the United States of America no longer exists in law or in fact, and that the constitutional compact can be no longer executed. Kentucky does not and cannot belong to the Union according to the cant of the Lincoln men. She may by express compact unite herself to the Northern States, but we beg leave to assure messiours the members of the present legislature that they cannot do it by any acts of commission or omission. It can be done only by the people of Kentucky in their primary capacity or by delegates in sovereign convention assebmled. We therefore deliberately pronounce the assumption of any authority over Kentucky by the Lincoln Government or by the present legislature under it as a usurpationa dn revolutionay and which no citizen of Kentucky is bound to obey.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 2, 1861.

GEORGE D. PRENTICE, Esq., Louisville, Ky.

SIR: Your letter of the 24th ultimo relative to the cases of Messrs. Durrett, Morehead and BGarr and requsting their discharge from custody has been recieved. In reply I have to ifnorm you that as they were arrested and sent to Fort Lafayette by order of the military authorities of Kentucky it would be improper for me to intervence, especially without further knowledge of their cases than I now possess. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, October 4, 1861.

Honorable SECRETARY OF STATES.

MY DEAR SIR: Please see Mr. Walker, well vouched as a Union man and son- in- law of Governor Morehead, a d pleading for his release. I understand the Kentucky arrests were not made by special direction from here, and I am willing if you are that any of the parties may be released when James Guthrie and James Speed think they should be.

Yours, truly,

A. LINCOLN.

DEAPRTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 4, 1861.

Lieutenant Colonel MARTIN BURKE, Fort Lafayette, N. Y.

SIR: You will please permit Mr. Samuel J. Walker to make a single visit in the presence of a proper officer to Govrrnor Morehead, a prisoner confined at Fort Lafayette.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

LOUISVILLE, October 5, 1861.

DEAR CRAIG: Yours of the 28th ultimo containing the inclosed* from Barr was duly recieved.

I have just succeeded in getting an interview with A. H. Sneed, the U. S . marshal her, I reference to the cahrges against Barr and the chance of procuring his rlease. Sneed says that there was no cahrge against Barr in reference to any of his tlegraph operaitons; that he was arrested among other things for giving counsel and advice by letter and othewise to Governor Harris and other COnfederates whereby they came into possession of facts which it was teasonable for a citizen of the United States under the circumstances to divulge to their adversaries.

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*Not found.

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