Who was an Anglo-Irish soldier and statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, who said "Publish and be damned!" to an English publisher and editor with something of a reputation as a pornographer?
John Joseph Stockdale John Joseph Stockdale (1770, 1776 or 1777 – 16 February 1847) was an English publisher and editor with something of a reputation as a pornographer. He sought to blackmail a number of public figures over the "memoirs" of society courtesan Harriette Wilson, drawing the notorious retort from the Duke of Wellington, "Publish and be damned!" He also famously sued the parliamentary reporter Hansard over an allegation that he had published an indecent book and became involved in an important constitutional clash between parliament and the courts that ultimately brought about a change in the law.
William Saurin William Saurin (1757 – 11 February 1839) was an Irish barrister and politician. He was Attorney-General for Ireland from 1807 to 1822, and for much of that period he acted as the effective head of the Irish Government. He was unusual among Irish Law Officers in that he never became a judge, nor apparently wished to. As an Ulster Protestant, and a determined opponent of Catholic Emancipation, he incurred the bitter enmity of Daniel O'Connell, who called him "the mortal foe", and worked for years to have him removed from office.