[Hamilton, Alexander] The Speeches at Full Length of Mr. Van Ness, Mr. Caines, The Attorney-General, Mr. Harrison, and General Hamilton, in the Great Cause of the People, Against Harry Croswell, on the Indictment for a Libel on Thomas Jefferson...

New-York: Printed by G. & R. Waite, 1804. First edition. 8vo. 78 pp. Disbound; scattered spotting and toning to leaves; in cloth slip case and chemise. Ford, Bibliotheca Hamiltoniana 90; Cohen, Bibliography of Early American Law 13322; Sabin 17677; Howes V-38

Scarce first edition of the speeches from People v. Croswell, a landmark case for the freedom of the press.

Harry Croswell was the publisher of the small Federalist newspaper, The Wasp, and was charged with libel under the Sedition Act in 1803 following the publication of a story that claimed President Thomas Jefferson paid publisher James Callender to run negative stories against his opponents. During his trial, Croswell was represented by William Peter Van Ness, who unsuccessfully tried to admit evidence showing the truth of Croswell's published statements. The presiding judge, Chief Justice Morgan Lewis, denied Van Ness's attempt, and instructed the jury to only consider whether or not Croswell had published the statements, for which he was found guilty. Alexander Hamilton appealed the verdict to the New York Supreme Court, and in one of his most famous speeches, passionately argued for over six hours for freedom of the press and the use of truth as evidence against libel, as well as a rejection of libel based on English common law principles, which had set the precedent for the guilty verdict. Although the court deadlocked in a 2-2 split, Croswell was never sentenced, nor retried, and the following year the New York state legislature incorporated Hamilton's reasoning into its reformed libel laws.

A fine copy.

Provenance

Collection of Joseph Newton Pew, Jr. (1886-1963), Ardmore, Pennsylvania, American Industrialist and co-founder of the Pew Charitable Trusts, thence by descent in the family

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Darren Winston, Senior Vice President at Freeman’s, has served as Head of Department for Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, since 2018. He has been a trustee of the Rosenbach Museum and Library since 2022, is a member of The Manuscript Society, The Bibliographical Society of America, and Philadelphia’s Philobiblon Club.

Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

Printed and Manuscript Americana

[Hamilton, Alexander] The Speeches at Full Length of Mr. Van Ness, Mr. Caines, The Attorney-General, Mr. Harrison, and General Hamilton, in the Great Cause of the People, Against Harry Croswell, on the Indictment for a Libel on Thomas Jefferson...

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