large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_12_belloc_64kb_51
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_12_belloc_64kb
English
7264
Even in the case of so glaring an abuse, with which the whole country is now familiar, we must not exaggerate. It would still be impossible for the politicians, for instance, to get a verdict during war in favour of an overt act of treason. EVEN IN THE CASE OF SO GLARING AN ABUSE WITH WHICH THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS NOW FAMILIAR WE MUST NOT EXAGGERATE IT WOULD STILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE POLITICIANS FOR INSTANCE TO GET A VERDICT DURING WAR IN FAVOR OF AN OVERT ACT OF TREASON
he 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. But the point is not worth making, for, as a fact, no juryman ever has stood out lately when a political verdict was ordered. DENTIFY 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 BUT THE POINT IS NOT WORTH MAKING FOR AS A FACT NO JURYMAN EVER HAS STOOD OUT LATELY WHEN A POLITICAL VERDICT WAS ORDERED
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