The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1772-01-02

us &c INV tins cafe apples .sic1a 20 TIE
,tks IF Ktjf esnrn e record. Ard Ie,
cool difpsnionate man lmprsil=d wilh the To-
Icmnity ofon oath, take this paper OF I1afi-
m'5, read it carefully ard candidy. Lei INN
throw away every prejudice tha; may mhleao
and attend only to the filI vnicc of reaics
and of law. Afer he has thus done, ! ak
whether in confidence or on any principle ne
can declare, that the jcLe delign OF the writer
was TO 'oijf jeditien, and TO fing govern
mens iaio condition, anarchy and dl!oider.
That what hr sherts is in every thiag f0Jf
and asnne, that bis notions Of government
are criminal, the production Of fancy,or what
is worfe, thar they are the ofElpGng of maize
and rs0fed haired agaInit the contribution and
thofe in power. II he Can lay tn, do not
know what he will ref ain 10 lay. But If he
cannot, Aacin5 cannot he heller, for in
law, as was argued in the iait number, all
thrfe aggravations are ellen,isl. On the con-
trary, is not the prOpoiition, tina, a Governor
independent is a monfier in flee govern
ment, one of The mott efential properties of
fuch government. This is truth, which
if given up, the barriers of freedom are de-
molifhec, and an inundation of defpotifm,
cruelty and diforder will inevitably flow IN.
d 1Aall not enter at prefent into the coniider-
stIeA Of the truth of Maaa's alerion, but
Eefyike reader for fatsfaeion onihis point
20 my 22d and 23d numbers. ngain,
MHaHs is only snqniring, only elRing the 0.
pinion of bis countrymen in point, which
he thinks of the utmof importance tina, can
reiped free people. This is only exercif-
ing q vigbf, inherent in him as citizen and
as a member Of free contribution. Admit
z, to put this cafe in the WORT light poii-
bic, that his ientinen,s were without foun-
dallon, and that he was mitaken in his j.
IDEAS, his queryIng cannot be Libel, for the
intention was good. And we all know that
an honea mans intention may be good, and
yer bis realonings and judgment erroneous,
even in this cafe he Cannon be LibelIer,
for the eilential properly of Libel in Law
is wanting Ii is wicked intention to do
an injury, vid. the cafe OF Brown. Tin. s.
A1ns B. R. While therefore Juror, in bis
foul thinks that the contents OF writing are
true, that they are important, and that the
publifhing was 70 far from mohes, (editisa,
and an intent to co wickedy, that the author
only meant TO inform his countrymen of what
nearly concerned them, be perjures himiclf
If he finds this writing Libel.
And now, my CouDtrymen, LET me pref
this matter boms TO you. | have endeavour-
ed, according TO the belf of my abilities, to
give you lome little knowledge of the origin,
the nature and the conlequence of Libels.
We have feen they are the offspring of an
inifitution that POUNDS all It's realonings and
its principles on the BATS of 1dcipotfm. They
were obfrHded on our Laws at a period
the mof melancholy and the mcff deftru6tive
of .Engliih freedom the nation ever iaw. We
find the notice taken of thefe innovations in
fucceeding annals, never can warrant the
learning that feems TO be incuIcated IN our
day. And it is truth, my coun,rYmen,
that ought carefully to be yFmSmtIred. If
attempts that are now making be carried in
to execution, the .catafrophe of this province
will foon be complicated. Freedom Of writ
ing and fpeaking are 70 eGential to our con-
fiitutiOn, and TO the rights we enjoy as free
men, that if theGe are deAtoyed, we com
mence that Infant absolutely aases. Some
privileges may be called prsp0tilss but this
is the lgcref Of freedom. / he former Of