This coming Thursday, January 22, the Jacob Leisler Institute for the Study of Early New York History and the History Room at the Hudson Area Library collaborate to present "Freedom of Speech in New York: The Peter Zenger Trial," by Albert M. Rosenblatt, the first of this year's four Leisler Lectures.
The
landmark 1735 trial of New York printer John Peter Zenger, which acquitted him of seditious libel in publishing articles critical of New York's colonial
governor, established the power of a jury to function as a check on government
power and inspired the movement for freedom of the press later enshrined in the
First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Its importance today is as great as
it was in the 18th century.
Judge
Albert M. Rosenblatt served as a judge on New York’s high court, after having
served on other New York courts. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Law
School, Rosenblatt has written widely on New York law and culture, including a
book, with his wife, Julia, on Dutch New York. He now teaches law at New York University Law
School.
The lecture takes place at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, in person at the Hudson Area Library, 51 North Fifth Street.
Not to be confused with the 1804 Free Speech case featuring Alexander Hamilton as attorney, dealing with seditious libel against Jefferson.
ReplyDeleteThese two cases basically set up America's definition of press freedoms and the truth as a defense against libel.
Longtime Gossips readers are familiar with the latter case because of its association with Hudson, Harry Croswell, and "The Wasp."
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