1820 Oct. 12 liberticide measures 12 §. 2. I. Press violation Reasons against

libel laws

As whether in this advantageous /distinguished/ situation or not, any act

tending to the prejudice of his /a man’s/ reputation in any point will naturally

be apt to call forth his displeasure, so in the case of a man /on the part of a

man/ by whom any such advantageous situation is occupied a natural object of his

endeavours will be – to prevent and so far as that is not possible /endeavour

fails/ to avenge every injury or supposed injury done or endeavoured to be done

to him in that provoking /galling/ shape: and where power has not been wanting

the death of the offender has very commonly been regarded as a means not too

expensive to be employed in the prosecution of this end.

The more consummate the inaptitude, and thence in case of criminality, the more

intense and extensive the evil of which the /his/ criminal conduct has been

productive, the greater the evil which the functionary has to apprehend from the

disclosure of it, and thence the heavier the punishment with which it will be

his endeavour to visit the offender to visit all persons concerned in the

casting of the imputation the greater in a word the quantity of force /power/ in

all shapes which it will be his interest and endeavour to employ towards the

repression of it: in the case of an imputation not yet cast but apprehended,

self-preservation will in proportion to the magnitude of his guilt be earnest in

applying to this purpose the utmost quantity of force possible: in the case of

an imputation already cast, the care of self preservation will dictate the

employing of this same quantity of force against all such offences /evils/

apprehended in future, to which the desire of vengeance will add its claims in

satisfaction for what is past.