DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 7, 1861.

Colonel MARTIN BURKE, Fort Hamilton, N. Y.:

Receive at Fort Lafayette Algernoon, S. Sullivan when delivered by order of John A. Kennedy, superintendent of police.

WILLAM H. SEWARD.

OFFICE OF THE METROPOLITAN POLICE,

New York, September 8, 1861.

Colonel MARTIN BURKE,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Fort Lafayette.

SIR: During the temporary absence of Superintendent Kennedy a telegraphic dispatch has been received at this office from the Hon William H. Seward, Secretary of State, direcint the arrest of Algernon S. Sullivan, of this city. In compliacne with said order Mr. Sullivan has been arrested and is herewith placed in your custody.

I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,

GEO. W. DILKS,

Inspector of Police.

NEW YORK, September 9, 1861.

Honorable W. H. SEWARD.

DEAR SIR: Mr. A. S. Sullivan was on Saturday taken and has been sent to Fort Lafayette under an order from your Department as he was informed. He s of counsel for the crew of the privateer Savannah and as such has needed to correspond with the authorities of the secession States in order to obtain documents and evidence which are deemed necessary for the trial, and as he assures his friends his letters have gone no further than the pursuit of these objects.

I respectfully ask that you would do him the justice and would do me the personal favor to look into his case and do what you judge right in the matter, that he may not be detained unless for cause which you deem adquate after examination. He has an amiable wife and infant child for whom we have great interest. His father is a man of independence and of Republican politics, as are tow of his brothers in Ohio and Indiana as I am told. I am very sure that were he ever so ill disposed as I think he is not, his efforts would do less injury to the cause of the Union than his imprisonment. Allow me on the score of former acquaintance to ask your attase and the favor of an early reply.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

DANIEL LORD.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 10, 1861.

DANIEL LORD, Esq., New York.

SIR: I have received your letter of yesterday relating to Algernon S. Sullivan a political prisoner now in custody at Fort Lafayette. This Department is possessed of treasonable correspondence of that person which no rights or privileges of a lawyer or counsel can justify or excuse. * The public safety will not admit of his being discharged.

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*For Sullivan's letters to R. M. T. Hunter and J. R. Tucker, Richmond, Va., see Vol. III, this series.

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