The Sun. — 1865-06-21 (London, England)

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1865  --0- We have some reason to hope, from the brief table of news brought by the Belgian from New York that the Government of the United States has seen fit to moderate a little of its violence and  rancour towards its Southern prisoners. There are indications, too, that the good sense and right  feeling of the people could not be altogether per.  vented by official misstatements, and that some men of character and position had found courage to stem the stream, and boldly to declare that the course of action announced as resolved upon was totally inconsistent with national honour, as well as with common humanity. Mr. GARRITT S3IITII, Who  delivered a speech at the Cooper Institute on the 9th, declared that it would be mean perfidy for the North to punish a fallen foe for treason, after they had fully admitted his right to the laws of war. The spirit of slavery, added the speaker, dwelt in the North as well as the South, and that the North was equally bound to humble herself for the common sin. Mr. HORACE . GREELY, whose name is well known in this country, was equally bold and equally honest. He declared on the same occasion it would be a black breach of faith to try LEE or his men after the terms agreed upon. The arrest of General LEE seems to have been postponed or abandoned, we may hope the latter, and the Government apparently wishes to leave itself a loophole in the case of DAVIS, for a Washington despatch of the Bth June tells us that the indictment against the Southern President and Secretary BRECKENRIDGE by the Columbia grand jury was at the individual instigation of the district attorney, and " without the knowledge or:consent of the Administration." It is therefore uncertain, adds the despatch, whether Mr. DAVIS will be tried before a civil or military tribunal. We may believe as much as we like about the Government leaving the management of so important an affair to the independent action of a district attorney, but at any rate the announcement of the official ignorance provides the authorities with a means of escape from the political difficulty they have got themselves into respecting their illustrious and unfortunate prisoner. Secretary BRECKENRIDGE, more lucky than his leader, has succeeded in reaching a vessel which was lying waiting for him off the coast of Florida, a fact -which few will be disposed to regret. Whether time and experience and the influence of European opinion may succeed in modifying the rancour with which Mr. JOHNSON and his associates have persecuted JEFFERSON DAVIS, or whether the resignation of Mr. STANTON may indicate the adoption of milder counsels, are points that will excite nearly as much interest among ourselves as across the Atlantic. It is most sincerely to be hoped for the peace of the world, as well as in the interests of that great and intelligent people, that their recent victories will not be chequered by the judicial murder of one of the most eminent of their countrymen.  The difficulty in Texas does not appear to be considered settled, as General WEITZEL sailed with the last of his transports from -Fort Monroe on the Bth, aid the expedition was to stop at Mobile for additional supplies. There is little general news save a terrible fire at Nashville, which is said to have destroyed two years' supplies for 800,000 men, and the loss to the Government is estimated at from eight to ten million dollars. A court of . inquiry has been ordered to ascertain its origin, but, according to the recent position in the North it will probably be set down to the charge of the Confederates. These random accusations, however, are beginning to be proved false and extravagant. Mr. CARROLL -writes that the testimony of two witnesses against him for conspiracy is in every particular a wilful perjury, while the Toronto Leader gives an instance of " a glaring misstatement" made by AIL RE ITT during the secret sitting. The Poljulax excitement 311115 t by thin time have