Hon. Gentlemen:

I am honored with your letter of the 16th Instant with its enclosures. I shall pay that attention to matters you recommend which their importance requires.

The information given by McCleod is without foundation, no such event as he mentions has happened. The other persons mentioned in your letter are such as have been sent out of this State, for refusing to comply with or submit to the present Government; they have friends and connections here and no doubt still correspond with those friends by some means or other. But that vessels from the enemy load at several of our ports are practices to me unknown and at present, I do not believe. However, I shall use my best endeavor to find them out, and detect such as are concerned therein, if such there are.