The second central document is Sitgreaves's original manuscript draft of a letter to the British commissioners in which he lays out in detail the exact reasons why the Americans have withdrawn from the proceedings. The draft is here in two long manuscript versions -- what appears to be an earlier, rougher, draft of thirty pages on folio sheets, and a later draft of fifty pages on quarto sheets. As Sitgreaves writes, his brief is "the very painful and unpleasant task of explaining the grounds and reasons, whereon we have taken the Resolution then [i.e. in July] communicated to you." Sitgreaves discusses general principles in effect before and after the signing of the treaty, writing that "we will now retrace, as distinctly as we can, the several Principles which, separately, have appeared to us so excessive; and which, collectively, seem totally to change the nature and extent of the stipulation of the Treaty -- to deprive the United States of the Benefit of the Restrictions and Limitations expressly enumerated in their favour -- and, in short, to construct for them a new Bargain, which they never did make and we confidently believe never would have agreed to [these final two words crossed out and changed to "made"]." Sitgreaves also discusses the particulars of specific cases, including those of William Cunningham, Charles Inglis, Andrew Allen, and others. These drafts are very much Sitgreaves' working manuscripts of his brief, containing additions, emendations, cross-outs and corrections throughout. Sitgreaves' letters to Pickering and to the British commissioners demonstrate legal reasoning of the highest order, as well as a sensitive consideration of the goals of the treaty, and of the state of Anglo-American relations.