DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 28, 1862.

Major General JOHN A. DIX, Baltimore, Md.

GENERAL: I am directed by the Secretary of State to request that you will arrest and convey to Fort Lafayette, New York Harbor, Mr. Robert Hull. You will please make a thorough examination of his person and the premises of the firm of Hopkins, Hull & Atkinsonfor treasonable correspondence. Please transmit all such of which you may take possession together with your report thereon to this Department.

I have the honor to be, &c.

F. W. SEWARD,

Assistant Secretary.

HEADQUARTERS, Baltimore, January 30, 1862.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

SIR: Mr. Robert Hull, of the firm of Hopkins, Hull & Atkinson has been arrested and will be sent to Fort Lafayette to-morrow with twelve others, political prisoners from Fort McHenry. His person and the premises were searched but no treasonable correspondence has been found.

I am very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN A. DIX.

Major-General.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 5, 1862.

Colonel MARTIN BURKE, Fort Hamilton, N. Y.

COLONEL: Mr. Robert Hull, of Baltimore who has recently been committed to fort Lafayette, is a member of the firm of Hull, Hopkins & Atkinson of that city. In the course of the last summer this firm in defiance of the President's proclamation sent an agent to Virgnia on business who must have surreptitiously passed through the military lines of the United States. On his return, however, he was arrested and confined in this city, and there was found upon him a correspodence by which the loyalty of his employers was compromised. The firm referred to then applied to Lord Lyons to ask for his release on the ground that he was a british subject and he was released accordingly. It was then deemed advisable to arrest one of the principals and Mr. Hull was selected for that purpose. You may, however, inform him that if he will take the oath of allegiance to the United States he will be set at liberty and if he does take the oath you may release him.

I am, colonel, your very obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

FORT WARREN, Near Boston, May 7, 1862.

Major-General DIX and Honorable EDWARDS PIERREPONT,

GENTLEMEN: I am a native citizen of the State of New York but have resided in Maryland for the last twenty-nine years. On the 30th of January last whilst in the legal prosecution of my business I was arrested by an officer professing to act under an order of the Honorable F. W. Seward, Assistant Secretary of State of the United States, and