The Speeches of the Hon. Thomas Erskine: (now Lord Erskine), when at the Bar, on Subjects Connected with the Liberty of the Press; Against Constructive Treasons, and on Miscellaneous Subjects, Volume 1Eastburn, Kirk & Company, 1813 - Freedom of the press |
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Page 42
... accused , is the very highest and most atrocious that a member of civil life can possibly commit ; because it is not , like all other crimes , merely an injury to society from the breach of some of its reciprocal relations , but is an ...
... accused , is the very highest and most atrocious that a member of civil life can possibly commit ; because it is not , like all other crimes , merely an injury to society from the breach of some of its reciprocal relations , but is an ...
Page 49
... accused must singly depend , and which it is your exclu- sive province to determine : -namely , whether they were as- sembled by my noble Client , for the traitorous purpose charged in the indictment ? -For war must not only be levied ...
... accused must singly depend , and which it is your exclu- sive province to determine : -namely , whether they were as- sembled by my noble Client , for the traitorous purpose charged in the indictment ? -For war must not only be levied ...
Page 56
... accused before you . God forbid that you should . I might therefore get rid of this wretch alto- gether , without making a single remark on that part of his testimony , which bears upon the issue you are trying ; but the Crown shall ...
... accused before you . God forbid that you should . I might therefore get rid of this wretch alto- gether , without making a single remark on that part of his testimony , which bears upon the issue you are trying ; but the Crown shall ...
Page 74
... accused before them to ignominy and death ? What proof will their consciences require ? - What will their plain and manly understandings accept of ? What does the immemorial custom of their fathers , and the written law of this land ...
... accused before them to ignominy and death ? What proof will their consciences require ? - What will their plain and manly understandings accept of ? What does the immemorial custom of their fathers , and the written law of this land ...
Page 88
... accused is alone in discussion , and no general consequences can fol- low from the decision , the advocate and the private man ought in sound discretion to be kept asunder ; yet there are occasions , when such separation would be ...
... accused is alone in discussion , and no general consequences can fol- low from the decision , the advocate and the private man ought in sound discretion to be kept asunder ; yet there are occasions , when such separation would be ...
Common terms and phrases
accused acquit admit answer appear argument Attorney authority Bearcroft believe Bishop Bishop of Bangor Bushel's called cause charge circumstances conduct consider constitution Convention Parliament Counsel crime criminal Crown Dean declared Defendant Dialogue doctrine duty England English Erskine established evidence fact Frost Gentlemen give Grindley guilty of publishing honour House of Commons House of Lords impeachment imputed indictment innocent intention judgment jurisdiction Jury Justice Buller King of England King William King's Bench kingdom Landmen learned friend learned Judge libel liberty Lord George Lord George Gordon Lord Mansfield Lord Pigot Lord the King Lordship malicious matter meaning ment mind nation never opinion paper Parliament person petition present principle Prisoner prosecution Prosecutor protection punishment purpose question reason record Registrar Revolution seditious speak statute supposed thing Thomas Paine thought tion trial whole wicked witnesses words
Popular passages
Page 329 - ... devout prayer to that eternal Spirit who can enrich with all utterance and knowledge, and sends out his seraphim, with the hallowed fire of his altar, to touch and purify the lips of whom he pleases...
Page 329 - ... methinks I see her as an eagle mewing her mighty youth, and kindling her undazzled eyes at the full midday beam ; purging and unsealing her long-abused sight at the fountain itself of heavenly radiance ; while the whole noise of timorous and flocking birds, with those also that love the twilight, flutter about, amazed at what she means, and in their envious gabble would prognosticate a year of sects and schisms.
Page 241 - King there inhabiting and being, in contempt of our said Lord the King and his laws, to the evil example of all others in the like case offending, and against the peace of our said Lord the King, his crown and dignity.
Page 462 - The liberty of the press is indeed essential to the nature of a free state ; but this consists in laying no previous restraints upon publication, and not in freedom from censure for criminal matter when published. Every freeman has an undoubted right to lay what sentiments he pleases before the public ; to forbid this is to destroy the freedom of the press ; but if he publishes what is improper, mischievous, or illegal, he must take the consequences of his own temerity.
Page 261 - That levying money for or to the use of the crown, by pretence of prerogative, without grant of parliament, for longer time, or in other manner, than the same is or shall be granted, is illegal.
Page 329 - Methinks I see in my mind a noble and puissant Nation rousing herself like a strong man after sleep, and shaking her invincible locks : methinks I see her as an eagle mewing her mighty youth, and kindling her undazzled eyes at the full midday beam...
Page 462 - But, to punish (as the law does at present) any dangerous or offensive writings, which, when published, shall, on a fair and impartial trial, be adjudged of a pernicious tendency, is necessary for the preservation of peace and good order, of government and religion, the only solid foundations of civil liberty.
Page 278 - From the moment that any advocate can be permitted to say that he will, or will not, stand between the Crown and the subject arraigned in the court where he daily sits to practise — from that moment the liberties of England are at an end.
Page 343 - Christian fable is but the tale of the more ancient superstitions of the world, and may be easily detected by a proper understanding of the mythologies of the Heathens. Did Milton understand those mythologies ? Was he less versed than Mr. Paine in the superstitions of the world? No; they were the subject of his immortal song; and though shut out from all recurrence to them, he poured them forth from the stores of a memory rich with all that man ever knew, and laid them in their order as the illustration...
Page 343 - And all the rule, one empire ; only add Deeds to thy knowledge answerable ; add faith, Add virtue, patience, temperance; add love, By name to come call'd charity, the soul Of all the rest : then wilt thou not be loath To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess A Paradise within thee, happier far.