32 m y blood as freely as the d espots o f the South, strike t error i nto the souls of N o r t h e r n m e n ? C a n i t be that the liberty of the press is so s m a l l a t h i n g ? K n o w you not, A m e r i c a n s , that w h e n the liberty o f speech and of the press is lost, a l l is lost ? H e a v e n s a nd e arth ! m u s t I argue this question w i t h t he descendants of W a s h i n g t o n and A d a m s ? W e l l , t hen, E u r i p i d e s s a i d : " T h i s is true liberty, w h e r e free-born m e n h a v i n g to advise the public, m a y speak free." S a i d C h a t h a m : " S orry a m I to hear liberty of speech i n this house i m p u ted as a c r i m e ; it is a liberty I m e a n to exercise, no g e n tleman o ught to be afraid to exercise i t . " J o h n M i l t o n : " A n d a lthough a l l the w i n d s of doctrine w e r e let l oose t o p l a y u pon the earth, so t ruth b e i n the field, w e do i n j u r i o u s l y , b y l i c e n s i n g a n d prohibiting to misdoubt her s trength. L e t her and falsehood grapple. W h o ever k n e w t ruth p ut to the worse i n a free and open encount e r ? " D a n i e l W e b s t e r , s p e a k i n g of the freedom of o p i n ion : " I t m a y be silenced b y m ilitary p ower, but cannot b e conquered. It is elastic, irrepressible and i n v u l n e r a b l e t o the weapons of ordinary warfare. It is that impassable, u nextinguishable enemy of mere violence and arbitrary     r ule, w h i c h , l i k e M i l t o n ' s angels,
' V i t a l in e v e r y p art, C a n n o t , but b y a n n i h i l a t i n g , die.' "

U n t i l t his be propitiated or satisfied, it is i n v a i n f or p ower to talk either of t r i u m p h or repose. Erskine : " T h e proposition I m e a n to m a i n t a i n , as the basis of the l iberty o f the press, a n d w i t h o u t w h i c h it is an empty s ound, is t his, t hat every m a n not i n t e n d i n g to m i s l e a d , b ut s e e k i n g to enlighten others w i t h w h a t his o w n reason a nd c onscience, h o w e v e r erroneously, have dictated to h i m a s t ruth, m a y address h i m s e l f to the u n i v e r s a l reason o f a w h o l e nation, either upon the subject of governments i n g eneral, or upon that of our o w n particular country; t hat h e m a y a n a l y z e the principles of the C o n s t i t u t i o n     point out its errors and defects   examine and publish its- corruptions   warn h is f e l l o w - c i t i z e n s against their ruinous c onsequences, a nd exert his whole faculties i n pointing o ut the most advantageous changes i n establishments