I take the liberty to remind Congress that a variety of matters, which have been submitted by me, remain yet not acted upon; and that the business of the office is very much obstructed as well by this delay, as by the detention of the letters and papers which refer to them. As this has probably been occasioned by a change in the Committees, I humbly submit to Congress the propriety of directing them to be filled up. I have the honor to be, Sir, &c. ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON. * * * * * TO GEORGE WASHINGTON. Philadelphia, February 26th, 1783. Dear Sir, In compliance with the directions of Congress, contained in the enclosed resolution, I have the honor to inform your Excellency, that our last despatches, dated in October, announce a disposition in the belligerent powers to terminate the war by a general peace. The Court of London, whose sincerity was most suspected, because it was to make the greatest sacrifices, appears to have smoothed the way by the commission to Mr Oswald (which your Excellency has seen,) empowering him to treat with the Thirteen United States of America; M. de Rayneval (brother to M. Gerard) having been sent from France to sound the intentions of the British Ministry, returned perfectly satisfied of their sincerity. A little before our despatches were closed, our Ministers had delivered their propositions to the Court of London. They consisted of three general heads, which comprised our right to the fisheries, the extent of our territories, and commercial objects. Though these propositions contained all we could ask under each of these heads, yet Mr Oswald gave our Ministers reason to conclude, that they would be granted; which I am inclined to believe they have been, in their fullest extent, from the lead which our Ministers have taken in signing Provisional Articles. France, Spain, and Holland, had made their proposals; so that the King of Great Britain was perfectly apprized of their demands before he met his Parliament; there is little room, therefore, to doubt, when these facts are compared with the speech of His Britannic Majesty, that unless some unforeseen event should arise, a general peace will be concluded before the opening of the next campaign.