Samuel Huntington to George Washington, 20 June 1781
From Samuel Huntington
Philadelphia June 20th 1781
Sir
Your Excellency will receive enclos’d a petition from Genl Bailey & others Inhabitants in the Northern Frontier on Connecticutt river; which is referd to the Commander in Chief.1
Congress are anxious to obtain the release of the late President Laurens from his Confinement and for that purpose have passd a resolve directing our minister at Versailles to offer Genl Burgoyne in exchange for him; the resolve passd in consequence of a report we receivd that Genl Clinton has refused to Exchange Burgoyne.2
This constrains me to trouble your Excellency on[c]e more on the Subject, and request you would inform me whether Genl Clinton hath refused to exchange Genl Burgoyne, or whether the carrying this Resolve into Execution will embarrass any measures you may have in contemplation3 respecting a general exchange of prisoners.4
This information is necessary before the orders for exchanging President Laurens are transmitted to Europe.5 I have the honour to be with perfect Respect Your Exys humble Servt
Sam. Huntington Presidt
ALS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 16.
1. The enclosure from Brig. Gen. Jacob Bayley and twelve others to Huntington dated 24 May is in DLC:GW. For a nearly identical letter, see Bayley et al. to GW, same date.
2. A resolution that passed on 14 June authorized Benjamin Franklin, U.S. minister to France, to exchange Lt. Gen. John Burgoyne for Henry Laurens (see , 20:647–48).
3. Huntington wrote “contemblation” for this word.
4. For previous correspondence involving Burgoyne’s exchange, see Huntington to GW, 5 and 23 April, and GW to Huntington, 16–19 April.