AN ESSAY

ON THE

LIBERTY OF THE PRESS.

PART I.

TO THE

PRESIDENT

OF THE

UNITED STATES.

THE

HE obfervations contained in the following pages are folemnly addressed to your confcience and to your judgment. My object is, to demonftrate to the people, and to you, that the conftitution of the United States, has been violated. The arguments which are used to effect this demonftration, are derived from the first, and pureft principles of political science, and are exhibited in that plain form, which truth alone can venture to affume.

If, Sir, these arguments fhall excite in your mind, a doubt concerning the power of Congrefs to define and punish libels, my purpose will be accomplished. The virtuous fervant, of a free people, will not perform a single act of power, unless he is abfolutely fure, that he is authorised to perform it, by that charter, whofe facred precepts, he has pledged himself, to God and to his country, to obferve. If, relying too much, on the decifion, of an angry, and agitated assembly, he has haftily