OFFICE ASST. AGENT FOR EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS,

Fort Monroe, Va., November 6, 1864.

Honorable R. OULD, Agent of Exchange, Richmond, Va.:

SIR: In accordance with instructions received from the commissioner of exchange I have the honor to submit the following proposition on the part of the United States for the consideration of your authorities, in the matter recently under negotiation by the United States and Confederate military authorities for furnishing supplies of food, clothing, medicines, &c., for the respective prisoners held by each.

It being expressly understood and agreed that this arrangement, being made from motives of humanity, and to relieve evils necessarily inherent in a state of war, nothing contained therein shall be taken to have altered, change, or in any way affected the rights, duties, or liabilities of either belligerent party, except and so far as only therein set forth and agreed. All the terms herein proposed are believed to be so manifestly equitable and just, and will so relieve either party from complaint of the other party, that it is hoped that they will be accepted. Soliciting an early response,

I am, sir, very respectfully, your servant obedient,

JNO E. MULFORD,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Agent for Exchange.

First. 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 distribution.

Second. The United States will furnish its prisoners in the hands of the Confederate authorities with such articles of clothing, including blankets and other necessary articles, 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 United States will furnish such shelter and fuel for their prisoners as they may deem expedient, delivered in like manner, to be permitted to be set up 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, including blankets and hospital stores, as they 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 prisoners of war, all to be paid for in the legal currency of the United States; or the United States 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