comfort on earth, for whom I live and exist. I pray you, that you will restore me once more to them. Anything you require r I will comply with, and shall consider myself under everlasting obligations to you.

I have the honor to be, Your Excellency's most obedient, humble servant,

BETHEL BURTON.

413 BROOME STREET, NEW YORK, November 25, 1861.

F. W. SEWARD, Assistant Secretary of State.

SIR: * * * A reconsideration of Mr. Millner's case does not change my conclusion. If you will refer to the papers on file in your Department relasting to him you will finds grounds I think for allowing him to remain where he is. * * *

I am, very respectfully, yours,

S. C. HAWLEY.

U. S. MARSHAL'S OFFICE, Boston, November 28, 1861.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State of the United States.

SIR: * * * I learn from one of those discharged to-day that Bethel Burton, of Brooklyn, N. Y., boasted that he had sold a new gun to the rebels at Richmond and had men employed there manufacturing the gun, and that he would take the oath and regard it of no sort of force or obligation whenever by so doing he could get liberated, and I mention it to you in order to prevent the imposition he would delight to practice on the Government. * * *

I have the honor to be, very truly, your obedient servant,

JOHN S. KEYES,

U. S. Marshal.

FORT WARREN, November 28, 1861.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

DEAR SIR: The U. S. marshal of Boston came down here to-day and read your order* in regard to employing counsel to obtain releases, and if the prisoners have any request to make to direct them to you in person. All I have to say in my case is that I am willing t otake the oath of allegiance to the Government of the United States on condition of obtaining my release and also not to return to Virginia or any of the seceding States without permission from you. Having written to you some time ago and never hearing from you in regard to my case I thought that in the crowd of business necessarily upon you that you had overlooked my case, and I requested my friends outside to make an effort to obtain my release, which of course they have not done nor could not do until I made my request directly to you which is much the best plan.

Hoping you will give my case your early attention I remain, yours, respectfully,

J. K. MILLNER.

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*See p. 151 for Seward to Keyes, November 26.

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