ABSTRACT
As belief, considered in itself, does not admit of being controlled by external power—as it is only the profession of belief which can be taken cognizance of by authority and permitted or prevented, it follows that the assertion of the right to freedom of belief implies the right to freedom of speech. It implies the right to use speech for the propagation of belief; seeing that each of the propositions constituting an argument or arguments, used to support or enforce a belief, being itself a belief, the right to express it is included with the right to express the belief to be justified. With increasing recognition of the right of free speech there has gone increasing recognition of the right of free publication. With the growth of ecclesiastical power there came the suppression of writings considered heretical.
