228 Government, Laws, [Part II. 



at the same time to extend the restraints on it, with 

 regard to persons in their priAate life, beyond the ob- 

 ligation of adherence to truth, I haAe never, that I 

 know of, met with one, who had not some powerful 

 motive of his own for the wish, and Avho did not teel 

 that he had some vulnerable part about himself. The 

 common observation of these persons, is, that public 

 men are fair game. Why jmblic men onl}' ? Is it 

 because ^/le/r v.ickedness and folly affect the public! 

 And, how long has it been, I should be glad to know, 

 since bad example in private life has been thought of 

 no consequence to the public \ The press is called 

 " the guardian of the public morals ;" but, if it is to 

 meddle with none of the vices or follies of individuals 

 in private life, how is it to act as the guardian of the 

 morals of the whole community \ A press perfectly 

 free, reaches these vices, which the law cannot reach 

 without putting too much power into the hands of the 

 magistrate. Extinguish the press, and you must let 

 the magistrate into every private house. The experi- 

 ence of the world suggests this remark ; for, look where 

 you Avill, you will see virtue in all the walks of life 

 hand in hand with freedom of discussion, and vice 

 band in hand with censorships and other laws to cramp 

 the press. England, once so free, so virtuous and so 

 happy, has seen misery and crimes increase and the 

 criminal laws multiply in the exact proportion of the in- 

 crease of the restraints of the press anfl of the increase 

 of the severity in punishing what are called libels. And, 

 if this had not taken place it would have been very won- 

 derful. Men who have the handling of the public money, 

 and who know that the parliament is such as to be silenoed, 

 will be very apt to squander that money ; this squandering 

 causes heavy taxes ; these produce misery amongst the 

 greater number of the people ; this misery produces 

 crimes ; to check these new penal laws are passed. Thus 

 it is in England, where new hanging places, new and 

 enlarged jails, prisons on the water, new modes of 

 transporting, a ncAv species of peace officers, a new 

 species of Justices of the Peace, troops employed 

 regularly in aid of the magistrate, and at last, spies 

 and blood-money bands, all proclaim a real revolution 



