large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_12_belloc_64kb_37
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_12_belloc_64kb
English
7264
But the point is not worth making, for, as a fact, no juryman ever has stood out lately when a political verdict was ordered. BUT THE POINT IS NOT WORTH MAKING FOR AS A FACT NO JURYMAN EVER HAS STOOD OUT LATELY WHEN A POLITICAL VERDICT WAS ORDERED
 upon whom his general position to-day depends). He _may_ stand out, or--as nearly always now--he will identify himself with the political system and act as its mouthpiece. It is the prevalence of this last attitude which so powerfully affects the position of the Free Press in this country. When the judge lends himself to the politicians we all know what follows. The instrument used is that of an accusation of libel, and, in cases where it is desired to establish terror, of criminal libel. The defence of the man so accused must either be undertaken by a Member of the Legal Guild--in which case the advocate's own future depends upon his supporting the interests of the politicians and so betraying his client--or, if some eccentric undertakes his own defence, the whole power of the Guild will be turned against him under forms of liberty which are no longer even hypocritical. A special juryman, for instance, that should stand out against the political verdict desired would be a marked man. WHOM HE OFTEN BELONGS AND UPON WHOM HIS GENERAL POSITION TO DAY DEPENDS HE MAY STAND OUT OR AS NEARLY ALWAYS NOW HE WILL IDENTIFY HIMSELF WITH THE POLITICAL SYSTEM AND ACT AS ITS MOUTHPIECE IT IS THE PREVALENCE OF THIS LAST ATTITUDE WHICH SO POWERFULLY AFFECTS THE POSITION OF THE FREE PRESS IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN THE JUDGE LENDS HIMSELF TO THE POLITICIANS WE ALL KNOW WHAT FOLLOWS THE INSTRUMENT USED IS THAT OF AN ACCUSATION OF LIBEL AND IN CASES WHERE IT IS DESIRED TO ESTABLISH TERROR OF CRIMINAL LIBEL THE DEFENSE OF THE MAN SO ACCUSED MUST EITHER BE UNDERTAKEN BY A MEMBER OF THE LEGAL GUILD IN WHICH CASE THE ADVOCATE'S OWN FUTURE DEPENDS ON HIS SUPPORTING THE INTERESTS OF THE POLITICIANS AND SO BETRAYING HIS CLIENT OR IF SOME ECCENTRIC UNDERTAKES HIS OWN DEFENSE THE WHOLE POWER OF THE GUILD WILL BE TURNED AGAINST HIM UNDER FORMS OF LIBERTY WHICH ARE NO LONGER EVEN HYPOCRITICAL A SPECIAL JURYMAN FOR INSTANCE THAT WOULD STAND OUT AGAINST THE POLITICAL VERDICT DESIRED WOULD BE A MARKED MAN
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