Antill family index [OCR source: The Antill Family by R.V. Pockley]

The Antills ...page 20

the Grand Jury and the Assembly refused an indictment. Fina11y, however, Zenger was arrested and brought to trial for libel, He was immediately acquitted by the jury, to the enormous delight of the whole country.

The Zenger case Was undoubtedly the most notable, for the issues involved, ever tried in the Colonies, establishing for the first time the great doctrine of the liberty of the press - with which no royal Governor again ventured to interfere - and as thoughtfuT historians have observed, initiating in a surprising development 40 years ahead of the Revolution, some of the foundations, principles of human rights and political freedom upon which that conflict was fought. The Zenger case was declared by Gouveneur Morris to be the germ of the Revolution. It was the logical and direct sequence of the patriotic attitude of Chief Justice Morris, in restricting an arbitrary executive.

Back in the AsseMbly in 1733, Morris assumed the leadership of the Opposition forces. It was decided to send a representative to England, to inform the home government of the state of affairs, and Morris was chosen. He was received and treated with favour, but the government was not disposed to go to the lengths desired, that of dismissing Cosby. On the other hand, the circumstances of the dismissal of Morris from the Chief Justiceship were reviewed, and declared insufficient. On his return to America in 1734 his popularity was turdiminished, and he continued to perform a leading part in the legislative transactions until 1738, when he was appointed Governor of New Jersey. It was the first appointment fo11owing the separation of that Province from New York - a measure mainly secured through his influence.

Morris, 66 when he was appointed Governor, spent the remainder of his life in that office. He discharged his duties "with no abatement of intellectual faculties, or of the great industry and energy which had always characterised him. A man of very rigid qualities and traits of dictatorial temperament, accustomed all his life to the control of men and measures, and possessing fixed opinions on fundamental subjects, it is not surprising that his administration of the young and restless Province, newly setting up in government for itself, and impatient of old forms and conditions, was troubled with many dissensions and jars". Morris in his turn had difficulties with Assemblies which withheld supplies and salaries, and he experienced the familiar pattern of rivalries and contentions of most Colonial administrations in those days.

Despite this, the Province benefited greatly by his administration. The first manufacturing industry in New Jersey had begun under Lewis Morris I, and his nephew was active in fostering the industry, especially in iron production. He also did much to promote agricultural interests and means of communication. He was one of the creators of the Council of Colonial Governors, which devised plans of offence and defence against the French and the Indians. He kept a courier service between New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut. New Jersey was poor compared with ...