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There exists no record of debate of the state provisions by the Founders regarding the Freedom of Speech and of the Press Clause in the First Amendment and only sparse case law exist following its enactment for the simple reason that few people in the era of the countries founding had occasion to define the constitutional boundaries of speech and press protection in the courts. But the Framers held the freedom of the press in regard, enough so to include it in the Constitution. One of the earliest documents recorded is in 1774 and written by the First Continental Congress as the Appeal to the Inhabitants of Quebec, “The last right we shall mention regards the freedom of the press. The importance of this consists, besides the advancement of truth, science, morality, and arts in general, in its diffusion of liberal sentiments on the administration of Government, its ready communication of thoughts between subjects, and its consequential promotion of union among them…” The purpose of the press was to advance knowledge and to report the events and thoughts of the citizens for the purpose of constructive debate among citizens and their representative government. To the Founders the purpose of the free press was to progress society in a meaningful way.(1)

(1) “Freedom of Speech and the Press.” The Heritage Guide to the Constitution, Heritage Foundation, 2017, www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/amendments/1/essays/140/freedom-of-speech-and-of-the-press.