Washington, April 8th 1822
Dear Samuel,
Your letter of the 21 of March reached here on Wednesday last, & yours
of the 28th, last evening, which was several days sooner than your letters
have generally come. I am very thankful to learn by them that you
are all as well as you have been for some months past; an have only to
regret that your Mama's and your health has not become better established.
You express a wish in your last letter to try the effect of the springs. I
can certainly have no objections to this trial, nor am I altogether faith
less as to efficacy of the waters in many kinds of complaints. But I am
far from believing them, as some do, a cure for all disorders. James has
written to me upon the same subject, and I shall do what I can to assist
him and you also if you wish to make this trial; believing that the
journey in a pleasant season of the year, if not the waters, may be found
advantageous for both of you.
I am sorry to hear that you propose to suspend writing to me for
the future, in the expectation that your letters will not find me at this place.
I am very desirous to get home, to see the family and to relieve you
from the thousand little embarrassments that I am sensible my absence
must necessarily subject the family to. But I see no prospect of leaving this
place short of four weeks, and possibly five, from this time. No time is yet
fixed for adjournment, but the general opinion is at present that we can
get away on the first monday of May. The propositions which were made
for an early adjournment, were not brought forward, with a belief that congress
could, by the time proposed, dispose of all the necessary business of legislation: But
from personal and other considerations which [ ] them to but little credit.
You mention how much the people at Craftsbury are pleased with the
specimen of flour I sent you and that Harvey Scott felt a desire to obtain a
patent right. A small machine has been exhibited here which I have exam-
ined with attention, and have seen it work. This one was carried by turning
a crank but could work but a small quantity at once. One to do business to
advantage would require a power equal to that of a grist mill with one [ ]
of stones. Such an one, would cost three or four hundred dollars, exclusive of
the water machinery, &c. to put it in motion. The machine consists of about
a dozen cylindric wheels of cast iron which match into each other like the nuts
of a cider mill; they are of different sizes, and are placed in a frame something
like the manner that the cylinders are disposed in a carding machine. I should
recommend to Harvey Scott not to purchase at present, but to wait until some
further trials of its utility and success should have been made. If the machine
shall, upon a full trial, be found to fulfill the high expectations formed of it,
it will be of immense advantage to our country , to introduce them into
every town. I understand that it is at present the intention of the inven-
tors to manufacture all the machines themselves, at New York.
Mr Randolph did not run away. He obtained leave of absence on ac-
count of the bad state of his health. He is at times subject to slight turns of de-
rangement which often makes his conduct appear singular. One of these times
seems to have been coming upon him for some time before he left this place.
He could not sleep nights, neither could he bear confinement in the house, and
seemed to have lost of the power of compleatly regulating his actions and govern-
ing his feelings. His [ ] and memory seemed to retain their original force
and vigor, but for want of a sound judgment his remarks were frequently
incoherent, and often misapplied. He had become rather troublesome in the
house, and upon the whole we were all glad when he took his leave.
I shall continue to write at least once a week while I tarry here, and
hope when you shall find by the papers, or my letters, that you may for
some time longer find me here you will continue to write and let me
know the situation of the family. For it seems that I can hardly submit
for five or six weeks to be totally without any knowledge of the situation
of my family. Present my most affectionate regards to your Mama, my
love to Mary, and accept the assurance of the same to yourself
S C Crafts
Mr S P C-