The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-05 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, SEPT. 5, 1865.

The Federal authorities are determined to per-
severe in their persecution of Captain Wiwrz, but
they find it is more prudent to avoid making a
direct attack on their more distinguished opponent.
The military commission before which the trial of
Captain Winn took place has been dissolved, and
a new one convened, composed of the same mem.
bers. The object of this movement seems to have
been the omission of the names of LEE, SEDDON,
and NORTHROP from the specification of charges.
With the usual arbitrary injustice which has charac-
terised their proceedings the judges refused to
grant the application of the prisoner's counsel, who,
upon the opening of fresh proceedings, asked for
time to prepare the defence. For some reason
not stated this gentleman abandoned the case,
when the Judge Advocate was appointed to defend
the prisoner, a movement not much in his favour,
we should imagine, since official prejudice and party
feeling will operate against him in the mind of his
own advocate. The news of the 25th, however,
tells us that a new counsel had appeared for the
prisoner, whose trial was still the subject of the day.
Mississippi is still making active progress towards
reconstruction and reunion. The Mississippi Con-
vention have annulled the Secession Ordinance and
repealed all the laws passed by the Secession Con-
vention, excepting the revenue ordinance, and
some others not repugnant to the Federal
Constitution. The`- Mississippi Convention
have further testified their independence and their
humanity by boldly memorialising the PRESIDENT
on behalf of Mr. Davis. They have a good right
to speak for the southern leader, since they have
just given active proof of their readiness to re-enter
the Union, and of their goodwill and loyalty to the
existing authorities. We are not informed what
answer President JOHNSON returned to this parti-
cular
appeal, but he telegraphed to the Governor
of the State congratulating him on the progress
and promising that the habeas by Mississippi,
Corpus Act should be restored and the troops With..
drawn so soon as the State had fully returned to
her allegiance. Another hint in favour of
pacific and moderate measures has been
received by the PRESIDENT from a different
quarter. The democratic convention of Pennsylva.
nia have given him their qualified support, demand-
ing that measures should be passed to give the
South congressional representation and saving them
from negro suffrage, also stopping the punishment
and murder of individuals by court-martial. Fur-
ther reductions of the military establishments are
progressifig, the PRESIDENT having ordered 47
major and brigadier-generals to be mustered out,
and the number of prisoners who are being
diminished by those who are parolled without any
special charges against them are to be furnished
with passports on the condition that they do not
return to the States without the PRESIDENT'S leave.
This will be a hard condition to some: of them,
and as it is directed against those who are charged
with no offence, save that of having carried arms
with their countrymen, it must be considered un-
warrantably harsh, The most conspicuous item of