OXFORD, MISS., October 8, 1861.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of War.

DEAR SIR: You have incarcerated in Richmond Henry L. Martin, esq., formerly of this State but for several years a clerk in the Department of the Interior at Washingtonw hile I was Secretary of the interior. I considered Mr. Martin a true man. AFter I left Washington he remained and I am not familiar with his course of conduct since that time. All those oridnary influences which make men turn would seem to be so strong in our direction that his old friends in this State cannot and do not doubt him. Born South, with an extensive and influential family South, with sons in the Confederate service, abused and persecuted as he has been by the abolitionists it must be strange indeed if he can prove untrue to the South. I hope you will cause his case to be examined into. I believe you will be satisfied that he ought to have his liberty.

Yours, truly,

J. THOMPSON.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Richmond, October 11, 1861.

Honorable J. P. BENJAMIN, Secretary of War.

SIR: In the case of the application of Moses BradfordWhite I submit as you direct the following report:

It appears from numerous publications in Northern papers that he was a warm friend of the South and wrote various articles in Southern newspapers by which Northern journals were greatly incensed. This is seen from scraps. * Though a native of the North his feelings, speechesand acts seem to have been with the South. We may then well believe his statement when he says he had to fly from Lowell, Mass., and come to the South to seek a place in our army. He seems to have been impirosned simply because he was a Yankee from Lowell, Mass., and has been confined in aloathsome jailfor nearly foumonths. He has obtained one hearing, having been brought before Judge Field on a writ of habeas corpus, when he was discharged. But still distrusted by a military commander who only knew that he was a Yankee he was again taken by him, with the assurancommander) would attend to his case. This commander put him in jail, went to Manassas and seems to have forgotten all about the poor prisoner. I learn these facts from the Rev. William Cole, an Episcopal clergyman at Culpeper Court-House, who has intereted himself in the case of Mr. White. Since his trial and imprisonment he has not been able to get a rehearing, though a discharge was ordered on his first trial. In his well-written letter to the Rev. Mr. Cole he gives a touching account of the privileges that were denied him, and which if granted could only have led toan investigation of his case. The only possible reason that canb e assigned why heshould not be discharged is that the may not be the person whom the Northern papers speak of as Moses Bradford White, the anem under which he has gone ever since he came to this State. The want of identity is possible, but is it right that he should be kept in prison on the ground of this bare possibility?

Very respectfully,

A. T. BLEDSOE,

Chief of Bureau of War.

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*Omitted.

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