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"Case and Tryal of John Peter Zenger" | |
made of the supposed Laws against Libelling, and of what other Men have said and done before; these Retrenchments, Gentlemen, may soon be shewn to you and all Men to be weak, and to have neither Law nor Reason for their Foundation, so cannot long stand you in stead: Therefore, you had much better as yet leave them, and come to what the People of this City and Province (the City and Province of New-York meaning) think are the Points in Question (to wit) They (the People of the City and Province of New-York meaning) think as Matters now stand, that their LIBERTIES and PROPERTIES are precarious, and that SLAVERY is like to be intailed on them and their Posterity, if some past Things be not amended, and this they collect from many past Proceedings.' (Meaning many of the past proceedings of His Excellency the said Governour, and of the Ministers and Officers of our said Lord the King, of and for the said Province.) And the said Attorney General of Our said Lord the King, for Our said Lord the King, likewise gives the Court here to understand and be informed, that the said John Peter Zenger afterwards (to wit) the eight Day of April, in the seventh Year of the Reign of Our said Lord the King, at the City of New-York aforesaid, did falsely, seditiously and scandalously print and publish, and cause to be printed and published, another false, malicious, seditious, and scandalous Libel, intitled, the New-York Weekly Journal, containing the freshest Advices, foreign and domestic. In which Libel, (of and concerning the Government of the said Province of New-York, and of and concerning His Excellency the said Governour, and the Ministers and Officers of Our said Lord the King, of and for the said Province) among other Things therein contained, are these Words, 'One of our Neighbours (one of the Inhabitants of New-Jersey meaning) being in Company observing the Strangers (some of the Inhabitants of New-York meaning) full of Complaints, endeavoured to persuade them to remove into Jersey; to which it was replied, that would be leaping out of the Frying Pan into the Fire; for, says he, we both are under the same Governour (His Excellency the said Governour meaning) and your Assembly have shewn with a Witness what is to be expected from them; one that was then moving to Pensilvania, (meaning one that was then removing from New-York, with intent to reside at Pensilvania) to which Place it is reported several considerable Men are removing (from New-York meaning) expressed in |
Terms very moving, much Concern for the Circumstances of New-York (the bad Circumstances of the Province and People of New-York meaning) seemed to think them very much owing to the Influence that some Men (whom he called Tools) had in the Administration (meaning the Administration of Government of the said Province of New-York) said he was now going from them, and was not to be hurt by any Measures they should take, but could not help having some Concern for the Welfare of his Country-Men, and should be glad to hear that the Assembly (meaning the General Assembly of the Province of New-York) would exert themselves as became them, by shewing that they have the Interest of their Country more at Heart, than the Gratification of any private View of any of their Members, or being at all affected, by the Smiles or Frowns of a Governour, (His Excellency the said Governour meaning) both which ought equally to be despised, when the Interest of their Country is at stake. You says he, complain of the Lawyers, but I think the Law it self is at an End, WE (the People of the Province of New-York meaning) SEE MENS DEEDS DESTROYED, JUDGES ARBITRARILY DISPLACED, NEW COURTS ERECTED WITHOUT CONSENT OF THE LEGISLATURE (within the Province of New-York meaning) BY WHICH IT SEEMS TO ME, TRYALS BY JURIES ARE TAKEN AWAY WHEN A GOVERNOUR PLEASES (His Excellency the said Governour meaning) MEN OF KNOWN ESTATES DENYED THEIR VOTES, CONTRARY TO THE RECEIVED PRACTICE, THE BEST EXPOSITOR OF ANY LAW: Who is then in that Province (meaning the Province of New-York,) that call (can call meaning) any Thing his own, or enjoy any Libery (Liberty meaning) longer than those in the Administration (meaning the Administration of Government of the said Province of New-York) will condescend to let them do it, for which Reason I have left it, (the Province of New-York meaning) as I believe more will." To the great Disturbance of the Peace of the said Province of New-York, to the Great Scandal of Our said Lord the King, of His Exceellency the said Governour, and of all others concerned in the Administration of the Government of the said Province, and against the Peace of Our Sovereign Lord the King His Crown and Dignity, &c. Whereupon the said Attorney General of Our said |
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 The Historical Society of the Courts of the State of New York | |