DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, January 17, 1862.

Major General JOHN A. DIX, Baltimore.

GENERAL: Herewith I have the honor to inclose for your examination a communication from the committee on federal relations in the senate of Maryland relative to the case of Mr. Andrew A. Lynch, of Baltimore.

Will you please read it and inform me whether in your judgment it is expedient to discharge Mr. Lynch on his taking the oath of allegiance and entering into the usual engagements required by the Government. Please return these inclosures therewith.

I have the honor, &c.,

W. H. SEWARD.

[Inclosure.]

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

SIR: The undersigned are the Union members composing a majority of the committee of the senate of Maryland on federal relations to which committee has been referred among other things the memorial* of Dr. A. A. Lynch, senator from Baltimore County, now in confinement at Fort Warren.

The memorial came to us from the State Department through the hands of Governor Hicks and we presume has been examined by you; we have thought it best, however, in communicating with you upon the subject to inclose a copy of it in printed form.

Being ourselves in entire ignorance of the nature of the charges against Doctor Lynch we have deemed it proper to request that you will inform us (if in your judgment it is not incompatible with public interest for you to do so) whether Doctor Lynch has been offered his release uopn taking the oath of allegiance and has refused the condition.

If such an offer has not been made to him we should be glad to learn whether the Government would be willing to release him upon the terms indicated, or whether there are other reasons the nature of which if they exist we of course do not feel at liberty to inquire into which would preclude his discharge from confinement.

With high respect, your obedient servant,

CHARLES F. GOLDSBOROUGH,

Chairman.

JNO E. SMITH,

LEWIS S. FIREY.

Andrew A. Lynch, see journal of proceedings of the senate of Maryland dated December 9, 1862, pp. 15 to 17 inclusive.]

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Washington City, January 17, 1862.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

SIR: I inclose a letter from Mr. Bond asking the release of E. G. Kilbourn, esw., for thirty days.

Please inform me of your determination in the matter and much oblige, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. B. CALVERT.

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*Not found. For Lynch to President Maryland senate, see p. 725; Lynch to Seward, see p. 718.

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