Extract.
Sir:
“It is our duty to inform your Excellency that the sending our prisoners to America at this Juncture is not by any means a clear proof of benevolence, it may with equal probability be passed to the Acct. of cunning: for the enemy wish and expect to get regular Soldiers in exchange for those people, many of whom are neither Soldiers nor Sailors. There is certainly a disposition in the present English Ministry to excite among the people of America some desire of a Separate peace. And we apprehend that nothing but vigorous and persevering exertions on our part to convince the enemy of our ability to continue the leaden argument will compel them to make those offers of peace seriously which ’tis probable they are now making insidiously.”