To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 8 October 1804
From Charles Willson Peale
Museum Octr 8th. 1804.
Dear Sir
Several days I have been meditating to write and give you a description of Mr. Hawkins’s improvements on the Polygraph, but as you have returned to Washington, where I will send one as soon as it can be completed for the Secretary of States office, as one has been ordered some time past—I am not sorry for the delay I made—for while I was making some additional improvements to it, that from Mr. Hawkins arrived, which pleases me much—it is perfectly easy and correct, withall portable—being only two boards hinged to a Gallows, no Drawer to hold paper.
Considerable pains must be taken to prevent the boards from casting in our Climate. We shall make each into two Pannels, and fineer them on both sides.
Enclosed are the Pen-cases you desire, & I hope you will have no trouble to fit them.
I must change the Machinery of your Polygraphs as soon as I can possibly do it. very probably I shall contrive some other business to induce to another journey into Maryland—I wish it—although I have an abundnace of important additions to make in the Museum, that ought not to be long posponed.
Accept my Salutations and believe me your friend.
C W Peale
RC (DLC); at foot of text: “His Excellency Thos. Jefferson Esqr.”; endorsed by TJ as received 11 Oct. and so recorded in SJL. PoC (Lb in PPAmP: Peale-Sellers Papers).
John Isaac Hawkins’s improvements on the Polygraph included a lighter construction and no drawers. Peale described the Hawkins polygraph as “certainly a very perfect one,” praised some features such as his pen tubes, ink holders, and light supporting springs, and offered two other small improvements. Peale found the inclined plane of the older polygraphs to be cumbersome and made modifications so that the horizontal machinery would have a horizontal plane to move in. He further modified Hawkins’s model, using solid wood panels, brass pen bars, and brass or steel joints instead of wooden ones (, v. 2, pt. 2:768-77; Silvio A. Bedini, Thomas Jefferson and His Copying Machines [Charlottesville, 1984], 91-3).
On 22 July, Peale promised Jacob Wagner that he would fulfill an order from the secretary of state’s office for a polygraph after he completed one for John Armstrong. If Madison preferred one with three pens or one “more like the Presidents,” Peale would make the exchange for “a small advance of price” (Madison, Papers, Sec. of State Ser., 7:505).