We have inserted, in our preceding page, two letters from Petersfield, selected from several others which we have received, relating to the individual who, as we are informed, offered a sovereign to the church ringers if they would ring a merry peal on the melancholy event of the late Marquess of Londonderry’s death.—When we first alluded to that circumstance, we did so upon no anonymous authority, and the communications we have since received, also authenticated by names, leave us little room to doubt that it actually occurred. We are now called upon to give the name of the person who so conducted himself, in justice to the other inhabitants of Petersfield, and we do think we are bound to obey this call. We state, then, that Mr. J. Hector is the individual who has been represented to us as having made the offer in question. If it be in his power to disprove the assertion of our correspondents, he will thank us for giving him the opportunity; if he cannot we leave him to reconcile such conduct, with what should have been the feelings of a liberal mind, upon the occasion alluded to, in the best way he can. Since the affair was first mentioned, we have had several communications, and none of them anonymous, respecting Mr. Hector’s general character, his political sentiments, and other circumstances. With all these, however we have nothing to do. We indulge in no private attacks. The particular transaction which we have reprobated, was a public offence; an offence against public decency and public feeling. To expose to just animadversion such offences, is the duty of a Journalist, for it operates as a wholesome check upon their repetition. We shall only add, that Mr. Hector, of whom we know nothing personally, is described to us as the agent of Hylton Joliffe, Esq. (Member for Petersfield), an attorney, a banker, and a public brewer.—Courier.
