Francis Foster

But this is the truth.

And truth, I should not be punished for producing the truth.

This is a revolutionary doctrine.

And because this is a British Empire case, this precedent will change the English-speaking world.

This German immigrant who's been in the United States, the colonies, really,

for less than a decade is about to change the english-speaking world but the governor and the upper class of new york which is a piece of the upper class of england is terrified how will we stop ridicule that will come from the lower classes how will we stop the finger pointing

Dare they?

Our honor comes from status.

And our status comes from not being ridiculous.

And when Quakers from Pennsylvania tell us that we're going to be made ridiculous, what to do?

And their answer is, don't do ridiculous things.

That's not satisfactory.

We are.

We are important people.

They fear the accountability of the opinions of people who are far poorer, far less educated, in some cases literally dirtier than themselves, right?

But it's the beginning of a revolution because the jury nullifies.

The jury refuses

to find him guilty, even though the facts say that he is, and then he admits that he is, more or less, at trial.

So this becomes a principle, that truth is a defense against libel.

Much later in English history, you're going to have some unfortunate laws, and so you can't, if you're trying to operate a newspaper in England today, I would not use the Zenger precedent.