<Li> That the words are not subject to legal protection, such as those uttered in Congress; and </Li> <Li> That the charge must be motivated by malice . </Li> <P> An action of libel required the same five general points as slander, except that it specifically involved the publication of defamatory statements . For certain criminal charges of libel, such as seditious libel, the truth or falsity of the statements was immaterial, as such laws were intended to maintain public support of the government and true statements could damage this support even more than false ones . Instead, libel placed specific emphasis on the result of the publication . Libelous publications tended to "degrade and injure another person" or "bring him into contempt, hatred or ridicule". </P> <P> Concerns that defamation under common law might be incompatible with the new republican form of government caused early American courts to struggle between William Blackstone's argument that the punishment of "dangerous or offensive writings...(was) necessary for the preservation of peace and good order, of government and religion, the only solid foundations of civil liberty" and the argument that the need for a free press guaranteed by the Constitution outweighed the fear of what might be written . Consequently, very few changes were made in the first two centuries after the ratification of the First Amendment . </P>

Which part of the first amendment says the citizens are allowed to practice any religion they choose