LAD #2: John Peter Zenger

John Peter Zenger Trial                                                         
                                                                                              Burning of the New York Weekly Journal

1. Who was John Peter Zenger? John Peter Zenger was a German immigrant living in New York when Governor William Cosby took office.  Zenger soon took interest in Cosby's oppressive nature and, when offered the job, became the printer and editor of the New York Weekly Journal.  This newspaper soon became the voice of opposition to Governor Cosby which led him to arrest Zenger.
2. What was the controversy over his charges? Talk about Hamilton's defense.  Zenger was charged with Seditious libel by the Governor.  Hamilton did agree that Zenger's stories were seditious seeing as they did criticize Governor Cosby.  But Hamilton argued that Zengers statements were not libel because they were true.  The jury agreed that these statements were true and therefore not libel so they returned with a verdict of not guilty.
3. What influence did his case have on American governmental tradition?  It is likely that this case had an important role in the beginning of free speech.  The verdict showed that American people had the right to share their thoughts with others in a public way.  It also eventually led to the addition of free speech to the constitution and the importance of this concept to the American identity.
4. What is the lasting significance of his trial? Explain.  This case proved that people of significant power could not arrest others just because they had something bad to say. It also proved that authority figures could not hide their corruption because the American people had the right to expose their wrongs.  Overall it solidified the right of the common people to express discontent with a superior.