Question

What is Hamilton saying in this passage that you read in the tutorial?

'Why, for instance, should it be said that the liberty of the press shall not be
restrained, when no power is given by which restrictions may be imposed?"
Within the Constitution, there is already a section about the press and the
government's role in regulating it, so the Bill of Rights doesn't need to talk about
this
The Constitution doesn't give the government the right to limit the press so why
even say this in a Bill of Rights?
The free press (news) will provide an essential protection against abuse of power
by the government
The First Amendment should apply to not only print media, but also any future
forms of news that may come up over time

Answer 1

Hamilton questions the need to mention the liberty of the press in the Bill of Rights when the Constitution already addresses it. He argues that the free press is essential for protecting against government abuse of power.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this passage, Hamilton is questioning why the liberty of the press should not be restrained if there are no powers given to impose restrictions on it. He argues that since the Constitution does not grant the government the right to limit the press, there is no need to mention it in the Bill of Rights. Hamilton believes that the free press plays a crucial role in protecting against government abuse of power.

By including the freedom of the press in the First Amendment, Hamilton suggests that it should apply not only to print media but also to any future forms of news that may emerge over time.

Learn more about press freedom