My Lord,

Conceiving it of the utmost Importance, in pursuit of the Objects of the special Commission with which I had the honor to be charged by His Majesty, that the Colonies in Rebellion should have the earliest Information of His Majesty's most gracious Intentions, with respect to the Restoration of Peace, and the granting of Pardons to such of His Majesty's Subjects as, by a speedy Return to their Allegiance, might deserve the Royal Mercy; thought proper, in the course of my Voyage, to prepare a Declaration to that Effect, together with a circular Letter address'd to the Governors, or, in their Absence, the Lieutenant Governors or chief Magistrates, of the respective Colonies; Copies of which I have the honor to inclose to your Lordship, NS 1 & 2.ー

I had little expectation that these Letters and Declaration would reach the Hands of His Majesty's Governors. ー My Object was, that they should be circulated as much as possible throughout the Provinces; and I hoped to have found an opportunity of landing them soon after the time of their Date, by means of some Vessel I might meet with upon the Coasts; But no opportunity offered 'till I arrived off the Harbor of New York, on the 12th of last Month, when I dispatched the first Lieut of the Eagle, to Amboy, with those intended for the Colonies to the Southward of New York, directing him to deliver them to any person who might appear in Authority; and to desire they might be forwarded by the Post.ー

The inclosed printed Paper No 3, which came accidentally to my Hands, will inform your Lordship of the Resolution of the General Congress, upon their Receipt of the above mentioned Packets, which it seemed were transmitted by'Mr (called General) Mercier [Hugh Mercer], the Commanding Officer at Amboy, to Mr Washington at New York, and by him to the Congress.ー

Captain [William C.] Burnaby in the Merlin Sloop was charged with the Packets for the Colonies of Massachusets Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, and directed to land them at Rhode Island ー On the 28th of last Month he returned, with a letter to me from Mr [Nicholas] Cooke, acknowledging the receipt of my letter & Declaration, and acquainting me that he had communicated them to "the General Assembly of that State" then gitting at Newport, who would transmit Copies of them to "the most Honorable the General Congress of the united States of America, to whom every application ought to be Addressed, and must be referred." A Copy of Mr Cooke's letter to me is enclosed No 4ー

As the issuing of the above mentioned Letters and Declaration, is the only Measure I judged necessary to take before I could have a Conference with General [William] owe, I have nothing further to add in this separate Dispatch but my hopes of being inlormed by your Lordship, that my Conduct is honored with His Majesty's Approbation. ー I am &c.

Inclosures

No 1 ー Copy of Lord Howe's circular Letter to the Governors, dated June 20th 1776ー

2 Copy of Lord Howe's Declaration, dated 20th June 1776.

3 ー Resolution of the Congress, 19th July 1776

4. ー Copy of a Letter from Mr Nichs Cooke of Rhode Island to Lord Howe, dated Newport 21st July 1776

[Endorsed] Lord Viscount Howe. R 28th Septr