The Chairman of the Committee of the States in his Letter of the 19th August informed your Excellency of the situation of the Committee and the arrangements taken for the removal of the papers and records of Congress from Annapolis. Five States, namely Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania have in pursuance of the recommendation contained in the said Letter Met at Philadelphia where the papers and records are at present. And being of opinion that it is of great importance to the Confederacy that a Committee of the States should assemble as speedily as possible, They have desired me to inform Your Excellency of their meeting and most earnestly request you to send on a Delegate from your State to meet them at this place. They wish for an immediate answer to this, that if there be no hopes of a Committee assembling they may not be unnecessarily detained.