Freedom of the Press

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Vignettes of Americana issued for the new Postage Rates 1975 USATTC M OF THE PRESS NOV 13 1975 FIRST DAY OF ISSUE 19104 Congress may make no Law abridging Treedom of the Press The Billof Rights 1791 ficial First Day Cover LIBERTY DEPENDS od sRFED PHIA.PA

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Fleetwood 110 FREEDOM OF THE PRESS The United States Constitution became the fundamental stitutions. James Madison (1751-1836), the “Architect of law of the land on the first Wednesday in March, 1789, the Constitution,” made the formal proposal to adopt the following its ratification by the ninth state, New amendments that would affirm one's rights to life, liberty, Hampshire, the previous June 21. Although the Foun and property. They were swiftly adopted by Congress and ding Fathers intentionally set up a procedure that would the states, becoming effective December 15, 1791. make it difficult to amend our most basic national Freedom of the press, clearly established in the First document, delegates to the first session of Congress were Amendment, thus became a fundamental guarantee. quick to propose ten amendments to defend the “natural Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859), the famous French rights of man” against what they feared might become a political scientist who studied our government in his too strong central government. Their act fulfilled a Democracy in America (1835), commented on America's promise made at the constitutional convention. Many of cherished freedom: “In order to enjoy the inestimable the new states insisted on the inclusion of a Bill of Rights, benefits that the liberty of the press insures, it is necessary even though similar tenets were embodied in state con to submit to the inevitable evils that it creates."