In the matter which has been discussed between the United States Government and the Confederate authorities relating to provisions for the respective prisoners held by each, you are authorized to offer the Confederate military authorities the following terms: It being claimed that prisoners of both sides complain of their treatment by those having them in charge, in shelter, food, clothing, and hospital stores, you will therefore offer on the part of the United States:

First. That the United States will furnish food according to its discretion to the prisoners held by the Confederate authorities, delivering it at the nearest seaport to the place where the prisoners are held, the Confederate authorities to give it transportation from the point of delivery to the several places of confinement as fast as required for distributing.

Second. The United States will furbish its prisoners in the hands of the Confederate authorities with such articles of clothing, including tea, coffee, tobacco, and stationery, as they may judge expedient, delivered and to be transported in like manner.

Third. The United States will furnish such hospital stores as they deem expedient to their prisoners, delivered and to be transported in like manner.

Fourth. The Unite States will furnish such shelter and duel to their prisoners as they may deem expedient, delivered in like manner, to be permitted to be set up by the prisoners under the direction of those hereafter to be named.

The United States, on the other hand, will permit the Confederate authorities to furnish, at such points as they may choose, Confederates held by the United States as prisoners of war with shelter, food, clothing, including blankets and hospital stores, at the discretion of the Confederate authorities, or, if preferred by the Confederate authorities, they will be permitted by the United States to purchase from the Quartermaster's Commissary, and Medical Departments of the United States such food, clothing, blankets, as the Confederate authorities may choose for their prisoners at the prices paid by the United States for like articles, except the uniform of the soldiers of the united States, which will not be permitted to be worn by the Confederate prisoners; and the United States will permit to be purchased in the markets of the United States such clothing as the Confederate authorities may choose to furnish to the Confederate prisoners of war, all to be paid for in the legal currency of the United States, or the United Sates will receive in payment for such goods so sold by them cotton, at the price at which cotton is sold in the market of New York at auction at the date of its delivery there within reasonable time after the time it is placed in the possession of the United States, and will permit such cotton to be sent from any port in the United States, whether such port is in the possession of the Confederate authorities or otherwise, or we will receive such cotton in payment at the price named at any port to be designated by the Confederate authorities in the United States, whether said port is in the possession of the Confederate authorities or otherwise, for all articles so furnished the prisoners held by us by the Confederate authorities.

The United States will also permit the purchase of tents and fuel by the Confederate authorities at the prices paid by the United States therefor for shelter and fire to the Confederate prisoners held by them upon the same terms and conditions as the purchase of provisions, clothing, and hospital stores are allowed to be furnished by the Confederate authorities.