freedom of press was established in america in 1931.
when was freedom of press established in america?
1931
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the case between edward prigg and margret morgan demonstrated one of the complications that arose out of the fugitive slave laws. the case began when margret morgan, a slave to john ashmore, was granted her freedom. this was not a formal change, merely a promise that she could do as she pleased. after her former owner's death, ashmore's heirs hired edward prigg, a slave catcher, to go to pennsylvania and bring margret morgan, and her children, back with him to maryland. it was his plan to reinstate them as slaves. the personal liberty law of 1826 decreed that no person could be taken out of the state of pennsylvania to be held as a slave. prigg was arrested and tried upon his return to the state with margret and her family. prigg argued in front of the supreme court that the personal liberty laws were unconstitutional. he argued that the crime that he was being charged for was a perfectly legal act under the constitution. in the end, the court ruled that the federal fugitive slave act preempted pennsylvania's personal liberty law under the supremacy clause, and prigg's conviction was overturned.
personal liberty laws