The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-24 00:00:00

TO TTIF, EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Snt,—As every prosecution of the press by the Go-
vernment fisrms an epoch in the history of our liberty, it
seems desirable that the exact extent of the authority
given by me in writing to my soliciier, and which I have
reason to believe was communicated to the Attorney-
General, should be placed on record. Fol that reason, I
forward you a copy of my letter to Mr. Levereon, which
was as follows :

"Mr. Montagu Leverson.—Sir,—Oa considering the
proposal made to me, which I understand comes from
the Government, I am willing that the following state_
merit shall be made on my behalf.

"That the pamphlet Tyrannicile' was never intended
either by me or the writer to incite to assassination ;
that in its publication I only exercised the right of every
citizen to state facts and discuss abstract principles ; that
the attack on me was an attack o❑ the right of free dis-
cussion, and I consider myself tke injured party, especi-
ally in being arrested, as I was, like a felon ; but that as
it is stated that this pamphlet is calculated in the pre•
sent state of affairs between this country and France to
cause great international irritation, I am willing to jero-
mice not to sell any more copies of the pamphlet nor re-
publish it.
"Even this consideration, however, would rot have in-
duced me to make such a concession bad the prosecution
been commenced by the present Government, but as
they have shown themselves more English and liberal
than their predecessors, I am willing to make the con-
cession which Mr. James advises. Still, I hope counsel
will protest both against my arrest and against the prin-
ciple of such a prosecution as this being instituted at ail.

" In conclusion, I will state that, if instead of arre.t-
ing me the late Government Lad quietly intimated to me
that the publication of the pamphlet was calculated to
cause international irritation, I should mos'. probably
have adopted the same course as that recommended by
my counsel.—l am, &c.,
(Signed) "E. TRUELOVE."

Mee, sir, under. ordinary circumstances, I should have
ended, but the cowardly article which has appeared in this
day's Times, in which that is insinuated which the writer
dares not assert, and in which allusion is made to me,
calculated materially to injure my reputation, and yet in
such a manner that I can being no action against the
Times for its dastarely proceedings, induces me to
trouble you with a few further observations.
That such a thing as principle is utterly unknown to
the directors of the Times is too notorious, and needs no
comment from the ; and thus they cannot understand
that, in refeeing the overtures made to me, and_in rime-
iutely resieting the prosecution commenced by the Tines'
protege (Lord Palmerton), I was actuated by principle
and by attachment to the liberties of my cour.try which
this preten led liberal Minister had attacked. It was
then with extreme reluctance, as stated by Mr. James,
that, net witlestanding the proffer of a verdict of not
guilty, I gave my consent to abandon the further pub-
lication of "Tyrannicide," which no more incited to'
assassination than your articles or those of the Times to
murder or theft, there being the same difference between
assassination and tyrannicide as between murder and
justifiable, or even praiseworthy, homicide; but it was
wy intention,
had the case gone on, and the jury de-
livered—as they must have done—a verdict of not
guilty, to have then voluntarily discontinued the publica-
tion, on the grounds stated by Mr. James.
It was not till late on Monday night I relue'antly
having previously refused a similar
gave my consent,
proposition, and I much regret that Mr. James not not
protest against the issue of the warrant in the first in-
stance as a gross abuse of authority by the Bow-street
magistrate.
On the whole, on calmly reviewing the circumstances,
a greet and rent progress Las been made, so much so, in-
deed, that I trust a press prosecution ty the State is for
the future inipes:ii.de. But it should be placed on re•
cord that, while none had so deep rn interest in the
question as the Times itself, the liberty of the press was
besely abandoned by that joutlial ; the advertisements
of the Press Prosecution Defeece Ourenii•tee refused in-
sertion ; ue notice talsen of the trials until their termi-
nation ; anti then noticed in a nuarint r which will cal
forth the disgust of every honest man, an insidious at-
tempt being then made to Lleclieu my character, but
done in to dastardly a manlier that I cannot call the
publisher er proptietore to account for their slander.
To you, sir, who have consistently and ably taken the
hal of all the other journals of the country in defend-
ing the libetty of the press, I render the expression of
my warmest thanke' not on my own account, but as
one of the citizens of this country ; and I feel assured
that every true lover of his country joins in this expres- 1
sion of gratitude.—l am, See.,
240, Strand, Juste 23. E. TRUELOVE,