Leisler, Zenger was a German by birth -- a typical representative of the early class of alien immigrants who came to America to better their condition, and readily adapted themselves to the institutions He came over as a lad in the Palatinate which they found here. immigration of 1710, served as an apprentice at the printing trade with William Bradford for eight years, and later opened a printingoffice of his own, which was located on intone Street, near the corner Zealously devoted to the principles of the anti-Cosby of Whitehall. party, he embarked boldly in his opposition newspaper publishing venture without weighing and doubtless without caring for the considerations ofcaution which naturally should have suggested themselves to a person assuming such a responsibility in those times of He was immediately supported very limited license for the press. and encouraged by the foremost leaders of the popular party-- men like Van Dam, Morris, and the two most eminent New York lawyers of the period, James Alexander and William Smith, both of whom County elechad been present in Morris's behalf at the Westchester tion. These and others furnished him, for his paper, numerous able and aggressive articles upon topics germane to the absorbing quesThe tion of popular rights, which were printed over noms de plume. personaldirect, more became gradually Journal tone of the Wecldy ities were indulged in, and unsparing poetical effusions, of very manifestly personarapplication to the governor and his creatures, were Governor Cosby provided from time to time for a smiling public. endured these wicked polemics and exacerbating satires, though not without much misery of soul, for the space of about a year. Then, the atrocious unable longer to restrain his rage, he resolved to crush owner. sheet forever and to visit condign punishment upon its In this undertaking the governor had the cordial assistance of Chief Justice de Lancey, who applied to the grand jury to find an indictment against Zenger.