It will be observed that Kennedy, J., draws a distinction between the conduct which he assumes to be lawful on Allen’s part to do what he did do if it were merely for the purpose of forwarding that which he believed to be his interest as a delegate of his union in fair consideration of that interest on the one hand, and on the other hand his conduct if what he did was done for the purpose of injuring these plaintiffs.
My Lords, it appears to me that that is a direction of which the defendants cannot complain, since it puts what is to my mind an alternative more favorable to them. In my view, his belief that what he was doing was for his interest as a delegate of his union would not justify the doing of what he did do. It is alleged, and to my mind and to the mind of the jury proved, that the employers were compelled under pressure of the threats that he used to discharge the plaintiffs.
But the objection made by the defendants appears to be that the word “malicious” adds nothing; that if the thing was lawful it was lawful absolutely; if it was not lawful it was unlawful,—the addition of the word “malicious” can make no difference. The fallacy appears to me to reside in the assumption that everything must be absolutely lawful or absolutely unlawful. There are many things which may become lawful or unlawful according to circumstances.
In a decision of this House it has undoubtedly been held that whatever a man’s motives may be, he may dig into his own land and divert subterranean water which but for his so treating his own land might have reached his neighbor’s land. But that is because the neighbor had no right to the flow of the subterranean water in that direction, and he had an absolute right to do what he would with his own property. But what analogy has such a case with the intentional inflicting of injury upon another person’s property, reputation, or lawful occupation? To dig into one’s own land under the circumstances stated requires no cause or excuse. He may act from mere caprice, but his right on his own land is absolute, so long as he does not interfere with the rights of others.
But, referring to Bowen, L. J.’s observation, which to my mind is exactly accurate, “in order to justify the intentional doing of that which is calculated in the ordinary course of events to damage, and which does, in fact, damage another in that other person’s property or trade,” you must have some just cause or excuse.
Now, the word “malicious” appears to me to negative just cause or excuse; and without attempting an exhaustive exposition of the word itself, it appears to me that, if I apply the language of Bowen, L. J., it is enough to show that this was within the meaning of the law “malicious.”
It appears to me that no better illustration can be given of the distinction on which I am insisting between an act which can be legally done and an act which cannot be so done because tainted with malice, than such a colloquy between the representative of the master and the representative of the men as might have been held on the occasion which has given rise to this action. If the representative of the men had in good faith and without indirect motive pointed out the inconvenience that might result from having two sets of men working together on the same ship, whose views upon the particular question were so diverse that it would be inexpedient to bring them together, no one could have complained; but if his object was to punish the men belonging to another union because on some former occasion they had worked on an iron ship, it seems to me that the difference of motive may make the whole difference between the lawfulness or unlawfulness of what he did.
I see it is suggested by one of your Lordships that the action for malicious prosecution is supposed to be an exception. I am not quite certain that I understand what is the proposition to which it is an exception. If it means that there is no other form of procedure known to the law wherein malice may make the distinction between a lawful and an unlawful act, I am unable to agree. Maliciously procuring a person to be made a bankrupt, maliciously and without reasonable or probable cause presenting a petition to wind up a company, or maliciously procuring an arrest, are equally cases wherein the state of mind of the person procuring the arrest may affect the question of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of the act done.
Again, in slander or libel the right to preserve one’s character or business from attack appears to me quite as vague and general a right as it is suggested is the right to pursue one’s occupation unmolested; and it cannot be denied that in both these cases the lawfulness or unlawfulness of what is said or written may depend upon the absence or presence of malice.