"Of the Liberty of the Press" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hume David)

from a legal proof before his judges; and even these judges
must be his fellow-subjects, who are obliged, by their own
interest, to have a watchful eye over the encroachments and
violence of the ministers. From these causes, it proceeds,
that there is as much liberty, and even, perhaps,
licentiousness in GREAT BRITAIN, as there were formerly
slavery and tyranny in ROME.

These principles account for the great liberty of the press in
these kingdoms, beyond what is indulged in any other
government. It is apprehended, that arbitrary power would
steal in upon us, were we not careful to prevent its progress,
and were there not an easy method of conveying the alarm from
one end of the kingdom to the other. The spirit of the people
must frequently be rouzed, in order to curb the ambition of
the court; and the dread of rouzing this spirit must be
employed to prevent that ambition. Nothing so effectual to
this purpose as the liberty of the press, by which all the
learning, wit, and genius of the nation may be employed on the
side of freedom, and every one be animated to its defence. As
long, therefore, as the republican part of our government can
maintain itself against the monarchical, it will naturally be
careful to keep the press open, as of importance to its own
preservation.

It must however be allowed, that the unbounded liberty of the
press, though it be difficult, perhaps impossible, to propose
a suitable remedy for it, is one of the evils, attending those
mixt forms of government.

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