Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 13.pdf/393

 358

advantage of publicity to the community at large outweighs any private injury that may be done. He also gave a strong impulse to the prevailing rule with respect to the limits of public criticism. His general principle was perfect freedom of discussion of public

belief that what he writes is true. But it seems to me that the public have an equal interest in the maintenance of the public character of public men; and public affairs could not be conducted by men of honor with a view to the welfare of the countrv if

LORD BLACKBURN.

men, stopping short, however, of attacks on private character and reckless imputation of motives. When, therefore, a writer goes be yond the limits of fair criticism In making imputations on private character it is no de fence that he believed his statements to be true. "It is said that it is for the interests of society that the public conduct of men should be criticised without any other limits than that the writer should have an honest

v,-e were to sanction attacks upon them de structive of their honor and character, and made without any foundation. Where the public conduct of a public man is open to animadversion, and the writer who is com menting upon it makes imputations upon his motives which arise fairly and legitimately out of his conduct, so that the jury shall say that the criticism was not only honest but also well founded, an action is not maintain