Washington Jan. 4th 1824
Dear Samuel,
Since I wrote last week I have received your letter of the 
18th ult. which has given me much satisfaction - particularly as it 
gives so favorable account of your health and that of the family, 
which I pray may be continue to improve. 
You mention that you had received but one Washington paper, and had not seen the 
Message of the president- Altho' that had been the case when you 
wrote, I presume that you soon after received several papers - 
as I have continued to forward the Intelligencer, & Washing Republi-
can direct to you, and the National Journal, through James, to you
 also- Niles' Register is sent to me from Baltimore, after reading it
 I inclose it to Dr Scott - and you have the right to read it if you 
wish - it is taken by the Doctor, Colonel an myself, each paying his 
proportion of the price of the papers and postage. From the three 
papers which I send you, you will get an account of every thing of im-
portance which is done in Congress. I should have sent you a copy 
of the documents accompanying the presidents message - but I find 
every document of any interest to be published in some of the papers 
which I send. You cannot form any very satisfactory opinion  
 of the prospects of the different candidates for president, from any of 
the newspapers - as each paper endeavors to set his own favorite can-
didate in the best possible point of view - and at the same time uses 
every art to represent the opposing candidates in the most unfavorable
 light- Therefore it becomes necessary, to avoid wrong impressions, to read
 the papers which support the different candidates. After all that has been 
said in favor of Mr Calhoun, Jackson and Clay, and of the high estima-
tion in which they are said to be held in different parts of the United States


it is considered here by the most informed, that the great contest will 
be finally between Mr Adams & Mr Crawford; and will be a trial of 
strength between the North and the South. There would be no hesitation 
in predicting the final result, if the divisional line were the same that 
divides the slave holding from the free states. But some of the middle
 states, particularly Pennsylvania (and perhaps New York) have hitherto been 
so divided on the question as to offer no indication by which to conjecture
 one whom she will eventually support. At the present time it is thought
 Mr Adams takes the lead of any other candidate - which may not be the 
case a few months hence. There will not probably be any Congressional 
caucus. The members from several states, and among the rest, from Vermont, 
have refused to attend one - and the subject is becoming more unpopular 
every day - Mr Crawfords friends in Congress have been very much en-
gaged in favor of a caucus - but the friends of all the other candidates, con-
stituting a large majority in Congress, have opposed the measure, as likely 
to result unfavorably to some of their own favorite candidates. 
The Greek fever prevails about as much at Washington as in other parts
 of the U.S. and a considerable portion of Congress have not escaped the conta-
gion- Every republican, and every Christian, who is a republican, must 
sincerely rejoice at the success of the Greeks, and pray for this final
 success. But it would be an act of perfect [            ] for this govern-
ment to openly espouse their cause - it would probably bring all the force 
of the holy alliance upon the poor Greeks, and also upon us, who are 
already sufficiently obnoxious to the [ ], as a nursery of repub-
lican principals- This subject will soon be discussed in Congress, and with 
what results I cannot at present foresee. 
I wrote to your Mama & also to Mary, last week - which letters I hope 
will arrive safe- The week past has been mild, and we have had consider-
able rain; it is now colder-  I hope you have had a thaw - sufficient to 
raise the streams- I remain well- Pray give my best to your 
Mama & Mary - and to the rest of the family. May you all be happy!
S C Crafts-