
we can get a duty on foreign wool higher than thirty percent
on the original cost. The foreign wool that comes in competition
with ours, I understand costs upon an average about thirty cents
a pound, and thirty percent will bring it up to near forty unto a
pound. The woolen manufacturers pretend that they cannot afford
to give more, unless the duties on imported cloths are raised above
40 percent. I am still in hopes we can get the duty on wool
raised to 33 1/3 per ct - There are may [many] who will oppose all dis-
crimination unless the distribution act is repealed. The Locos
are in general opposed to protection, and in favor of a repeal of
the distribution of the process of the public lands. You will
see by the Intelligencer which I send you, that the Senate have
concurred with the House in districting all the states for the
choice of Representatives to Congress; they have raised the ratio,
so that Vermont would be entitled to but 4 Representatives; lest it
is uncertain whether the House will agree to our amendment.
The Senate have spent nearly three weeks upon this bill; and that
section which directs the districting the states have been opposed
by every Loco in the Senate with all their force and talents,
and several of them have a good show. All the States that
have adopted the general ticket system, are Loco states, and there
are five or six of them; in each of which if they were districted
there would be one or more whigs.
This part of the letter is for Mary more particularly
I had written what preceeds this when the bell summonded us
to tea, and before returning to my chamber, the mail arrived
with your letter of the 6. from which I am gratified to learn
that you are in so good helath, and that all things are genera[lly]
going on so well. I am sorry that Mrs Clark is so unwell
William wrote me that she was quite unwell, and that Mary
was also quite feeble, and if she was improving at all, it was
very slow. I am glad to hear that Mrs Corbin was well enough
to call on you- and that she had received my letter. I wrote
also to Mrs Clarks, which I presume she had received long before
this time. You ask me to tell you something about the
fashions. I never had much tact in noticing fashions so carefully
as to be able to describe them. I have however observed that
the bonetts [bonnets] are precisely in the form of your silk one, made
by Betsy Elkins. But they are worn of all colors from black
to white of silk, as well as many of straw; and the young ladies
wear artificial flowers in their bonets [bonnets]. Their dresses are shaped
very much like the dress you had made in Boston; I can hardly
perceive any difference- This is all I can give you on that
subject. And now for flowers. I have seen in some of the
gardens great numbers of white lillies [lilies] in bloom. They are an elegant
flower. The common old fashion pinks I saw to day in blossom.
A great many of the flowers here are such as grow in your
garden & James! I cannot recollect the names. There are many
however, which are new to me. The flowers around the pub-
lic grounds, are annual. I saw yesterday hollyhocks almost ready
to blossom. Honeysuckle is in full bloom. Yesterday I was passing
a garden I saw a lemon tree full of fruit, apparently full grown.
it was kept in a green house through the winter. We frequently
have cucumbers at our dinners. I learn however that they were
raised in hot houses. Yesterday we had pears, - small but ripe &
good- but on enquiry I found that they were brought from Nor-
folk in Virginia. I believe I gave a description of
the public grounds about the Capital & Presidents house, in my
letter to Mrs Clark- which I presume you have seen before
this. Genl Walton has sent me the Watchman regularly, and
after reading them I have enclosed them to Arba Nelson. I
will as you recommend enclose something to Caleb Hill; I should
have done it before, had I known where to direct it, which
I learn from your letter. I am sorry to hear that your spring
is so backward. I expected it for it has been very chilly here; and
if March and April had not been uncommonly warm here, vegetation
would have been backward here also.
Give my love to Mr & Mrs Corbin when you see them; to
Mrs Clark, and all our cousins. and accept my most fervant
prayers for your health and happiness.
Saml C Crafts
If you get the Intelligencer regularly you will get a pretty full account
of the proceedings of Congress- I have sent you Mr Choates speech in the
Senate. His both able and brilliant.
Please present my respect to Mr & Mrs Hall-
I have looked over this letter, it is [ ] concern!