Washington, April 7th 1822
Dear Sir,
I acknowledge with pleasure the receipt of yours
of the 29th ultimo which has just been received. It gives me
the more satisfaction as I discover by it that you are convales-
cent. I have heard infrequently of the bad state of your health
the winter past, and I assure you that I have experienced much
anxiety on your account. I think I can duly appreciate your
feelings, and the discouragement that such a precarious state of
health must produce upon the spirits of a person of your age
and your desire to engage in some employment, by which you
might become useful to yourself and to your country. However
present prospects may appear gloomy, and discouraging, it
is not the part of wisdom to dispair [despair]. We can not look into
futurity; if we could, you might, very possibly, discover many
years of health and happiness in store for you. It is not
uncommon for persons, who, at your age have been afflicted
with complaints that seemed to baffle the skills of the physi
an [physician], to have gradually got the better of their complaints, and
become hale and sound. You propose going to the springs.
It may possibly be beneficial, at any rate it may be well
to make the trial. Any aid that I can give you to forward
the object shall be awarded with great pleasure. I conclude
you will not think of the journey before I return home.
I received a week or two since a letter from Mr Clark
with a note from Clarissa requesting me to purchase for her
a shawl- Her request shall be attended to. I should have
written an answer to Mr Clarks letter before this, if I had not,
previously to receiving his, already written to him, which I hope
has been received. As you tell me you have either read, or
heard read all the Intelligencers, you have of course all the
news that I could give you. Many of the newspapers, or rather
newspaper makers, have attempted to attach blame upon
Congress for not dispaching [dispatching] business with more rapidity. It
is true business has progressed very slowly; perhaps uncom-
monly so; but during no session, at which I have been a mem-
ber, has Congress sat more hours each day. The former part of
the session we sat from three to four hours, and for two months
last part , from 5 to 8- The difficulty has been that the
subjects before us have been important, and on which there
has been a great diversity of opinion, and were such as opened
a wide field for debate- Business of late has progressed better,
and I expect, as much is in considerable forwardness, the usual
quantity will be compleated before we rise. We have not yet
fixed the day of adjournment. I think it will not take place
before the first monday of May. I am very desirous to have
that time arrive, for I have been homesick a long time
Give my love to Mr Clark, your Mama, Clarissa, Benjamin,
and Ephraim, and believe me to be sincerely & affectionately
Yours S C Crafts
Mr. J A Paddock