"The Constitution does not allow reasons of State to influence our judgments: God forbid it should! We must not regard political consequences, how formidable soever they might be: if rebellion was the certain consequence, we are bound to say, "Fiat justitia mat caelum." The Constitution trusts the King with reasons of State and policy; he may stop prosecutions,1 he may pardon offences2; it is his, to judgewhetherthelaworthecriminalshould yield. We have no election."
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Original Language: English
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Sources
Lord Mansfield, Case of John Wilkes (1770), 19 How. St. Tr. 1112.
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Politics
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