Cord Byrd: “freedom of speech is of ancient origin. The Senators in the Roman Republic exercised freedom of speech. There were no…”

“freedom of speech is of ancient origin. The Senators in the Roman Republic exercised freedom of speech. There were no inhibitions on the freedom of speech. The same thing was true with respect to the members of Parliament. Henry IV, who reigned from 1399 to 1413, publicly declared that the Commons and the Lords should have freedom of speech. There would be no inhibitions on their right to speak freely or to be questioned concerning their speeches. In 1689, when the Commons designated William III of Orange and Mary as joint sovereigns, the Commons first extracted from William and Mary assurance that they, William III and Mary, would agree to a Declaration of Rights, to which they did agree. And then, in December of 1689, that Declaration of Rights was put in the form of legislation, and it has since been known as the English Bill of Rights. In that English Bill of Rights, freedom to speak in Parliament was assured, and no member of Commons or the Lords could have his speech questioned or challenged in any place, I believe the words are, ``out of Parliament.'' In that English Bill of Rights, there is that guaranteed protection of freedom of speech. It is found in article 9 of the English Bill of Rights, and our forefathers copied that language almost word for word as it appears in section 6 of article I of the United States Constitution. So there is the evidence from ancient times of the desire of free men and the needs of free men to be able to speak freely.”