 The Cavalcade of America, presented by DuPont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. To those Americans whose personal sacrifice and heroism secured for our nation its great heritage of free speech and a free press, the right for a man to say what he thinks, this performance of the Cavalcade of America is dedicated. The Cavalcade of America is proud at this time to welcome back to its company Claude Reigns, the distinguished star of stage, screen and radio, in an original drama written by Garrett Porter, as a man thinketh, the story of one of America's great apostles of freedom, Thomas Cooper. Supporting Mr. Reigns are the Cavalcade players, while our orchestra and the original musical score are under the direction of Don Voorhees. DuPont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry, presents Claude Reigns as Thomas Cooper on the Cavalcade of America. Year 1798, in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, the eminent scientist, Dr. Joseph Priestley, stands outside the kitchen door at the home of his friend, Thomas Cooper. Oh, good evening to you, doctor. Good evening, mistress. I hope to have found Tom back. I've reached a point in an experiment where I need his advice. They should be here any minute now, for he knows we're having Yorkshire pudding. Oh, may have he forgot it in some talk with judge buyers after court. Oh, there he is at last, doctor. Thomas, you're late. Fool's stupid Brian Rabbits to believe such lies. Thomas, what's wrong? Oh, not me, but the fools who believe a stupid lie and won't let me help them. They think that politics or what a man thinks is the cause of yellow fever. Tom, Tom, calm yourself. What's happened? What's happened? Anthony Brown's back from Philadelphia with a fever. His wife called me in, but he won't let me prescribe for him. He's been told it's me or Thomas Jefferson who's to blame for the fever. Thomas, please calm yourself and sit down at table. Oh, I've no appetite, Alice. I'm a wrong-headed politician, they say. The yellow fever is a grim visitation of God to purge the foul hearts of believers in liberty and democracy. I wonder what Thomas Jefferson thinks of that. But remember, Tom, freedom of speech has brought trouble before. I have no wish to go through that again. I want to speak to Mr. Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson's vice president, but he can do nothing. To think. When we came to America, it was because here was the promise of living with enlightened people. You know, I think one day soon I'll accept Mr. Jefferson's invitation to Philadelphia. Aye, I would like to talk about things with Thomas Jefferson. Aye, Mr. Jefferson, it was the promise of liberty that brought me to America. Liberty. It's slandered and liable everywhere. What do you think? It's worse even than you realize, Mr. Cooper. But as vice president, sir, you don't have the chance that I do to mingle with the people. I find the same thing. Whether I'm riding the circuit as barrister or practice in medicine, they seem to be afraid of me. They seem to think that because I criticize the party in power, I'm against all government. Not only do the people fear that, Mr. Cooper, but Congress has put it into law and President Adams has signed it. What do you mean, sir? The Congress has just passed an act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States. Here, read it, if you will. It shall be unlawful to publish false, scandalous and malicious writing against the government of the United States, the Congress or the president with intent to defame them or to bring them into contempt or disrepute. But this is preposterous, intolerable. Nevertheless, a fact. But they won't dare enforce it. It would mean that neither I nor any man may ever criticize the government for its acts. You may not, Mr. Cooper. If the courts hold what you write to be false, scandalous and so forth. But if it is my opinion, how can any man prove the truth of an... Unfortunately, that is what passes for logic these days. Freedom of the press and speech is guaranteed by the Constitution. Yes, at least we thought it was, Mr. Cooper. What do they say? It would be up to the courts. Do you know what that means when our juries are selected by sheriffs who are themselves officers of the courts? Then, sir, this is outrageous tyranny. Worse, Mr. Cooper, it's fear. Fear that men will say what they think. Fear of democracy. Those in power, and I am not one of them, fear these so much they have lost all reason. Why, they have, sir. Here, well, liberty should be real. It may become only a sham. It's not possible in America as in Europe. We must defend it, sir, before it's too late. We shall need your help, Mr. Cooper, but we must proceed cautiously and let the enemies of liberty blunder. They have already blundered with this edition law. Now is the time to act. Will you stop with this, Judge Byers? No, no, thank you, Mr. Cooper. I only dropped in to hear any news Mr. Cooper brought back from Philadelphia. Then if you'll excuse me, I'll tend to my cooking. Well, as I told you, Judge Byers, the news is the Sedition Act. Anything else? Wasn't that enough? Uh-huh. Maybe it'll serve the purpose, I don't know. They know what's best, no doubt, no doubt. But don't you realize that it's plainly unconstitutional? That violates the Bill of Rights. Oh, no, I'd say that was a broad statement, Mr. Cooper. You're building a mountain out of a molehill, as they say. You call it a molehill? Judge Byers. You went through a revolution here in America. You adopted a Constitution and a Bill of Rights. You did all this to achieve freedom. And now you're about to lose it. You already lost it and you don't realize it. Well, you have to take things as you find them, Mr. Cooper, make the best of it. Now what can you or I or any one man do about it? If somebody doesn't do something, nothing will be done. That's certain. I'm gonna make a test case of the Sedition Act. Oh, I wouldn't do anything foolish if I were you, Mr. Cooper. Well, I must be going. Good night, sir. Good night, Judge Byers. I'll, uh, take my advice and sleep on it. Things will look different to you in the morning, I'm sure, and you'll think better of it. Good night. Well, I'll always think the same about this, sir. Good night. Maybe. I hope he changes mind. I'll stay to stop with this, Thomas. Oh, there's no changing Judge Byers' mind tonight, I'm afraid. Alice. Yes? Are you feeling better these days? Well, I think so, Thomas. Why? Do you think you're strong enough to get along without me for, well, two years? Away two years? What could be worth that? An opinion, Alice. An opinion. President Adams says I can't say what I think. I say I can. I just told Judge Byers I intend to make a test of this edition law. This edition law. Why would that take you away two years? If I lose my case, it means a jail sentence. Perhaps two years. I can stand it. If I know you're helpful... I couldn't stop you, Thomas, and I don't want to. What is it you say about President Adams? Oh, nothing that I can't prove. I'll take up his political mistakes one by one, from his own speeches. But won't you be just a little cautious, Thomas, for my sake? Alice, we came to America because we believed in freedom of speech and of the press. My freedom and your freedom to say what we think. This edition law is a challenge to everything I believe. I can't ignore it. I can't be otherwise than I am as a man thinketh. So is he. Yes, Thomas, I want you to do this. Cooper, come in. Come in, sir. Yes, Judge Byers. It's a cold night out. It is. But here's a warm fire. It's not a bad place to be on a night like this, huh? Well, it was a dull day in court, and I feel the need for a friendly argument. Out of court. This, while I'm sure, will end in court, Judge. How's that? What brings me here tonight, Justice Byers? Is this handbill? Handbill, huh? What's it about? Well, why this criticizes the President. Conduct a foreign affairs, army, navy, credit. But this, this is rank sedition, Cooper, and you put your name to it. I have, sir. But why they can put you in jail for this? According to the Sedition Act, they can, Judge. Look here, Cooper. Has anyone seen this? Outside of my immediate family, sir. You're the first. Then it's not too late. I'll toss it in the fire here and we'll forget all about it. I told you not to do anything foolish like that. Just a minute, Judge. That's not the only copy. It's the official copy. Think what you've done, Cooper. Why, you may be disbarred. Think of your wife. She's not well, I hear. Think of her. I have, sir. And she approves of it. Cooper? I'm sorry you did this. But now that you have, you know what I must do with it. As Justice of the Peace, I'll have to turn this over to the United States District Attorney. That is exactly why I brought it to you, Judge Byers. Thomas Cooper charged with intent to defame the President of the United States and bring him into contempt and to excite the hatred and contempt of the people against him. How does the traverser please? Not guilty. Has the traverser no counsel? I shall act as my own counsel. May it please the court. Mr. Prosecutor, is it your desire to proceed at this time? The traverser has prepared his gift. Your Honor, I ask that subpoenas be issued to the Secretary of State Thomas Pickering and to John Adams, President of the United States. A subpoena to the President or to any member of his cabinet is an impropriety. This court will not issue it. Your Honor, it was my intention to establish the truth of my statements by American law. If a statement is true, there is no libel. This is not a case of ordinary libel, but one of seditious libel that prosecution may proceed. Your Honor, gentlemen of the jury, we're going to prove the publication of foul and infamous falsehoods against the President of the United States and the motives of the traverser in publishing them. An example must be made of the traverser Thomas Cooper or it is not indurable. The traverser take the stand. Thomas Cooper, will the traverser observe the name at the end of the document? That is my name. You do not deny it? Of course not. You admit publication? I do. Will you also admit that your motive was in fact to bring the President into dispute? No. My motive was to prove my right of free speech. Prosecution rests, Your Honor. Your Honor. The defense may proceed. Your Honor, may I request a postponement so that I may secure official copies of the President's speeches? I can show that they support the truth of my statements. Petition denies. Your Honor. The defense will proceed. Your Honor, gentlemen of the jury, I wish to prove my statements true. True by the very words of the man I am accused of defaming. If they are true, they cannot be false and malicious. My words become legitimate criticism of the party in power. Order. Order. I deny that I tried to bring the President into dispute. I examined only his public conduct. And for that, a public official must be accountable to the people who elected him. I credited him with honesty even though I was disappointed in his deeds. The prosecution demands confidence in the executive. There should be. But it should not be unlimited, nor paid up in advance. Let it be earned. It cannot be exacted by a traditional law. It cannot be exacted by curb in the freedom of the press, by prosecutions, pains and penalties on those who boldly express their opposition or upon those who honestly and innocently earn their political sentiments. Unless there is order, the courtroom will be cleared. Gentlemen of the jury, conduct which will not bear investigation will naturally shun it. Whether my opinion be right or wrong, gentlemen of the jury, I cannot help thinking this. It would have been better refuted by evidence and argument than by indictment. Does the defense rest? The defense rests, your honor. Gentlemen of the jury, before you retire to consider your verdict, ask yourselves two questions. Did the traverser publish the matters in the indictment? And did he publish them with intent to defame? Publication is not denied. To my mind, there is no doubt that traverser did intend to dare and defy the government and to provoke established authority. There is then no question as to motives. The charges if true would destroy all confidence in the president. The jury will bear in mind, in arriving at its verdict, that in the opinion of this court, this is the boldest attempt ever known to poison the minds of the people. The United States District Court of the Third District of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is now in session. The Honorable Justice Chase presiding. Gentlemen of the jury, have you reached the verdict? We have, your honor. We find the traverser guilty. Has the traverser anything to say in mitigation of his fine or punishment? No, your honor. Before fixing the fine, the court requires a statement of your circumstances. The court, of course, may pronounce any punishment it thinks proper, but as for a fine, I depend upon my practice as a barrister and that, of course, will cease upon imprisonment. If the court thought your party would pay the fine, it would impose the limit. Your honor, I had other motives, higher and better, I think, than party. I do not pretend to have no party opinions. But what I have written in America, as in my former country, I honestly thought would be for the freedom of mankind. I do not find those remarks relevant. Sentence will stand at $400 fine and six months in jail. Adjourn. Oh, Thomas. Oh, Thomas. It might be worse, Alice. He might have given me two years. Mr. Cooper, oh, Mr. Cooper. Yes, Senator Mason. Allow me to be the first to congratulate you. Thank you, sir. Mr. Cooper, you're the only one to emerge from this affair with honor. Mr. Cooper. Yes, Jayla. There's a lady outside. She wants to see you, Mr. Cooper. Bring her in, Jayla. Bring her in. Yes, sir. I will, Mr. Cooper. It isn't my wife, is it, Jayla? Allow me. There's precious little light in these jails. Which is, Mr. Cooper, Jayla? Right here, Mom. Mr. Cooper. Oh, I... I hoped it was Alice. I'm sorry. It's me, sir. Alice couldn't come this time. Oh, pardon, Mr. Henry. It's just that I look forward to her visits. I know. It must be hard for you, Mr. Cooper. You see, it's Alice who makes this place enjoyable. But it's good to see an old neighbor again. You were very kind to come in her place, Mistress. Thank you, sir. These are some provisions for you. Alice wanted you to have them today. She knows I hate the prison fare. And wanted, you say? I've... Let me show you what I brought, sir. Is anything the matter with Alice? Come, what is it, Mistress? Well, sir, you see, Alice was so ill last week. Well, I know that. Something's happened. Jayla! Jayla! Oh, Mr. Cooper, don't. You can't go to her. She's ill, isn't she? Been all week. I've got to see her. Jayla, let me out of here! Open the door! Please, Mr. Cooper. Please, sir. Look at me, Mistress. I want the truth. What's happened? She's dead, isn't she? Yes, Mr. Cooper. Last night. Poor little Alice. And all the time, I've been here thinking this was something we'd remember some day. How we'd talk about it. How we'd... look back on it. How it would mean so much to us when we could be together again. And now, everything will be so empty without her. Hello, Mr. Cooper. You're six months or up. I say your term's up, sir. You're free. Free? I'll be no more free outside than I am in this cell. I don't understand, sir. No, I don't suppose you do, Jayla. About my fine, I... I can't pay it right now. Oh, don't you worry about that fine, Mr. Cooper. It's already paid. Your friends did it for you. My friends? They're waiting outside for you now. There's a big grong of them, sir. You're a great man, sir. Well, goodbye, Mr. Cooper. Good luck to you. Goodbye. How it feels to be free? Dear friends. My... my friends. My dear friends. I am deeply touched by your welcome. But I am not a free man yet. Nor are any of you free men. Nor shall we ever be free so long as tyranny can be made law. There's a battle ahead of us. We must still fight until this unjust law is repealed, until the fine you paid for me is repaid in full, until there is no question that citizens of this country have a right to say what they think, until every right of freedom is secure for every man. I call you to this crusade, for there is no end to the battle of liberty. It is the price men must pay for freedom. And a free press make free men freedom, so that you and I may talk folly if we please, so that I may differ from you in politics and religion, and if I'm wrong, freedom to correct my opinion without the persuasion of the Horta or the guillotine. That is America. That is what we mean by a government of the people and for the people. Thomas Cooper, one of the many valiant patriots who fought to maintain our freedom of speech and our freedom of the press, the freedom that still enables an American to say what he thinks. It was half a century after his trial and 11 years after his death that Congress not only refunded his fine, but granted him complete vindication. But the American people granted it long before. Honors and distinctions marked the remaining years of his life. He lived to become a judge, a teacher and president of the University of South Carolina. It is for his ultimate triumph which preserved the great doctrine of freedom of speech as guaranteed in the Bill of Rights that Thomas Cooper takes his place in the Cavalcade of America. Our thanks to Claude Reigns and the Cavalcade players for their performance of As a Man Thinketh, the story of Thomas Cooper. In honoring the memory of Thomas Cooper, whose courage helped to safeguard the Bill of Rights, the Cavalcade of America pays tribute to many leading organizations in their efforts to set aside the week of February 17th to 23rd as Bill of Rights Week, a reminder to all Americans of this priceless heritage. And now the DuPont Company brings you its story from the wonder world of chemistry. In 1774, just two years before Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, Tom Cooper's friend Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen. That discovery laid the foundation for chemistry as a science. As a result of it, the great French chemist Lavoisier in whose laboratory young E.I. DuPont was a student was able to explain the process of combustion and organize the previous jumble of chemical observations into a science of chemistry. Thus, chemical science is roughly the same age as the American Republic. What mighty growth has been seen in each. The initial discovery of oxygen which played such an important part in the very beginnings of the science was the basis of one of the current chemical aids to health. Certain types of bacteria which are not readily reached or entirely destroyed by the usual disinfectants may develop in damaged tissue. For these, an oxygen-releasing compound, zinc peroxide, was prepared which would slowly but continuously flood the wound with oxygen over a period of hours or days. This delicate but all-important chemical timing process produces effective treatment in these special surgical cases. DuPont research played an important part in the development of a zinc peroxide which will meet exacting requirements for surgical use. Another chemical aid to modern medicine is carbamid, a compound the chemist makes from the nitrogen of the air. A problem that had baffled doctors for years was that of slow healing tissue. Spectacular progress has been made in treating slow healing wounds with carbamid. Carbamid does not instantly kill germs, yet germs begin to disappear when it is used. It is not a cleanser in the ordinary sense, yet wounds treated with carbamid seem to clean themselves. Apparently the chemical works by stimulating the growth of healthy tissue. It has been used with success in treating infected burns and a large variety of skin infections and has even been found to soften scar tissue. Moreover, it is readily available and inexpensive, so that with the advice of their physicians, people with poison ivy or severe sunburn may treat or prevent infection by filling a whole bathtub with carbamid solution and literally bathing in it. These are only two representative examples of the many aids which the chemical industry is putting at the disposal of the medical profession. So in the field of health too, chemists at work in DuPont research laboratories are bringing you better things for better living through chemistry. And now Ted Joyett of the Cavalcade Players to tell you about next week's program. Ladies and gentlemen, next week the Cavalcade of America will present the popular young American actress Jean Muir in a tender and moving radio play, Wait for the Morning. It is a drama based on the life of Emily Dickinson and her unfulfilled romance and the years of loneliness during which she wrote the enduring love poems which immortalized her as one of our most American poets. Thank you. For the material of our Cavalcade play, we wish to acknowledge our indebtedness to the biography of Thomas Cooper, the public life of Thomas Cooper, written by Dr. Dumar Malone of Harvard University. In support of Claude Reigns were the Cavalcade players. William Johnstone was Thomas Jefferson, Agnes Moorhead was Alice Cooper, Carl Swenson was Judge Byers, Edwin Jerome was Justice Chase, Jeanette Nolan was Mistress Henry and John McIntyre the prosecuting attorney. The first Cavalcade of America is Clayton Collier, sending best wishes from Dupont. This is the National Broadcasting Company.