had taken and derided the idea of two of his letters being treasonable. His remarks were rather defiant than otherwise when I deemed it proper to caution him that a continuance of the course he had heretofore pursued would subject him to be dealt with in a more decided manner. I delivered to him the three letters you returned to me.

Very truly, yours,

JOHN A. KENNEDY.

Superintendent.

[BRITISH LEGATION,] Washington, December 3, 1861.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c.

SIR: The open letters which you were so good as to send to me with your informal note of the 30th ultimo were from Mr. Rutson Maury and Mr. Matthew F. Maury, two brothers, who are detained as political prisoners in Fort Lafayette.

On the case of Mr. Rutson Maury I have already had the honor to communicate with you.

Mr. Matthew F. Maury states that he belives that the offense for which he is imprisoned is that of carrying letters between the Northern and the Southern States. He declares that the letters of which he took charge with this object were simply private letters; that he practiced no concealment about them and that he was not conscious that in carrying them he was committing an act contrary to law. I do myself the honor to communicate these statements to you in the hope that they will receive due attention in the consideration of the case. Mr. Matthew F. Maury particularly requests that his trunk containing his personal effects, which appears to have been detained at Cleveland, may be restored to him. I write of course under the impression that Mr. Matthew F. Maury, as well as his brother, Mr. Rutson Maury, is a British subject who has not become a citizen of the United States.

I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

LYONS.

WASHINGTON, December 4, 1861.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c.

SIR: You were so good as to inform me in the note which you did me the honor to write to me on the 19th ultimo that others had been given to permit Mr. Archibald, Her Majesty's consul at New York, to see Mr. Rutson Maury, a British subject confined as a political prisoner in Fort Lafayette.

I have the honor to transmit to you a copy of the report made to me by Mr. Archibald of the result of a visit which he paid to Mr. Maury in virtue of this permission. I trust that you will allow the statement made in it to have due weight in the consideration of Mr. Maury's case.

I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

LYONS.

[Inclosure.]

BRITISH CONSULATE, New York, November 30, 1861.

Right Honorable Lord LYONS, K. C. B., &c.

MY LORD: I have the honor to report to your lordship that I have visited at Fort Lafayette Mr. Rutson Maury, Jr., who was arrested at