By the direction of Congress contained in the enclosed resolutions I have the honor to transmit you the correspondence between Genl. Washington and Sir Guy Carleton together with minutes of their conference when in pursuance of the invitation of the first they met in Orange County. Nothing can be a more direct violation of the 7th. Article of the provisional treaty than sending off the slaves under pretence that their proclamation had set them free as if a British General had either by their laws or those of nations a right by proclamation to deprive any man whatever of property they may with much more propriety pretend to reestablish every of their adherents in all the rights they had before the war since they have engaged so to do and the people with whom they made these engagements were capable of entering into them which slave were not—Or even if they were the promise made to them must be under the same limitations with those made to thier other adherents in this country—and mounts to nothing more than this make yourselves free and we will protect you in that freedom as long as we can. The articles imply that they were no longer able to protect them. You will be pleased to remonstrate on this subject and inform Congress of the effect of your representations. We have been much embarrassed by your silence not having had a line from you since the provisional articles took effect nor being at all acquainted with the progress of the definitive treaty tho’ the earliest information on this subject becomes very important. Congress after some hesitation have ventured to hope that it will meet with no objections and have accordingly discharged by the enclosed resolutions a very considerable part of their army upon those principles of oeconomy which extreme necessity dictated as scarce a week passes without several arrivals from France Congress complains with some reason of your silence. For my own part I could wish that you would severally impose upon yourselves the task of writing weekly and sending your Letters to Mr. Barclay. As you are possessed of cyphers there can be no hazard in this where the subject of your correspondence requires secrecy. I am Gentlemen with the greatest respect and esteem Your Most Obedient Humble Servant