Lafayette, N. Y., is a loyal man. Will you please institute an inquiry into the facts and inform me whether in your judgment it would be best to release him on taking the oath of allegiance.

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

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

HEADQUARTERS,
Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor, September 27, 1861.

Colonel E. D. TOWNSEND,

Asst. Adjt. General, Hdqrs. of the Army, Washington City.

SIR: Yesterday evening I received the following prisoners from General Wool. They are now confined at Fort Lafayette. They were receipted for to Captain Coster, U. S. Army: George W. Brown, S. Teackle Wallis, Henry M. Warfield, Charles H. Pitts, T. Parkin Scott, Lawrence Sangston, J. Hanson Thomas, William G. Harrison; Leonard G. Quinlan, Robert M. Denison, F. K. Howard, Andrew A. Linch, Thomas W. Hall and Henry May.

Ve your obedient servant,

MARTIN BURKE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, U. S. Army, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS,
Camp at Darnestown, September 30, 1861.

Honorable Mr. SEWARD, Secretary of State, &c.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note making inquiry concerning Mr. Gordon, late a member of the Maryland Legislature. In a day or two I will send you the views of Governor Hicks and General Ewd. Shriver, of Frederick, both moderate and well-informed men. To-day I send a statement of Lieutenant Copeland detailing what took place at the time of Mr. Gordon's arrest. It seems he made no secret at all of his sympathy with secessionists, qualifying his opinions by the remark that he had no intention of doing any act as a member of the Legislature which could be considered disloyal to the Union. Those acts most questioned by Union men he interprets as loyal in purpose and character. I understand he had taken the oath of allegiance before having been arrested in Washington or elsewhere near that city. Lieutenant Copeland believes if Mr. Gordon were to take this oath he would scrupulously observe it - this from the frankness with he declared his sympathies with the South. Mr. Copeland's statement can be implicitly relied upon.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant,

N. P. BANKS,

Major-General, Commanding Division.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS MAJOR-GENERAL BANKS' DIVISION,
September 28, 1861.

Major-General BANKS.

SIR: In reply to your inquiry I will state the substance of the conversation between Mr. Gordon and myself.

I expressed my regret that any men should have been so foolish as to determine to hold the legislative session at that time. He said that