Washington, April 22d, 1822Dear Samuel,

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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 ascertained, 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 calculations 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 disappointment 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 or chair 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 [  ] 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 in bloom. The appearance of vegetation is such as we generally find in Vermont the later part of May - being forwarder 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.

Mr S P C

In the meantime I remain with sincerity Yours &cS C Crafts