One may do injury to another in his property rights, in his feelings, and in his reputation, by making to others false and defamatory statements about him. Such statements made by word of mouth, and not in writing, in print, by caricature, or in some other tangible form, are denominated slander; and the person injured is entitled to maintain an action against the wrong-doer to recover damages for the injuries suffered. There is in general no criminal punishment for slander; but spoken words may be criminally punishable on other grounds, as amounting to blasphemy, or being obscene, or calculated to disturb the public peace, and the like; that is, in general, spoken words are not the subject of criminal punishment on account of injuries to individuals, but only on account of some harm to the public. In a civil action for slander the truth of the words spoken is a defence, for the injured party is not to be heard to say that he has been damaged by the speaking of the truth concerning him. Even where the words are untrue they may have been spoken without malice and upon a proper occasion, so as not to constitute an actionable wrong.

In a general sense libel may be said to be publication by written or printed language or caricature, or some tangible method of conveying thought or information of matter which is defamatory and injurious in its character. Such matter may be considered with reference to its injurious effect upon the government, its tendency to disturb the public peace or impair the public morals, its tendency to injure the individuals directly concerned, thus impairing the security of property and reputation, and its actual injurious consequences as affecting the particular individuals injured such as to entitle them to recover damages. In some of these respects libel constitutes a crime; in others it forms a basis for the recovery of damages in a civil action.