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The Halifax newspaper Novascotian that Joseph Howe bought published an anonymous letter (in Jan. of 1835) accusing Halifax politicians and police of pocketing public money over a thirty year period. Outraged civic politicians had Howe charged with seditious libel, a serious criminal offense.

However, although he was charged, Howe was not convicted of this crime. After addressing the jury for six hours & acting as his own lawyer, citing examples of civic corruption, the jurors acquitted Howe within ten minutes. This decision was a landmark event in the struggle for a free press in Canada.

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15y ago

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