Washington Feb. 3d 1822
Dear Samuel,
Your letter of the 17th ult. and one from your Mama
of the same date did not arrive until last evening, by
what means they were so [ ] retarded on the way I
cannot conceive. However they were not the less acceptable
on that account. It gives me sincere pleasure to learn by
them that your health remains as good, and that of your
Mama has inproved since I left home. You mention
the coldness of the winter - I had anticipated no very favor-
able account on that head. The weather generally, since I
have been in this place, has been much more severely cold
than any of the former winters I have spent here. It is true
there have been some moderate days and some rain,
but soon turned cold again- For some days past it has
become more moderate, thawing and muddy in the day
time, and freezing very hard at night. I am sorry
the new stove is found to be too small sufficiently to
warm the front room in very cold weather. This I think
I can remedy by another winter by adding to the length
of the pipe in the room; ten or twelve feet of additional
pipe would probably keep the room sufficiently warm
in the coldest weather.
I wish you would inform me how you make out
for wood, grinding &c, and how they hay holds out &c &c
Samuel Crafts
Feb. 3. 1822
I will the just opportunity examine the book store for a treatise of Stenography
and if I find any preferably to yours I will procure it
You have not mentioned in any of your letters whether the
Intelligencer is received more regularly than last summer.
I have many documents of a public nature which you might
find interesting. These I shall transmit to you occasionaly [occasionally], so soon
as I can spare them, which after reading I wish to be laid by.
The subject which has particularly engaged Congress for the
week past, has been to apportion the representatives among the
several States, agreeably to the late census. The whole difficulty
has been in agreeing upon the ratio- No number can yet be
found which will suit a majority. A ratio of thirty nine
thousand will give Vermont her present representation, that is 5.
several other states are in favor of the same number- This num-
ber has been tried in several shapes, but always without success.
45, 44, 43, 42, & 41 thousand has also been tried and with the
same success- I am inclined to believe, from present appear-
ances, that 40,000 will finally prevail, which will give
Vermont but five representatives, and leave a fraction un-
represented of a number almost sufficient for another; which
will be unfortunate, as it will lessen the political weight
of Vermont
in
Congress, and in our electoral votes for President, from about
1/35th part, our real proportion agreeably to the Census, to about
1/42d part- I wrote last week to your Mama & to
Mary, which letters I hope will go safe.
Present my most affectionate remembrance to your Mama
and inform her, I will write to her shortly. Give my best
love to Mary - also to the family.
Yours affectionately Saml C Crafts
Mr S P Crafts