Washington Jan. 30th 1820
Dear Sir,
It has been so long since I have written to you, and
in fact since I have received any letter from you, that I begin to
feel some goadings of conscience on that account; and have therefore
come to the determination to attempt to renew a correspondence,
which heretofore has afforded me much pleasure; and which
I flatter myself will again, occasionally, afford me the satisfaction
of receiving an answer from you. For my own part I must
plead guilty; for, upon a full examination of my defence,
I find that I have no good and sufficient excuse to offer in my
justification; and hope, since I am so sensible of my default,
that you will require no further penance. On the other side
of the question, it may be as well for me, perhaps, to be silent.
I have learned, with much pleasure of your removal
to Hartford, and your establishing yourself there, in the practice;
as I am persuaded that in a place where you are so well known,
you can hardly fail of having as much business as you can
attend to, and with vastly less fatigue of both body and mind,
than in Farmington; or, indeed, in any country village: and
at the same time you have not been obliged to make the sacri-
fice of the society of your numerous and valuable friends.
I receive letters from home nearly every week, and
have the satisfaction to inform you that my family were
all in good health and spirits, so lately as the 18th [ ] the date
of their last letter. Mrs Crafts has enjoyed a good state of
health for more than a year past, without the occurrence [occurence] of
any symptoms of her old complaints. Samuel is teaching a school
in our neighborhood this winter, and lives at home. Perhaps
Mrs Crafts, or Samuel has written to you, since I left home; if
so, you have already all the information which I can give.
I conclude that you learn from the papers what
we are doing at this place. The fact is, however, that we are not
doing much to any purpose. No plan is yet devised to supply
the deficiency in the treasury. Uncle Sam, like other people
who have lived up to the full extent of their income, when his
resources fail, finds it unpalatable to make retrenchments.
And notwithstanding I am of opinion we have it in our
power to dispense with unnecessary expenditures, to the a-
mount of the apparent deficiency in the treasury, without
any detriment to our affair; yet, so difficult is it to select,
every item having its friends and advocates, that it is even pro-
bable that no retrenchments will be made, and that we shall
authorize a loan for the deficiency. The debates have at-
length commenced, in our house, on the Missouri question, and
probably will continue 3 or 4 weeks; and, I expect, without
changing one vote; presuming that every member has his
mind as compleatly [completely] formed on that subject, as it will be when
the debates are ended.
Doctor Todd
Be pleased to present my affectionate regards to Mrs
Todd and family, and accept the assurance of the
continued esteem and respect of your friend,
Samuel C Crafts