Report of the trial on an indictment for libel in "The American lancet" : containing the whole evidence, speeches of counsel, recorder's charge, &c. : accusers in behalf of the state, J.B. Beck, E.G. Ludlow, and divers others against J.G. Vought, Wm. Anderson & Samuel Osborn.
- John G. Vought
- Date:
- [1831]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report of the trial on an indictment for libel in "The American lancet" : containing the whole evidence, speeches of counsel, recorder's charge, &c. : accusers in behalf of the state, J.B. Beck, E.G. Ludlow, and divers others against J.G. Vought, Wm. Anderson & Samuel Osborn. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![attach no blame to those contributors, who were friendly enough to offer their opinion, on admitting articles of doubtful propriety. All who write for the American Lancet, are to understand, that their private animosities are not to be vented under fictitious names in the pages of this work, so long as one who is concerned in publishing it, labours solely for the general interest of the medical profession. The American Lancet was never by me designed to record slander, or be made a tool for those who dare not meet their adversaries, (either pro- fessional or otherwise) face to face. As a further evidence that a secret medical association ex- isted in this country, and its branches are spread in other places, and in this city, which admits of just grounds to expose the same, see a printed document from Philadelphia, addressed to the editor of the New-York Medical aud Physical Journal, January 29th, 1830, of which the following is an extract. (See Appendix [B] of this pamphlet.) The District Attorney objected to its being read, and was sustained by the court. Dr. Vought continued. I ask for nothing but justice, and trust that this jury of my country, in this land of liberty, will grant my request. I rest my cause upon my innocence, and upon the facts that I shall prove. Dr. Vought closed here. Dr. Cox was called up and sworn. He was asked whether he had heard of the existence of a secret society of physicians in this city ; the District Attorney objected to this question. Mr. Maxwell replied; he said, if the defendants had made the statements complained of in good faith ; if they had reason to believe that a secret society was in existence ; they were jus- tified in making the statement, with a view of eliciting the facts connected with the belief. In support of this view of the case he cited the case of Delano versus Jones, 1st Russell on Crime, page 335, and 4 Espinass, 191. In this case it was holden, that as the libel was published in good faith, with a view of eliciting information relative to the charge made, that therefore](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21161665_0029.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
