To the Editor of the Nelson Evening Mail

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 160, 11 July 1867, Page 3

To the Editor of the Nelson Evening Mail

g IR —Y Ou state in your leading article of last evening that you have received two anonymous letters signed "Sunlight" and remark that that they are too libellous for publication. I glance to your "Notice to correspondents," and I find the following, viz., *' No notice can be taken of anonymous communications," yet in the face of this, and you have already said you have found or published the statement that your correspondent *' Sunlight" to be false as regards part of his statements, I repeat that in face of this you publish an article founded upon such an authority. Now I demand to know who my slanderer is —and that the identical writer shall be made known to me —l demand his name and his address —that he may be brought face to face with me —l demand that there shall be a thorough and searching investigation —l am quite prepared to prove, by unmistaken evidence, that his slander is malignant and untrue. At a time when I am before the public and the Government of this province with a scheme of no ordinary magnitude, wherein perhaps the destinies of this province are deeply concerned —l say a man to undertake such a task as this must have a character untainted —yet this wicked anonymous letter-writer chooses exactly this time to damage my reputation —not by coming forward like a man in open day. but keeping like all cowards behind something to protect him in the shape of anonymous letters. lam, etc, Feancis Stevens. [We insert this letter, being desirous of affordiug Mr. Stevens every means of meeting the statements alluded to in our article of yesterday. At the same time we would observe that the matter was not introduced to our notice by the letters of " Sunshine" only, but was currently talked of in the town. We must, therefore, decline to furnish him with the information asked for, which, moreover, could in no wise assist him in rebutting the statement in question. —Ed. E. MS]