The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-05-12
STORIES FROM The
AMERICAN HISTORY
ALEXANDER HAMILTON'S DE-
TENSE OF THE FREEDOM OF
THE PRESS.


were having a stormy time of 1t dur
ing the first quarter of the seven
teenth century, and complaints as to
the conditions that existed could only
be heard through the public press.
On November s, 1893, John Peter
Zenger, a printer, who had learned
the art in the establishment of Will
lam Bradford, began the publication
of a paper called the New York
Weekly Journal. This paper was the
organ of the party that was opposed
to the Governor of the province, and
was powerfully supported by Chief
Justice Lewis Morris, Rip Van Dam
and James Alexander. About year
after its establishment Zenger was
imprisoned, by an order of the coun-
Gil, on the charge of publishing false
and seditious libels, principally
through lampoons and pasquinades
that attracted wide attention, which
contributed greatly toward lossening
the bonds between England and the
colonies.
The grand jury before whom his
case was presented would find no bill
against him, and the Attorney Gen.
eral filed an information. The coun-
sci of Zenger took exceptions to the
commissions of the Judges because
they ran during pleasure and be-
cause they were granted without the
consent of the counsel.
The angry Judge met the objec-
ton by disbarring James Alexander,
who offered it, though he stood at
the head of the profession in New
York for sagacity, penetration and
application to business. All the CEN
trail colonies regarded the controver-
sy as their own.
Each party had a newspaper at
command. The opposition to Zen
gers weekly was called the New York
Gazette, an aristocratic paper pub
lished by Bradford. Bradford had
been in the printing business in New
York from 1898, and his was the
first newspaper printed in the colony.
Zenger had been imprisoned for a
period of thirty-five weeks before his
trial. During all this time the ex-
element was intense. At the trial
the publishing was confessed, but the
aged and venerable Alexander Ham,
ilton, who went to New York from
Philadelphia to plead for Zenger,
justified the publication by asserting
its truth.
"You cannot be admitted" inter-
rupted the Chief Justice, ito give the
truth of libel in evidence" Then"
said Hamilton to the jury, 1--WE appeal
to you for witnesses of the facts. The
jury have the right to determine both
the law and the fact, and they ought
to do so.
1.-THE question before you," he
added, sis not the cause of poor
printer, nor of New York alone; it is
the cause of liberty" The jury gave
their verdict mot guilty"
Hamilton received of the Common
Council of New York the franchises
of the city for "his learned and gen.
erous defense of the rights of man
kind and the liberty of the press"
Besides this Hamilton was entertain
ed by a public dinner, and when he
started across the river to return to
Philadelphia, he was honored by the
firing of a salute of cannon.
When Zenger was released from
prison he was received with tumul-
tuous applause by a concourse OF
people who had assembled to learn of
the result. This event has been
termed 1.-The morning star of that
liberty which subsequently revolu-
America" Zenger died in
1854 and his paper was continued by
his wife and son.
Hamilton's remarkable speech,
which completely won the jury, end
ed with the following: Men who
injure and opress the people under
their administration provoke them to
cry out and complain, and then make
that very complaint the foundation
for new expressions. The question
before the court, and you, gentlemen
of the jury, is not of small or private
concern, it is not the cause of poor
printer nor of New York alone which
we are now trying.
mo! it may in its consequences
affect every freeman that lives under
a British government on the main OF
America! 1t is the best cause, II is
the cause of liberty, and l make no
doubt but your upright conduct this
day will not only entitle you to the
love and esteem of your fellow-citi-
zens, but every man who prefers free
n