1^4 '^^ court of the prefs. Feb. I'j^ 



pronounced against him, that he is a rogue and a villain. 

 Yet if an officer of this court receives the slightest check 

 for misconduct in his office, he claims immediately the 

 rights of a free citizen, by the constitution, and demands to 

 know his accuser, to confront the vvitnefses, and to have a 

 fair trial by a jury of his peers. 



The foundation of its authority. 

 It is said to be founded on an article in the state consti- 

 tution, which establilhes the liberty of the prefs — a liberty 

 which every Pensylvanian would fight and die for •, thojgh 

 few of us, I believe, have distinct ideas of its nature and 

 extent. It seems indeed somewhat like the liberty of the 

 prefs that felons havcj by the common law of England, be- 

 fore conviction, that is, to be either prefsed to death, or 

 hanged. If by the liberty of the prefs were understood, 

 merely, the liberty of discufsing the propriety of public 

 measures and political opinions, let us have as much of it 

 as you please j but if it means the liberty of affronting, 

 calumniating, and defaming one another, I, for my part^ 

 own myself willing to part with my fhare of it, whenever 

 our legislators fliall please so to alter the lawj and fliall 

 cheerfully consent to exchange my liberty of abusing 

 others, for the privilege of not being abused myself. 



By whom this court is commifsioned or constituted. 

 It is not by any commifsion from the supreme executive 

 council, who might previously judge of the abilities, inte- 

 grity, knowledge, isy'c. of the persons to be appointed to tliis 

 great trust of deciding upon the characters and good fame 

 of the citizens j for this court is above that council, and 

 may accuse, judge, and condemn.it, at pleasure. Nor is it 

 hereditary, as is the court of dernier resort in the peerage 

 of England ; but any man, who can procure pen, ink, and 

 paper, with a prefs, a few types, and a huge pair of 



