The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

PART IT.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 165
sorry that Mr. Brown should be the bearer of the message; as, from the character I have had of him, he is
a worthy, well-disposed man. It has been frequently
mentioned, that he had interested himself much in
behalf of our prisoners, and had afforded them every
relief and comfort his circumstances would allow him
to give.
I have been endeavouring to effect an exchange of
prisoners, upon principles of justice, and from motives
of humanity; but at present I have no prospect of it.
Yet General Howe has assured our officers it was his
wish, and, if it could not be done, that he should readily
agree to their release on parole. The enclosed copies
of my letters and his answer will show Congress what
has passed between us upon that subject; and, at the
same time, that I had remonstrated against the severe
and cruel treatment of the prisoners, and proposed the
plan of sending in a suitable person to inquire into the
facts, before the receipt of their resolution. Their sufferings, I am persuaded, have been great, and shocking
to humanity. I have called upon General Howe for
redress, and an explicit answer to my letter of the 14th.
If I do not receive one by to-morrow night, with the
most positive and satisfactory assurances that a proper
conduct shall be observed towards them in future, we
must retaliate, however much we wish to avoid severity,
and measures that bear the smallest appearance of rigor
or inhumanity.
Enclosed you will receive a list of sundry officers,
who have been cashiered since the action of the 4th
ultimo. I flatter myself, that these examples will involve many favorable and beneficial consequences.
Besides these, there were many more brought to trial,
who were acquitted; among them, General Maxwell
and General Wayne, the former for charges against him