Draft of a proclamation* by the President of the United States found among the files of the State Department.

In view of the recent declaration of the people of Maryland of their adhesion to the Union so distinctly made in their recent election, the President directs that all the political prisoners who having heretofore been arrested in that State are now detained in military custody by the President's authority be released from their imprisonment on the following conditions, namely: That if they were holding any civil or military offices when arrested the terms of which have not expired they shall not resume or reclaim such offices; and secondly, all persons availing themselves of this proclamation shall engage by oath or parole of honor to maintain the Union and the Constitution of the United States, and in no way to aid or abet by arms, counsel, conversation or information of any kind the existing insurrection against the Government of the United States.

To guard against misapprehension it is proper to state that this proclamation does not apply to prisoners of war.

HEADQUARTERS,
Baltimore, January 23, 1862.

Honorable ROBERT C. WINTHROP.

SIR: I have the pleasure of sending to you for the Massachusetts Historical Society the collection of secession emblems I have made, and which I referred to in a former letter.

First. A secession flag. This flag was taken from a party of men near North Point, where the British Army landed in 1814. They were on their way to the insurgent States. The flag was found in the carpet-bag of Mr. George A. Appleton, a young gentleman of this city, about eighteen years of age, a grandson of Colonel Armistead, who defended Fort McHenry at the time the Star Spangled Banner was written. Young Appleton was sent out of Fort McHenry on the anniversary of the battle of North Point for infidelity to the same flag, and was imprisoned for some time at Fort Columbus, in the Harbor of New York, and more recently at Fort Warren, in the Harbor of Boston. He is now in this city awaiting the action of the Government in his case.

Second. A flag representing the arms of the Colony of Maryland. This flag was flying over a building which was a place of resort for certain disloyal members of the old Kane police after their disbandment by the order of the Federal Government. They dared not use the secession flag and this was adopted by them as a substitute. It was first noticed by Colonel Wyman, of the Sixteenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, who called the attention of the police to it. I inclose a letter+ from George R. Dodge, esq., provost-marshal of Baltimore, concerning both these flags.

Third. A pair of secession slippers taken by the police from a person on his way to the shoemaker to have them made up.

Fourth. A secession can taken from R. H. Bigger, a prisoner now in Fort Warren, who was taken into custody in Baltimore while secretly recruiting for the insurgent army.

Fifth. A great variety of secession emblems, songs, envelopes, cockades, &c.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

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*This draft is neither dated nor signed, but it is marked "File; January 1, 1862. "

+Not inclosed.

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