This suppression of free speech received a novel application in the prosecutions for libels upon foreign potentates. In 1799 Vint was prosecuted for a libel on the Em peror of Russia (27 St. Tr. 627). He had said, in substance, that the Emperor of Rus sia was rendering himself obnoxious to his
up this great sovereign as being- a tyrant and ridiculous over Europe, it might tend to his calling for satisfaction as for a na tional affront if it passed unreported by our government in our courts of justice. A more celebrated case of this kind was the trial of Peltier in 1803 for a libel on Na-
.IAMES PERRY.
subjects by various acts of tyranny, and ridiculous in the eyes of Europe by his in consistency. It was on this trial that Lord Chief Justice Kenyon announced the pusill animous doctrine that free speech in Eng land was to be limited by fear of the dis pleasure of foreign powers. "When these papers went to Russia," he said, "and held
poleon Bonaparte. Peltier was a French refugee who had sought safety in England after the massacres of 1792. He was prose cuted for three libels which had been pub lished in his serial entitled, L'Ambigu, ou Уartet ex, Atroces et Amusantes, Journal dans lu Guerre Egyptienne. One was an ode, as cribed to Chenier, containing references to
