Indictment of Ann Greenleaf
2/9/1799
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This indictment comes from the case The United States v. Ann Greenleaf involving charges of libel and printing "wicked and malicious lies" about the United States Congress.
Greenleaf’s New Daily Advertiser, published by Ann Greenleaf, was one of the divisive papers that emerged when political parties developed in the mid-1790s. It frequently opposed the decisions of the party in power: the Federalists. Ann Greenleaf was one of 25 people (all expressing anti-Federalist opinions) who was arrested for violating the Sedition Act. This bill made it a crime, punishable by two years in jail and a $2,000 fine, to “print, utter, or publish...any false, scandalous, and malicious writing” against any part of the Government.
In the February 9, 1799 issue, Greenleaf published an article that questioned the constitutionality of the Alien and Sedition Acts. The article described citizens of Flat Bush erecting liberty poles as they had done prior to the American Revolution to show displeasure toward the British. The cause of their current displeasure was the recent passing of what the paper called the “Tyrannical and Unconstitutional Alien and Sedition Bills.” Greenleaf was indicted for exciting the “Hatred of the good People of the United States” against Congress.
She was also indicted for publishing an article the following August that asserted that Pro-Federalist newspapers were both employed in the service of the U.S. Government and secret agents of the British government “sent here to assist in demoralizing the Political mind.” The article based its assertion on the fact that these papers (like Noah Webster’s American Minerva) were excessively pro-British and bitterly anti-French.
In the end, Ann Greenleaf’s case would never go to trial. Since she had sold her paper and was no longer in publishing, the U.S. Attorney for the NY District recommended to President John Adams that the Government drop its case; Adams agreed.
This document is featured in the primary source-based student workbook "Putting the Bill of Rights to the Test."
Greenleaf’s New Daily Advertiser, published by Ann Greenleaf, was one of the divisive papers that emerged when political parties developed in the mid-1790s. It frequently opposed the decisions of the party in power: the Federalists. Ann Greenleaf was one of 25 people (all expressing anti-Federalist opinions) who was arrested for violating the Sedition Act. This bill made it a crime, punishable by two years in jail and a $2,000 fine, to “print, utter, or publish...any false, scandalous, and malicious writing” against any part of the Government.
In the February 9, 1799 issue, Greenleaf published an article that questioned the constitutionality of the Alien and Sedition Acts. The article described citizens of Flat Bush erecting liberty poles as they had done prior to the American Revolution to show displeasure toward the British. The cause of their current displeasure was the recent passing of what the paper called the “Tyrannical and Unconstitutional Alien and Sedition Bills.” Greenleaf was indicted for exciting the “Hatred of the good People of the United States” against Congress.
She was also indicted for publishing an article the following August that asserted that Pro-Federalist newspapers were both employed in the service of the U.S. Government and secret agents of the British government “sent here to assist in demoralizing the Political mind.” The article based its assertion on the fact that these papers (like Noah Webster’s American Minerva) were excessively pro-British and bitterly anti-French.
In the end, Ann Greenleaf’s case would never go to trial. Since she had sold her paper and was no longer in publishing, the U.S. Attorney for the NY District recommended to President John Adams that the Government drop its case; Adams agreed.
This document is featured in the primary source-based student workbook "Putting the Bill of Rights to the Test."
Transcript
[Page 1]U. States
vs
Ann Greenleaf
(Indictment)
A True Bill
John Shaw
a True Bill
[Page 2]
New York [illegible]: The jurors of the United States of America for the New York District in the Eastern Circuit upon their oaths present that Ann Greenleaf of the City of New York in the New York District widow, being a wicked, malicious and seditious person and wickedly and maliciously intending and contriving to defame the government of the United States, and to excite the Hatred of the good people of the United States against the Congress of the United States and to stir up sedition within the said United States and to insinuate and cause it to be believed that the said Congress had passed, tyrannical and unconstitutional Laws and were inimical to the Liberties of the said People on the ninth day of February in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine with Force and Arms at the City of New York in the New York district wickedly maliciously and unlawfully printed uttered and published, and caused and procured to be printed, uttered and published in a certain newspaper called “Greenleafs New Daily Advertiser” a certain False Scandalous and malicious writing against the Government of the United States and against the Congress of the United States in which said writing are contained among other things divers false, scandalous and malicious matters according to the effect following that is to say. It appears that the Honest Yeomanry of that Town (a certain Town called Flat Bush meaning) some days before erected a Liberty Pole, what was common to be done at the commencement of the American Revolution
[Page 3]
in every Republican Town in America, evincing their Marked disapprobation of British attempts to bind them in all cases whatsoever and at present is oppressive of the high displeasure of that Town (the said Town of Flat Bush meaning) at similar attempts in their Opinion in the last session of Congress (the then last session of Congress meaning) manifested by actually passing the Tyrannical and unconstitutional alien and sedition Bills, (meaning two certain acts of Congress commonly called by those Names the first being the act entitled “an act concerning aliens,” and the other the Act entitled “an act in addition to the act entitled act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States”) in open violation of the laws of the United States, to the evil and pernicious example of all others in the like case offending, against the form of the Statute in such case thereof made and provided and against the peace of the United States and their Dignity. And the jurors aforesaid upon their Oaths aforesaid do further Present that the said Ann Greenleaf being such Person as aforesaid, and again unlawfully, wickedly maliciously and seditious by devising, continuing and intending to defame the Government of the United States and to stir up sedition within the said States, and to bring the said Government into Hatred and contempt and to insinuate and cause it to be believed that the said Government was corrupt and inimical to the preservation of civil Liberty and to the spirit and principle of the Constitution of the said States, afterwards, to wit, on the thirty first day of August in
[Page 4]
the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine with Force and Arms at the City of New York in the New York District wickedly, malicously and unlawfully printed uttered and published and caused and procured to the be printed uttered and published in a certain News Paper called “Greeleafs New Daily Advertiser” a certain other false scandalous and malicious writing against the Government of the said States in which said last mentioned writing are contained among other things divers false, scandalous and malicious matters according to the effect following that is to say "To say those principles have crept into our public councils, to say that public servants advocate and forward this gradual subversion of the National Character, this insiduous revolution of sentiment, would perhaps be construed into sedition. But thank God in this Country truth is not yet a libel, and I may still assert facts, that are too prominent to be done away by legal sophistry, or federal assertion.
1. A News Paper in Boston- Noah Websters in New York—the Famous Weekly Muwseum in New Hampshire—Fonnor's in Philadelphia- and Yundtand Brown’s paper in Baltimore, are pensioned and held in the pay of Government.
2. All those Presses continually nauseate us with Eulogiums on the British; publish nothing but the most severe Philippricks against the French, and sedulously suppress every transaction, that tends to give the publick an idea of the infamous conduct of the British towards our Commerce and our Citizens
[Page 5]
3. These papers are celebrated for venting the basest personal scurrility against every individual particularly, Editors, that wish to keep alive that jealousy and watchfulness so essential to the preservation of civil Liberty—and endeavor to preserve the spirit and principles of our Constitution in its pristine purity.
4. Is it not probable that these pensioned Printers have their directions from their Masters, or that they anticipate and exercise their pleasure?
5. Is it not probable that writers are hired for the Assistance of such Editors as are incapable of writing themselves, such as little Brown for instance, and others of the same stamp; and that these venal scriblers may be British secret agents sent here to assist in demoralizing the Political mind. Last year the British secret service money exceeded the amount of a whole years expences of our Government. But who can tell thro what channel it was expended – the British notwithstanding then Great humanity and their mighty Generosity, are seldom known to give something for nothing. And who that witnesses the Conduct of federal prints, who that observes their Partiality for that Nation, but must entertain their own suspicions. These Observations are not the ebullition of party favor they have the most certain Truths for their basis, and deserve the utmost attention from every friend to the Independence, Respectability and happiness of his Country” in open violation of the Laws of the United States, to the Evil and pernicious Example of all others in the like case offending, against the
[Page 6]
Form of the Statute in such case thereof made and provided and against the peace of the said United States and their Dignity.
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
National Archives Identifier: 18538768
Full Citation: The United States v. Ann Greenleaf; 2/9/1799; Criminal Case Files, 1790 - 1912; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; National Archives at New York, New York, NY. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/greenleaf-indictment, April 27, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.