Mr. Seward to Mr. Murphy.

No. 48.]

Sir: Your despatch of the 17th of September (No. 139) has been received, together with the newspaper which it describes. People are fond of excitement, and the writer you allude to fully understands popular sensibilities. It may be found that he has improved the recent successes of the Union cause to balance the prediction of disaster to that cause which he indulged after the reverses sustained by General Pope. Happily, a war cannot be lost or a State subverted merely by criticisms of military measures or political administration.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

W. W. Murphy, Esq., United States Consul General, Frankfort.