Sentence:  Ezra Stiles Gannett , an honorable representative of the sanhedrin , addressed himself frankly to the issue in 1845 , insisting that Parker should not be persecuted or <WSD>calumniated</WSD> and that in this republic no power to restrain him by force could exist . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone