Washington, April 22d, 1822
Dear Samuel,
It is a cause of much regret to me that you came to the
conclusion to discontinue writing so soon, which will leave seven or
eight weeks without any information from home, and ignorant whether
the family are dead or alive. But as it is now unavoidable, I must
submit to it as well as I can. You have probably by this time ascertain-
ed, by my letters or by the paper, which I hope are regularly received,
that we are to close the session on the eighth of May. As the house
will sit on that day, I can not leave here until the ninth and
shall be at home as soon as I possibly can. I have made my cal-
culations to be at Danville Wednesday night, which will be the 16th of May.
I believe I can effect this if I continue well and meet with no disap-
pointment in the stages &c. I believe Mr Burroughs does not leave
his house for Danville until Thursday morning, goes to Danville &
returns the same day, to his house. As I shall be unwilling to tarry
at Danville until noon or after and then very likely not be able
to get home that day, I wish you would see him and persuade him
to go to Danville Wednesday evening, with his wagon, and bring me home
on Thursday; or at least, to Col Warner, or to Burroughs house where
you or Charles can meet me with a waggon [wagon] or [ [] so that I can
get home that day. I should propose your meeting me at Danville
Wednesday night, if I were certain I can be able to reach there. But
as of this is the shortest possible time that a passage can be made from this to
Danville, and the failure of one stage on the route would postpone my arrival
at Danville until the Sunday following, I think it would not be worth your
while to go further than Hardwick - because if Burroughs does not meet me
at Danville, I can easily hire some person to bring me to Warner.
I should have been glad to have been at home sufficiently early to
have given some directions about & assisted in the opening work. I hope
that Mr Midden has however been able to get along with it without any
difficulty - if I am not disappointed I shall be at home in season to see
to part of it. April here has not been as pleasant as March; it has been
full as cold, much more stormy and windy - yet it has been so long since the
frost has been out of the ground, and since there has been any snow, that
vegetation has made considerable progress- The forest trees, particularly the oak
begins to put forth leaves. The Lombardy poplars have their leaves half grown
and I have seen some black in bloom- The appearance of vegetation is
such as we generally find in Vermont the later part of May - being for-
warder by four or five weeks here than with you.
I have no particular news to give you. Congress has for some time
past, and is at present, engaged in making appropriations for the different
departments of the government; and as our revenue has very much fallen
short of what it was a few years since, we have been under the necessity
of abridging our expenditures in every possible way, so that the ordinary
expenses, may not exceed the receipts into the treasury. Otherwise we
shall be obliged to lay taxes, or borrow money; either of which ought, if
possible to be avoided.
I wrote to your Mama last week, which I hope will be received.
I will write again next week, after which I shall write no more, as I
think I shall get home as soon as a letter can. Give my sincere love
to your Mama, Mary, &c & assure them that I am as desirous to see them, as
they can possibly be to see me. In the meantime I remain with sincerity
yours &c S C Crafts
Mr SPC