I have the honor to receive yesterday your letter of the 5th instant* inclosing copies of two letters, one from John S. Keyes, esq., U. S. marshal for the district of Massachusetts, relative to Messrs. Lynch and Macgill and the other from Doctor Lynch myself.

I cannot advise the release of Doctor Lynch unless he will resign his seat in the senate. Although he says in his letter that he has done all in his power to maintain the Constitution and the Union if you will turn to page 131 et seq. of the senate journal above referred to you will find he gave votes which were anything but favorable to the preservation of the Union. If he would consent to resign his seat in the senate I think he might be released on parole; but as a general rule it is not in my judgment advisable to release any man who refuses to take the oath of allegiance. Our citizens must be for the Union or against it. If they are not for it they are in favor of overturning the Government which is the representative of the Union; if they refuse to give a pledge of fidelity to it they can be regarded in no other light than that of secret enemies, and if they are in custody on charges of disloyalty it seems to me that they should be required to purge themselves by taking the oath of allegiance.

Doctor Macgill is not and has not been latterly at least a State senator. I inquired into his case when he was sent here from one of the northwestern counties of Maryland. I think he should be released if he will take the oath of allegiance. The U. S. marshal of Massachusetts is under a misapprehension in regard to him.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS,
Baltimore, December 12, 1861.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

SIR: The governor-elect, Honorable A. W. Bradford, called on me this morning to ask my interposition with you for the release of Charles H. Pitts, late a member of the house of delegates from this city, either permanently or temporarily. Under all the circumstances of his case and the condition of his young and helpless family I recommend that he be released on his parole for thirty days to enable him to visit this city.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN A. DIX,

Major-General.

FRIENDLY HALL, December 12, 1861.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

DEAR SIR: Mrs. M. C. Durant, wife of Clarke J. Durant, esq., of Saint Mary's County, Md., has addressed a letter to me soliciting my kind offices in behalf of her husband. She assures me her husband has done no act of disloyalty to the Government; that he was at home attending upon her in her illness at the time the Wallis resolutions were before the Legislature. I am also credibly informed that his affairs are much deranged by his absence and that his wife's health is still very delicate. It is under these circumstances I have taken the liberty to address you.

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*Not found.

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