Liberty's First Crisis
Adams, Jefferson, and the Misfits Who Saved Free Speech
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- نقد و بررسی
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نقد و بررسی
February 1, 2015
Slack (Hetty: The Genius and Madness of America's First Female Tycoon) has written a lively account of a relatively unknown episode in American history: the battle fought over the Sedition Act of 1798, which made criticism of the government, even if the allegations were true, a crime punishable by heavy fines and imprisonment. The Bill of Rights (1791) had guaranteed an unparalleled freedom of expression; however, less than a decade later many argued that such a sweeping protection was no longer practical in the presence of threats from abroad and divisions within. The republic seemed vulnerable. Some of the charges brought under the law seem ludicrous today: a man imprisoned for making a joke in his cups, patriots tried for erecting a liberty pole, and even a seamstress accused of cutting garments in a style deemed too French. Many who protested the new law were considered "misfits," but Slack's point is that protection of speech must also guard offensive speech if it is to have any teeth at all. The revolutionary idea in our country is that it is government, not people's expression, that needs the fettering. VERDICT Slack's book will appeal to history lovers of all kinds. [See Prepub Alert, 9/14/14.]--David Keymer, Modesto, CA
Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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