Washington Feb 6th 1819
My dear Friend,
The last mail from Vermont brought me your
kind and affectionate letter of the 23d [ ], for which I tender
you my most cordial thanks. Your letter, I assure you, has
been doubly acceptable; for it has not only brought the
assurance of a continuation of that friendship and affection,
which it is my duty, and I pray God, may ever be my fortune
to deserve, but it has also relieved my mind from the doubts
and apprehensions about your health, which have incessantly
haunted my imagination, and placed a weight upon my
heart, that nothing but your letter has had power to remove.
I am extremely anxious to get home, and, by my assistance
and attentions, to relieve you from the burden of care &
privations, which my absence has thrown upon you; and
I shall wait, with extreme impatience, the arrival of the
Fourth of March, which will enable me again to revisit the
friend, who alone have the power to interest my affections
and make me happy. I have little news to write
you - excepting that there has, this morning, been a foolish
and murderous duel fought here this morning, between a
General Mason & a Captain McCarty, both of Virginia, and
of high families and large fortunes - the cause was a po-
Feb. 6th 1819.
litical quarrel; they proceeded with their seconds three or four
miles out of the city, and with muskets loaded with a ball &
three buckshot, in each gun, and at a distance of less than
thirty feet apart, they fired at each other at the same instant,
General Mason was killed instantly, the whole charge passing
thro' his heart, the captain was only wounded in his arm -
and what renders the transaction more unnatural, the com-
battants were connected both by the ties of consanguinity and
[affinity] - Such is the sacrifice that the bubble, honor, requires
of her votaries! Congress have been engaged in
a long and [ ] debate about the conduct of General Jackson
in the late Indian war, and I have become extremely tired of
the subject - and when it will concluded I know not. The sub-
ject does not merit half of the importance that is attached to it.
And not withstanding it has been clearly ascertained, far a long time,
that a majority of Congress will not censure General Jackson,
yet the rage for speechifying continues unabated.
I received a letter from Samuel with yours and will
write to him next week - and I will answer Marys
very acceptable letter - I will attend to the request contained
in yours -Inform Samuel and Mary of the continuance
of my love - My respects to Mr Corbins and Mr Clarks
families - and accept the assurance of my being affection
ately and unalterably yours
Samuel C. Crafts