I meet any accusation, and while they are closed to my demand for justice I shall decline to defend myself before any star chamber commisioners whomsoever.

Such, sir, are the motives of my present action, and as the rights which I seek to uphold are not dependent upon the alleged necessities of the Administration or upon the fate of battles my convictions cannot be affected by the supposed urgencies of the one or the results of the other. I shall continue then to vindicate them as I best may, with thec onsciousness that ofter the delusions, the falesehoods and the passions of the hour shall have passed away my course will be approved by every honest man who has been educated in the knowledge of the privileges and duties of an American freeman. I have only now to demand at your hands a prompt release from the imprisonment to which I am so unjustly and arbitrarily subjected.

I remain, your obedient servant,

F. K. HOWARD.

WAR DEAPRTMENT, Washington, D. C., March 10, 1862.

Colonel JUSTIN DIMICK, Fort Warren, Boston Harbor.

COLONEL: I will thank you to inform Mr. Frank Key Howard that his leter of the 3rd instant has been duly received and that his case has been referred to the commissioners named in the within order. *

By order of the Secretary of War:

L. THOMAS,

Adjutant-General.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, D. C., November 26, 1862.

Colonel J. DIMICK, U. S. Army, Fort Warren, Boston, Mass.:

The Secretary of War directs that you release all the Maryland state prisoners; also any other state prisoners that may be in your custody and report namese to this office.

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

FORT WARREN, Boston Harbor, November 27, 1862.

Brigadier General L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C.

SIR: I have the honor to report that I have this day released the following-named prisoners in obedience to telegram of 26th instant: * * * Frank K. Howard. * * *

I am, sir very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. DIMICK,

Colonel First Artillery, Commanding Post.

[NOTE.]- Schedules of letters, documents and newspaper correspondence found at the residence in the office and on the person of F. Key Howard at the time of his arrest, with a brief of their contents, omitted.]

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*Not inclosed, but refers to the Dix-Pierrepont Commission.

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