--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The true liberty of the press is amply…" description: "\"The true liberty of the press is amply secured by permitting every man to publish his opinion; but it is due to the peace and dignity of society, to in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/thomas-mckean-111453_description_the-true-liberty-of-the-press-is-amply-s_289195.jpg" --- # The true liberty of the press is amply secured by… ![“The true liberty of the press is amply secured by permitting every man to publish his opinion; but it is due to the peace and dignity of society, to inquire into the motives of such publications, and to distinguish between those which are meant for use and reformation, and with an eye solely to…” quote by Thomas McKean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/thomas-mckean-111453_description_the-true-liberty-of-the-press-is-amply-s_289195.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/thomas-mckean-111453_description_the-true-liberty-of-the-press-is-amply-s_289195.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/thomas-mckean-111453_description_the-true-liberty-of-the-press-is-amply-s_289195.jpg) > “The true liberty of the press is amply secured by permitting every man to publish his opinion; but it is due to the peace and dignity of society, to inquire into the motives of such publications, and to distinguish between those which are meant for use and reformation, and with an eye solely to the public good, and those which are intended merely to delude and defame. To the latter description, it is impossible that any good government should afford protection and impunity.” Thomas McKean ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Press freedom requires scrutiny to protect public good and prevent harmful misinformation **In simple terms:** Free press must be balanced with responsibility Key Takeaway Monitor motives, protect society Themes press freedom responsibility public good government society Mood thoughtful concerned Type analytical political When to use this quote - legal debates - policy making - journalistic practice - public education Key Concepts media ethics public interest censorship information integrity Questions to Reflect On - How to differentiate constructive criticism from harmful libel? - What safeguards ensure both freedom and accountability? A Different Perspective Balance can suppress legitimate dissent ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Impunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impunity/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Protection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protection/) [Public good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-good/) [Reformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reformation/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) ## Related quotes > [The Liberty of the press consists in the right to publish with impunity truth with good motives for justifiable ends, though reflecting on government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-liberty-of-the-press-consists-in-the-right-to-publish-with/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The liberty of the press is a blessing when we are inclined to write against others, and a calamity when we find ourselves overborne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-liberty-of-the-press-is-a-blessing-when-we-are-inclined-to-write/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The liberty of the press is not confined to newspapers and periodicals. It necessarily embraces pamphlets and leaflets. These indeed have been historic weapons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-liberty-of-the-press-is-not-confined-to-newspapers-and-2/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Despotism can no more exist in a nation until the liberty of the press be destroyed than the night can happen before the sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/despotism-can-no-more-exist-in-a-nation-until-the-liberty-of-the/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The liberty of the press is not confined to newspapers and periodicals. It necessarily embraces pamphlets and leaflets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-liberty-of-the-press-is-not-confined-to-newspapers-and/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [The liberty of the press is indeed essential to the nature of a free state: but this consists in laying no previous restraints upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/the-liberty-of-the-press-is-indeed-essential-to-the-nature-of-a-free/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [The liberty of the press is most generally approved when it takes liberties with the other fellow, and leaves us alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-watson-howe/the-liberty-of-the-press-is-most-generally-approved-when-it-takes/) [Edgar Watson Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-watson-howe/) > [The liberty of the press would be an empty sound, and no man would venture to write on any subject, however, pure his purpose,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-erskine-1st-baron-erskine/the-liberty-of-the-press-would-be-an-empty-sound-and-no-man-would/) [Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-erskine-1st-baron-erskine/) > [ That this liberty \[of the press\] is often carried to excess; that it has sometimes degenerated into licentiousness, is seen and lamented, but the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/that-this-liberty-of-the-press-is-often-carried-to-excess-that-it-has/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“The criminal excesses of unlimited capitalistic liberty had soon been checked thanks to the unlimited liberty of the press.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-de-madariaga/the-criminal-excesses-of-unlimited-capitalistic-liberty-had-soon-been/) [Salvador de Madariaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-de-madariaga/) > [When someone has to intervene to defend the liberty of the press, that society is sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/when-someone-has-to-intervene-to-defend-the-liberty-of-the-press-that/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [If I were to give liberty to the press, my power could not last three days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/if-i-were-to-give-liberty-to-the-press-my-power-could-not-last-three/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“in order to enjoy the inestimable benefits which the liberty of the press ensures, it is necessary to submit to the inevitable evils which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-order-to-enjoy-the-inestimable-benefits-which-the-liberty-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“At that time, for the thought written in stone, there existed a privilege perfectly comparable to our present liberty of the press. 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Somerset Maugham in about 5th grade. Didn't understand the plots, but loved the descriptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-p-kinsella/discovered-w-somerset-maugham-in-about-5th-grade-didn-t-understand/) [W. P. Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-p-kinsella/) Browse all 1,075 Description quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The true liberty of the press is amply secured by permitting every man to publish his opinion; but it is due to the peace and dignity of society, to inquire into the motives of such publications, and to distinguish between those which are meant for use and reformation, and with an eye solely to the public good, and those which are intended merely to delude and defame. 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