The American metropolis, from Knickerbocker days to the present time; New York City life in all its various phases . the chief justice made ashort charge to the effect that, as the defendanthad confessed the publication of the words com-plained of, the question for the jury was whetherthe words were libelous, and this being a questionof law, they might leave it to the Court. The in-tention, obviously, was to secure a special verdict;but Hamilton had been careful to impress the jurywith the necessity of bringing a verdict of notguilty, and that was what the jury did. This stirring event occurre
The American metropolis, from Knickerbocker days to the present time; New York City life in all its various phases . the chief justice made ashort charge to the effect that, as the defendanthad confessed the publication of the words com-plained of, the question for the jury was whetherthe words were libelous, and this being a questionof law, they might leave it to the Court. The in-tention, obviously, was to secure a special verdict;but Hamilton had been careful to impress the jurywith the necessity of bringing a verdict of notguilty, and that was what the jury did. This stirring event occurred on the very spotwhere George Washington became the first Presi-dent of a free people, whose government ivasbased on the very ideas that icere put forthby the eloquent champion of the people in a haz-ardous conflict with tyrannyand oppression. William Smith and JamesAlexander, who were debarredby the Court in this case, hadpreviously given great offenseto the governor and his im-mediate friends in their defenseA Typical Knickerbocker. of the eminent citizeu, Rip VanDam, against the same Governor Cosby. The 48. NEW YORK CITY lAFK governor proceeded against Van Dam, wlio foughtback, and their controversies came before Chief-justice Lewis Morris, who delivered an opinionin favor of Van Dam in the same old court-room. It greatly iiritated Cosby, and all the moreso because Morris caused his opinion to be printediu the New York Gazette. The opinion was ac-companied with this open letter, signed by the brave judge. Qopy of /T\orri8 letter. This, sir, is a copy of the paper I read incourt. I have no reason to expect that this or any-thing else I can say will be at aU grateful, orhave any weight with your Excellency, after theanswer I received to a message I did myself thehonor to send to you concerning an ordinance youwere about to make for establishing a court ofequity in the Supreme Court, as being, in my opin-ion, contrary to law, and which I desired mightbe delayed till I could be
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