Washington, April 8th 1822Dear Samuel,

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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 faithless 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 [      ] 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 inventors to manufacture the machines themselves, at New York.

Mr Randolph did not run away. He obtained leave of absence on account of the bad state of his health. He is at times subject to slight turns of derangement 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 regulating his actions and governing 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

Mr S P C

S C Crafts