' Certain it is, a gentleman's honour is
a very delicate subject to be handled by a jury, composed of men,
who cannot be supposed remarkable either for sentiment or
impartiality -- In such a case, indeed, the defendant is tried, not
only by his peers, but also by his party; and I really think,
that of all patriots, he is the most resolute who exposes himself
to such detraction, for the sake of his country -- If, from the
ignorance or partiality of juries, a gentleman can have no
redress from law, for being defamed in a pamphlet or newspaper, I
know but one other method of proceeding against the publisher,
which is attended with some risque, but has been practised
successfully, more than once, in my remembrance -- A regiment of
horse was represented, in one of the newspapers, as having
misbehaved at Dettingen; a captain of that regiment broke the
publisher's bones, telling him, at the same time, if he went to
law, he should certainly have the like salutation from every
officer of the corps. Governor-- took the same satisfaction on the
ribs of an author, who traduced him by name in a periodical
paper -- I know a low fellow of the same class, who, being turned
out of Venice for his impudence and scurrility, retired to
Lugano, a town of the Grisons (a free people, God wot) where he
found a printing press, from whence he squirted his filth at some
respectable characters in the republic, which he had been obliged
to abandon.
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