Mayrant v. Richardson
Supreme Court of South Carolina
This was an action of slander, tried before Mr. Justice Nott, at Sumter Court, Spring Term, 1815. ^ The first count in the declaration stated that, on the second Monday in April, 1812, William Mayrant, John Kershaw, and Charles Richardson, were candididates for members of Congress, for the united districts of Lancaster, Chesterfield, Kershaw and Sumter.
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This was an action of slander, tried before Mr. Justice Nott, at Sumter Court, Spring Term, 1815. ^ The first count in the declaration stated that, on the second Monday in April, 1812, William Mayrant, John Kershaw, and Charles Richardson, were candididates for members of Congress, for the united districts of Lancaster, Chesterfield, Kershaw and Sumter. “That James B. Richardson, (the defendant,) in conversation with divers electors for said district, maliciously and falsely declared, uttered, and published, of Wm. Mayrant, these words : ‘ lie (meaning the said Wm. Mayrant) is impaired in his…
1Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by.
Nott, J.
Notwithstanding the frequent occurrence of actions of slander in our Courts, it does not yet appear to be well settled what words of themselves, in legal contemplation, constitute slander. If spoken of a Pr*vate *Person> holding no office, nor engaged in any profession or trade, they must be such at least, if true, as would subject him to legal punishment; if spoken of any other person, they must be calculated to injure him in his office, profession, or trade. The words in this case do not come within either of those rules. They do not impute…
2Cases cited1 opinion
- Ross v. McGuffinCourt of Appeals of Texas · 1884