Star.
London, England, 1827-05-07 00:00:00

LIBERTY OF THE PRESS.

The political excitement in France, arising out of the
late attempt to shackle the Press, and prevent the free
exercise of opinion, proves that the dominion of priests
craft has not made the progress in that country which
the friends of civil and religious tyranny calculated
upon. There can be no doubt that the ecclesiastical
power which has been for some years predominant at
the Court of Versailles, had long contemplated the total
overthrow of every thing like rational liberty in Fiume.
This sort of warfare against human intellect and social
improvement has ever been the policy of the Chinch of
Rome. Nor is it to be wondered at, as the fabled in•
fallibility of that Church is founded upon the ignorance
and consequent superstition of mankind. Any power
which dreads the diffusion of knowledge must be in its
nature bad--but the Church of Rome, which has no
enemy like intelligence, never obtains a footing in any
place without setting about to extinguish the right of
free publication, if it is found to exist, and even
to abrogate the privilege of thought. But still we
must acknowledge that the tyranny over the Press
which the priests have vainly endeavoured to este=
bliah in France is not worse than that which another
class of persons actually exercise over the Press in this
country. The bigotted and irrational hostility which
most of the Judges entertain towards that power which
has been more instrumental than any other in enlightens
ing mankind, gives encouragement to the basest and
most profligate characters in society, to proceed against
newspapers in actions of libel; and men whose charac-
ters are too highly estimated at a shilling, or one far-
thing, tan pat a newspaper to the expense of hundreds
of pounds in defending an action of this nature. The
low class of Solicitors being aware of this, instigate the
most trumpery actions, well knowing that if the client
should only recover, in the way of damages, the stymied
coin in the realm, the defendant must pay all the costs,
which amount to a very considerable penalty. It is
wonderful with what sympathy most of the Judges
listen to any charge which the most audacious Tam
bond or swindler may make against the Press.
only the most worthless or depraved member of society
be at one end of an action, and a newspaper, however
respectable, at another, and in nine instances out of ten
the Judge will sum up in favour of the delinquent
on whom the brand bf public opinion has, in con-
sequence of his misdeeds, been indeliby fixed. By
metaphysical refinement in pleading, a defendant can-
not justify a libel under the plea of 4, Not. Guilty r and
if he should plead a justification, such is the technical
nicety required, that however good his cause may be,
there is such a danger of falling into some vet but in-
accuracy, which may have all the consequences of ad
adverse verdict, that few like to put in such *plea, and
thus the worst ruffian that ever script others of their
peace or property—whether he be an a !niator, a pick-
pocket, a gambler, a convicted galley slave, or con-
firmed swindler—comes off with firing oilcan. With
all the efforts of priestcraft and civil despotism, the
Press has not been brought to this state of slavery and
degradation in France; and if both the law and pras-
tice of the Courts ate not altered here, we shall soon s"
other nations leaving us behind in a rational conception
and just exercise of the Liberty of the Prcvm..-mernial
Herald.