[453]. Lucas v. Cotton, Moore, 79; Underwood v. Parks, 2 Stra. 1200; Ellis v. Buzzell, 60 Me. 209; Baum v. Clause, 5 Hill, 196 Accord.
The rule is the same as to actions for a libel. Leyman v. Latimer, 3 Ex. D. 15, 352; Grand Union Tea Co. v. Lorch, (C. C. A.) 231 Fed. 390; Schuler v. Fischer, 167 Ala. 184; Children v. Shinn, 168 Ia. 531; Castle v. Hunston, 19 Kan. 417; Hanson v. Bristow, 87 Kan. 72; Herald Pub. Co. v. Feltner, 158 Ky. 35; Cook v. Pulitzer Pub. Co., 241 Mo. 326; Merrey v. Guardian Pub. Co., 79 N. J. Law, 177; Willetts v. Scudder, 72 Or. 535. Unless modified by statute, as in Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, Rhode Island and West Virginia. Delaware Co. v. Croasdale, 6 Houst. 181; Jones v. Townsend, 21 Fla. 431; Palmer v. Adams, 137 Ind. 72; Perry v. Porter, 124 Mass. 338; Fordyce v. Richmond, 78 Neb. 752; McClaugherty v. Cooper, 39 W. Va. 313. In New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, however, the mere truth of the libel is not always a defence, although there is no such statute. Hutchins v. Page, 75 N. H. 215; Burkhart v. N. Am. Co., 214 Pa. St. 39.
[454]. The statement of the pleadings is abridged; the arguments of counsel and the concurring opinions of Martin, Channell, and Bramwell, BB., are omitted.
[455]. Rex v. Skinner, Lofft, 55; Thomas v. Churton, 2 B. & S. 475; Dawkins v. Paulet, L. R. 5 Q. B. 94; Dawkins v. Prince Edward, 1 Q. B. D. 499; Law v. Llewellyn, [1906] 1 K. B. 487 (judge of inferior court—Scotch case Allardice v. Robertson, 1 Dow & Cl. 495 not followed); Bottomley v. Brougham, [1908] 1 K. B. 584 (official receiver); Miller v. Hope, 2 Shaw, App. Cas. 125; Yates v. Lansing, 5 Johns. 282, 9 Johns. 395 (but see Aylesworth v. St. John, 25 Hun, 156); Allen v. Earnest, (Tex. Civ. App.) 145 S. W. 1101 Accord.
Kendillon v. Maltby, Car. & M. 402, 2 M. & Rob. 438, S. C., lays down too restricted a rule.
“The publication of defamatory words may be under an absolute or under a qualified or conditional privilege. Under the former there is no liability, although the defamatory words are falsely and maliciously published. The class of absolutely privileged communications is narrow and practically limited to legislative and judicial proceedings and acts of state.” Hall, C. J., in Hassett v. Carroll, 85 Conn. 23, 35.
See Tanner v. Stevenson, 138 Ky. 578; Peterson v. Steenerson, 113 Minn. 87.
[456]. Only the opinion of Brett, M. R., is given.
[457]. Pedley v. Morris, 61 L. J. Q. B. 21 Accord.
See Buckley v. Wood, 4 Rep. 14 b; Hodgson v. Scarlett, 1 B. & Ald. 232; Mackay v. Ford, 5 H. & N. 792; Smallwood v. York, 163 Ky. 139; Rudin v. Fauver, 33 Ohio Cir. Ct. R. 315; Kruegel v. Cockrell (Tex. Ci v. App.) 151 S. W. 352.