JOHN PETER ZENGER PUBLISHES 1ST ISSUE OF NEW YORK WEEKLY JOURNAL
New York City (JFK+50) On November 5, 1733, John Peter Zenger published the first issue of New York Weekly Journal. Zenger was born in Upper Palatinate, Germany.
In 1734, after attacking the Royal Governor of New York, William Cosby*, in his newspaper, John Peter Zenger was arrested and charged with libel.
Represented by attorneys Andrew Hamilton and William Smith, the defense argued that truth is a defense against charges of libel. Governor Cosby proclaimed that Zenger's newspaper was "scandalous, virulent, false and seditious."
Zenger spent eight months in prison, but at trial the jury returned a not-guilty verdict after just ten minutes deliberation.
Gouverneur Morris said that the Zenger case was...
"the germ of American freedom, the morning star of liberty which subsequently revolutionized America."
JFK+50 NOTE
While the Zenger trial is often described as establishing freedom of the press in America, the History Society argues that it "did not establish legal precedent for seditious libel or freedom of the press," but did influence "how people thought about those subjects and led to the protections in the United States Constitution, Bill of Rights and Sedition Act of 1798."
*William Cosby (1690-1736) was born in Stradbally Hall, Ireland & was a British army officer & served as Royal Governor of New York 1732-1736,
SOURCES
"Crown v. John Peter Zenger, 1735," History Society, www.history.nycourts.gov/
"Fact Of The Day: 1733, Nov 5," This Day In History, www.history.com/
