NEW YORK, January 2, 1862.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

MY DEAR GOVERNOR: Our friend M. O. Roberts will see you on a matter in which he feels much interested - in the imprisonment of James [John G.] Guthrey in Fort Lafayette since the 26th of December. He as well as others of our friends here feels confident that this second arrest of him has been made on some misrepresentation, and that an investigation of the facts will show it. His friends earnestly beg for such investigation and it is at their request that I address you. Unless they can clear him from the charge whatever it is that is made against him they will not for a moment seek his release.

I am, very truly, yours, &c.,

R. M. BLATCHFORD.

413 BROOME STREET, NEW YORK, January 2, 1862.

F. W. SEWARD, Assistant Secretary of State.

SIR: The case against the funds of Guthrey must be tried - and will be lost as matters now stand I think - on the 7th. Shall anything be done to avoid that result? If the measures suggested in the communication of Mr. Kennedy, the marshal (Murray) and myself forwarded by Mr. Webster should be approved by you please use the telegraph in carrying them out at once.

Yours, respectfully,

S. C. HAWLEY.

NEW YORK, January 2, 1862.

[MARSHALL O. ROBERTS.]

DEAR ROBERTS: I hands you inclosed a letter just received from Mr. Hardy in relation to Mr. Guthrey. I wish you would see Mr. Seward and say to him from me that I think this is a hard case and there is no doubt in my mind about the propriety of releasing Mr. Guthrey from Fort Lafayette.

Yours, truly,

MOSES TAYLOR.

[Inclosure.]

NEW YORK, January 2, 1862.

MOSES TAYLOR, Esq.

MY DEAR SIR: I am greatly obliged by your kind interest in behalf of my poor friend Mr. Guthrey. In view of it it seems to be my duty to tell you I have just been told that he is charged at the Department of State in Washington with having intercourse with the South and being about to go thirter secretly in violation of the parole he gave when released from Fort Lafayette about the 1st of October last. My knowledge of and confidence in the man will not allow me to credit the charge one moment. By a released prisoner, Mr. Eagle, he received recently via Fortress Monroe a letter from his business partner. It was inspected and marked approved at Fortress Monroe. He showed it to me and I am sure the State Department would not complain of it. I have no idea that he has written a line to the South or had it done. He very recently refused to send a message home by a foreign consul then in this city on the ground that it would violate his parole. I am