Some day after the publication of The Origin of Species, Darwin wrote to someone:
I have received in a Manchester newspaper rather a good squib, showing that I have proved might is right and therefore that Napoleon is right, and every cheating tradesman is also right.
Two definitions of 'squib' from Merriam-Webster seems to be more or less appropriate here:
a) a short humorous or satiric writing or speech
b) a short news item
Which suits the context better?
Best Answer
Darwin referred to the satirical piece referenced in https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/national-and-individual-rapacity-vindicated-by-the-law-of-nature
[The below has been slightly compressed from the original in the link above. A full transcript was kindly provided in https://english.stackexchange.com/a/493937/42179 by user joeytwiddle.]