SPEECH. A formal discourse in public.
2. The liberty of speech is guaranteed to members of the legislature,
to counsel in court in debate.
3. The reduction of a speech to writing and its publication is a libel,
if the matter contained in it is libelous; and the repetition of it upon
occasions not warranted by law, when the matter is slanderous, will be
slander and. tho character of the speaker will be no protection to him from
an action. 1 M. & S. 273; 1 Esp. C. 226 Bouv. Inst. Index, h.t. See Debate;
Liberty of speech.