The Origins of a Free Press in Prerevolutionary ... - Web Publishing

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that seditious libel was becoming difficult to prosecute. The legislature allowed
truth as a defense, and juries refused to indict on libels they considered to be true.
Truth as a defense against libel was an important advance toward allowing the
liberty to criticize in print those in power. The tradition of deference to one’s
betters was visibly eroding, as even those of the lower social orders could openly
criticize those high in government.
Changes were not only seen in the courts, but were also reflected in the
public discourse. Letters in the newspapers demonstrated an evolving meaning of
press freedom and displayed an increasing value given to liberty of the press by the
public. One reader’s comment credited the second printer with bringing freedom
from the former control: “Congratulations, on Account of the Freedom of the
Press we now enjoy … LIBERTY can never exist, where every Thing designed for
public Inspection, must (as was our unfortunate Case in Time past) receive an
Imprimatur from a private Quarter.” 56 In responding to the Chiswell controversy
and the attempt to sue the newspapers for libel, one issue of the Virginia Gazette
contained three references to press freedom. “Dikelphios” noted that “The freedom
of the press must be esteemed an invaluable advantage,” but suggested that it has
been abused by bad writers and comments of no use. A second contributor, “A
Freeman of Virginia,” noted his satisfaction in the new liberty of the press, which
has existed only since Purdie and Rind “made it [the press] a free channel, whereby
men may convey their sentiments.” He applauded both the public criticism of men
of high station and the recent ruling against the libel charges filed against the
printers by Byrd, “it affords …[not readable] satisfaction to my brethren Freemen
that our liberty has been lately asserted by the Grand Jury of the colony, when
attacked by certain Bills, which were pointed against you Gentlemen Printers.”
Finally, “R. R.” contributed a tongue-in-cheek piece where he attacked the idea of
“great men” having special protection and mocked the libel charges by suggesting
56 “Algernon Sidney” [pseudo.], Rind’s Virginia Gazette (Rind, May 30, 1766), 2 and 3.