I have received Your Letter of the 30th of March, and feel myself sensibly distressed at the Account you give of the illness of General Parsons. I wrote to him the 23d Ult., on the business in which you are now employed, and must refer you, to that Letter, as the rule of conduct I would wish to have adopted. That is, to consult the Executive of the State on the Mode they think proper should be pursued in the further investigation of this Matter.

As to the Persons already apprehended, such as are not propers Subjects for trial by a General Court Martial, ought to be delivered over to the Civil Authority; In Order to determine this, You can state to His Excellency the Govr the Names, Crimes, & Circumstances of the several Prisoners—And request his decision in what light they are to be considered &—in what Manner they are to be treated. I am Sir.