Washington February 12th 1821
My dearest friend,
I sit down to write with my mind filled with fears
and apprehensions, not only for Samuel, but also on your account.
I am so sensible of the interest you always take in the situation of
the unfortunate and distressed, that I fear you will forget the feeble-
ness of your own constitution, and will undertake more than is absolutely
necessary for you personally to perform. I therefore beseech you, as much
as possible to spare yourself from bodily fatigue and let others perform
what is not absolutely necessary should be done by you. Samuel
informs me that Mrs Wilkins was with you when he wrote; I
was pleased to hear it, and hope you will continue to employ
some person until I come home. I wrote to Dr Todd some
weeks ago, & gave him as particular account of Samuels situation
as I could from your letters. I have not yet received any answer
from him, but hope he has written to you before now. Dr
Smith has written to me and has been very particular in his
account of the complaints with which Samuel has been afflicted
and says that it is his opinion "that the chance, not so evidently for
an immediate restoration, as for a prolongation of life, is apparently in
his favor." As he appears to have given his opinion with frank-
ness & sincerity, I have been strengthened in my hopes that Samuel
may yet have the good fortune to be restored to health.
Your letters I believe have all come on though very ir-
regularly, the last were dated the thirtieth of January - I have
so far been had the good fortune to enjoy my health as well
as usual.
Altho' it has been uncommonly sickly here this winter there
are at present but four or five on the sick list, and only one of
them is thought to be dangerous, the others are convalescent. And
it is believed the cause, whatever it was that has caused so great
a mortality, does no longer exist. We have been all day engaged
on the Missouri Question, and have by a majority of three, refused
to admit her with her slaves, we did not adjourn until seven
this evening. I was not able last evening to finish
this letter in season to get it into the mail - on account of com-
pany which called at our room- I now (on the thirteenth)
sit down to close this letter and will only add that after a-
nother tedious sitting, which lasted until almost 7 o'clock, without
interruption, we have reconsidered the vote we gave last night
against the admission of Missouri, and after discussing the sub-
ject all day & with considerable warmth, we have again de-
cided the question against her admittance by a majority of six.
There were several absent last evening when the vote was taken,
which was the reason the subject was brought up to day- As all
were present on the last trial it is hoped we shall be troubled with
it no more during the present session.
I enclosed to you in a letter two or three weeks since twen-
ty dollars, which I hope you have received- I shall be on
my way home in less than three weeks, for the arrival of
which time I wait with the most anxious impatience.
My love to Mary and the family- And may Heaven preserve
you and them-
I remain your most sincere & affectionate
friend
Samuel C Crafts
Mrs E Crafts
S.C. Crafts
Feb. 12. 1821