[Inclosure.]

I, James McKay, of Tampa Bay, Fla., hereby give my parole of honor that I will report myself within three days from the date hereof to George A. Coffey, esq., U. S. district attorney for the eastern district of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, and remain in that city until discharged by him.

JAMES McKAY.

FORT HAMILTON, New York Harbor, March 13, 1862.

Brigadier General L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General, U. S. Army.

SIR: Inclosed please find the parole* administered to Donald McKay, a prisoner at Fort Lafayette.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

MARTIN BURKE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

OFFICE OF U. S. ATTORNEY,

Philadelphia, March 14, 1862.

General L. THOMAS, Adjutant-General.

SIR: I have to ackonwledge on behalf of the district attorney the receipt of your letter of the 12th instant covering a copy of a parole given by James McKay, the owner of the prize vessel Salvor. Mr. McKay has not yet reported to this office.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. HUBLEY ASHTON,

Assistant U. S. Attorney.

WASHINGTON, March 19, 1862.

Honorable A. LINCOLN, President.

DEAR SIR: At the interview I had with you last week about affairs in Florida I spoke of Captain James McKay, a state prisoner now in Washington on his parole. His case is one of extreme hardship and in point of severe penalty beyond the usual renge of such cases. I knew him intimately in Florida. He was universally regarded as one of the wealthiest and most enterprising citizens of that State. The difficulty in which he became involved by attempting as alleged to run the blockade had its origin in the dubious loyalty and reprehensible policy of high civil and military officers of the united States Government, which is set forth in Captain McKay's written statement to the Secretary of State.

I am willing to pledge myself for Captain McKay's future good conduct and loyalty to your Administration if he be permitted to return to Florida. He has lost within a few months upward of $70,000 by the rebellion, and is heartily sick of Jeff. Davis' rule. If permitted to return to Florida via Key West he will co-operate with the Union forces, and from his extensive acquaintance I feel sure his services would be extremely valuable to the Government. Captain McKay owns many thousand head of beef-cattle in Florida which he will furnish to the Gulf

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* Not found.

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