It has gave me much Pain that I have not been able to answer your Letter of the 18th. Ultimo sooner. I have not had a Moments Leisure to do it.— Should the Proceedings of the Comrs: (under the Law respecting People of suspicious & equivocal Characters) against Mr Peter Van Schaick subject him to the Penalties of it on his returning to the State it would be peculiarly hard— I will not venture however to determine that this would not be the Case on a Rigid Construction of the Law, as of this you are a much more competent Judge— There was another Person vizt Mr. Fletcher Mathews1 proceeded agst under it & placed in the same Situation with Mr. Van Schaick. He remains in the Country without any Interruption & from this it is to be presumed he is not considered as being subject to the Penalty of it— Both these Gentlemen were adjudged by the Comrs. to be sent within the British Lines; but were detained by my Order for Exchange. There is this Difference only in their Cases Mr. Mathews continued in this Country while Mr. Van Schaick was permitted to go (on Parole) to England in order to afford him an Opportunity of having an Operation performed on his Eye which was disordered, and this was an Indulgence he had applied to me for previous to his being summoned by the Commissioners & which he was encouraged to hope would have been granted as it most certainly would and it is a Circumstance ^which^ added to his having behaved while on Parole as a Man of Honor & Humanity will induce me to interest myself in his Favour.— I have the Honor to be with the highest Respect Dr Sir Your Most Obedt Servt