The Law of Libel

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 20, 29 July 1886, Page 4

The Law of Libel

It is quite clear that unless the insen^ateiow of libel under which we .livfis'soon altered into some faint likeness to common justice and com- ' mbn sense, the character of the British newspaper must be virtually changed. There is no conceivable way inwlwcb an editor- can make absolute proof of the accuracy of statements, which are forwarded to Him. He is Surrounded by a staff of trusted correspbiidents in all parts of the couhtryand all over the world, "and when an item of information of public interestjis forwarded by one pt these which he can do nothing , beypnd ex•reining upon it the sort of transfigured common ";6ehse#hichf a^ispjonrn in the editpral chair. gives -a; mah; But if it ißin accurate ever 30 slightly, down 6E 4ittn / comes-' the la l^ 1 with crushi^g/jforce. Onl^ the 1 other day d81,506%¥s paid for the : error bf ! - an Oxford* inaii whose • letter - was pnbhshed i^^ppd faith, with , an , editorial, caution appended to .it, while : tlie * Daily Chronicle* paid £2QO for the same thing ; more recently the ' Ney'castlei'Chronicle' paid £1)200 because.; onfe a !of its correspondents described d Durham eviction, in rather an ei T aggerated manner; and now the « 'BhfeißNe^ is mulcted in \ fl^OO'- for, giving currency to a rumor that 'a firm haUjfaiiedV' : The late of Albany described the newspaper as'tKe-watch-; dog ;of civilisation, but if the watchdog were tremendously thrashed by ni^ ; master r evdry . time harked at night, when there waa no thief coming, depend upon it he would soon take ; to^eart the superior virtue of silence, an^ i^fe when.. b> did! ipidnife,: wo^d fin3t'the way 6pen to the :cashboXt -■;{ !;•■;'■■, - . . ; .-■■ --...■■.. - ,■■■/■-.