The enclosed papers have this day been referred to the Committee of Conference with your Excellency: Not with any View to the immediate Contents of those papers: but to introduce a general Enquiry whether Humanity & policy demand from Congress a further proposition for the Exchange of Prisoners? Upon this great Point we wish in a free Conference to consider the State of the Prisoners on both sides & to have the Opinion of the Commander in Chief.1 I am with the greatest Respect Sir your Excellency’s most Obedient humble Servant