Washington Feb. 15th 1824Dear Samuel,

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Your letter of Jan. 29th has been on hand several days, and most of the information contained has been very satisfactory. You mention that yourself and most of the family are troubled with bad colds, and are not so well as common. This has given me a good deal of anxiety for your Mama & yourself, more particularly, as either of your constitutions might by easily affected by it. I hope for the best. Tomorrow or next day I shall expect another letter from home, which I hope will give a more favorable account of the family. My health continues good. And since February commenced I have been relieved from all fears of any bad effects of warm weather. Some part of the time it has been extremely cold and blistering. Tho' the severity of the cold has not likely been so intense here as in Vermont, yet the change of temperature has been as great, if not greater. For the last weeks the weather has become more mild, and thro' the whole of last night we have had a severe rain storm from the East, which has not yet entirely subsided. The winter has so far advanced that I hope you have by this time got through the coldest part. I should like to know what depth of snow you have, and whether Charles is able to keep his pump from freezing through the late cold weather. Also whether Conant has water to do any grinding.

What has become of Mr Carbin and family? I hear nothing from any of them - nor from James. Does he hand over to

you the National Journal? and how do you like it? Do the papers I send you arrive regularly? What has become of Mr Upham? I expected that he might be froze to death in some of your severe nights, if he remained in the situation I left him. I should have no objection to sell William Hidden three or four joints of the stove pipe, if I knew what it cost. But as there is no [    ] he would be obliged to procure one before he could use them, and he might as well get the joints at the same time - which he could probably procure as cheap as I would be willing to spare them for. Besides I intend to make use of them next fall.

If you get the newspapers you will see all the speculations about the Congressional Caucus. It was held last evening agreeably to notification. I was not there, nor any of the Vermont delegation. But I had a full account of it, and their proceedings before I went to bed. 67 members of both houses of Congress attended and two more voted by proxy, one of which was detained by sickness, in the city, and the other has not been here during the session. 69 votes were given, 64 for Mr Crawford, 3 for Mr Adams - 1 for General Jackson, & 1 for Mr Macon - for president - 57 votes for Albert Galiten for Vice President - several votes, for whom I have not heard. This proceeding is considered here as very imprudent - and it is thought will injure their candidates much more than help them. Mr Adams stands very high through the country, and I have no doubt of his final triumph. General Jackson will most likely be Vice president; all speculations to the contrary notwithstanding.

Give my best love to your Mama, to Mary, and to the family, and accept my sincere prayers for your and their happinessSamuel C Crafts