Freedom of the press from Zenger to Jefferson

Freedom of the Press from Zenger to Jefferson is the only compendium of primary sources on classic American statements on freedom on the press spanning the period ranging from Andrew Hamilton's defense of Peter Zenger in 1735 to Alexander Hamilton's defense of Croswell in 1804. Each document is preceded by a headnote indicating its significance and each chapter is prefaced by an introduction.

The general historical introduction to the volume is over sixty pages in length and presents the provocative thesis that until the Jeffersonian reaction to the Sedition Act of 1798, American thinking on freedom of the press was extremely constricted. This thinking was best summarized by Blackstone's notion that the press should be free from prior restraints but otherwise liable for abuses. Levy includes many documents which are not otherwise available except in very rare books and statements by both obscure and famous American theorists.

Thomas Jefferson, as the foremost American libertarian, receives extended treatment in a special section.