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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: Law

James Mill to Bentham. - Jeremy Bentham, The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 10 (Memoirs Part I and Correspondence) [1843]

Edition used:

The Works of Jeremy Bentham, published under the Superintendence of his Executor, John Bowring (Edinburgh: William Tait, 1838-1843). 11 vols. Vol. 10.

Part of: The Works of Jeremy Bentham, 11 vols.

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James Mill to Bentham.

“I offer up my devotions to heaven every morning for the prosperity of Libel Law. After the feeble and timid talk on the subject of the freedom of the press in the House of Commons on Monday night, I am more impatient than ever. Pure fear of the lawyers seemed to tie up the tongues even of Sir F. Burdett and of Whitbread, who otherwise appeared willing to speak. They were afraid they should commit some blunder in regard to the requisite provisions of law, and, therefore, eat in their words. Oh! if they but knew what law is, and ought to be, as well as you can tell them, on this most interesting of all points, we should find the boldness, I trust, on the other side, equal to that of the lawyers.”

When the “Elements of Packing” were passing through the press, the bookseller halted in alarm, and refused to proceed. The horrors of the Libel Law were upon him,—and he was afraid of being the victim of the very system which the book denounced. He had suggested a title, something less offensive, for the book,—viz., “Perils of the Press.” The opinion of Romilly was afterwards taken, and he gives that opinion in these words:—