James Alexander (d. 1756) (10)
Election date: 1744 (Elected to the original American Philosophical Society.)James Alexander (27 May 1691–2 April 1756) was a lawyer, politician, and controversialist known for his role in the Zenger trial, and a member of the American Philosophical Society, elected in 1744. Born in Scotland, he received training in engineering, surveying, and astronomy and may have participated in the Jacobite uprising there before immigrating to Perth Amboy, New Jersey, in 1715. Soon after, he became Surveyor General of East Jersey, West Jersey, and New York, serving on the committees that surveyed New York’s borders with New Jersey and Connecticut. During this time he also acquired extensive land holdings, becoming one of the wealthiest men in the region. From 1720 on he practiced law, becoming Attorney General of New Jersey in 1723, and sat on the royal councils of both New York and New Jersey. In 1733, Alexander and others hired John Peter Zenger to print scathing attacks on New York Governor William Cosby in the New York Weekly Journal. When Zenger was prosecuted for seditious libel, Alexander and APS member William Smith served as his attorneys and, following their disbarment by Chief Justice and APS member James De Lancey, assisted with the defense behind the scenes. Alexander also corresponded with the Royal Society of London and Royal Academy of Sciences in Paris and published a letter to Benjamin Franklin concerning the impending Transit of Mercury in the APS Transactions. He was also a founder of King’s College and the New York Library Society. (PI, ANB, DNB, DAB)
Member(s): James Alexander (d. 1756)
10.001
The arguments of the council for the defendant, in support of a plea to the jurisdiction, : pleaded to a bill filed in a course of equity, at the suit of the attorney general, complainant, against Rip Van Dam, defendant, in the Supreme Court of New-York.
Creator(s):
Alexander, James, 1691-1756 (Author)
Publication:
New York: Printed by John Peter Zenger, [1733]
Subjects:
Equity pleading and procedure -- New York (State). | New York (State) -- Politics and government -- To 1775.
Record Source:
References:
Evans 3727
APS Subjects:
Law | Politics
Editions:
1x 1733
Editions Note:
One edition.
Holding Note: APS does not own this text. Help the APS acquire this item.
Member(s): James Alexander (d. 1756)
10.002
A bill in the Chancery of New-Jersey, at the suit of John Earl of Stair, and others, proprietors of the Eastern-Division of New-Jersey; against Benjamin Bond, and some other persons of Elizabeth-Town, distinguished by the name of the Clinker Lot Right Men : with three large maps, done from copper-plates : to which is added; the publications of the Council of Proprietors of East New-Jersey, and Mr. Nevill's speeches to the General Assembly, concerning the riots committed in New-Jersey, and the pretences of the rioters, and their seducers : these papers will give a better light into the history and constitution of New-Jersey, than any thing hitherto published, the matters whereof have been chiefly collected from records.
Creator(s):
Alexander, James, 1691-1756 (Author) | Board of Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New Jersey (Corporate Author) | Nevill, Samuel, 1697?-1764 (Author) | Evans, Lewis, 1700?-1756 (Illustrator) | Turner, James, -1759 (Engraver)
Publication:
[New York]: Printed by James Parker, in New-York ... and a few copies are to be sold by him, and Benjamin Franklin, in Philadelphia, 1747.
Subjects:
Land tenure -- New Jersey. | Public lands -- New Jersey. | Elizabeth, New Jersey -- History. | New Jersey -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775.
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 5378 | Evans 6021 | Evans 6022 | Evans 6023 | Evans 6024 | Streeter II: 918
APS Subjects:
Economics | Law | Politics | Surveying
Editions:
1x 1747
Editions Note:
One edition, though individual parts of this text were also published separately as: By the Council of Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New-Jersey, met at Perth-Amboy, the 25th day of March, 1746, in behalf of themselves and the rest of the General Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New-Jersey, whom they represent (New York, 1747; Evans 6022); By the Council of Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New-Jersey, met at Perth-Amboy the 25th day of March, 1747, in behalf of themselves and the rest of the General Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New-Jersey, whom they represent (New York, 1747; Evans 6023); By the Council of Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New-Jersey, met at Perth-Amboy the 14th day of September, 1747, in behalf of themselves and the rest of the General Proprietors of the Eastern Division of New-Jersey, whom they represent (New York, 1747; Evans 6024).
Holding Note: APS has one copy.
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Member(s): James Alexander (d. 1756)
10.003
A brief narrative of the case and tryal of John Peter Zenger, printer of the New-York weekly journal.
Creator(s):
Alexander, James, 1691-1756 (Author and Editor) | Hamilton, Andrew, 1676-1741 (Author) | Zenger, John Peter, 1697-1746 (Author)
Publication:
New York: Printed and sold by John Peter Zenger, [1736]
Subjects:
New-York weekly journal. | Trials (Libel) -- New York (State) -- New York. | Freedom of the press -- New York (State) -- New York.
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 106304 | Sabin 106305 | Sabin 106306 | Sabin 106307 | Sabin 106308 | Sabin 106309 | Sabin 106310 | Sabin 106311 | Sabin 106312 | Sabin 106313 | Sabin 106314 | Evans 4107 | Evans 4330 | Evans 7824 | Evans 11952 | Evans 36749 | Howes Z 6 | Streeter II: 867
APS Subjects:
Law | Politics
Editions:
1x 1736 (New York), 6x 1738 (Boston, London, London, London, London, Dublin), 1x 1750 (London), 1x 1752 (London), 1x 1756 (Lancaster, PA), 1x 1765 (London), 1x 1770 (New York), 1x 1782? (New York), 1x 1784 (London), 1x 1799 (Boston)
Editions Note:
At least fifteen editions exist, often with variant titles. In addition to the 1736 New York first edition, they include: A brief narrative of the case and tryal of John Peter Zenger, printer of the New York weekly journal (Boston, 1738; often mislabeled as the first edition); A brief narrative of the case and trial of John Peter Zenger, printer of the New-York weekly journal (London: 1738; four editions); The trial of John Peter Zenger, of New-York, printer : who was lately try’d and acquitted for printing and publishing a libel against the government : with the pleadings and arguments on both sides (Dublin, 1738); The case and tryal of John Peter Zenger : of New-York, printer, who was lately tryed and acquitted for printing and publishing a libel against the government : with the pleadings and arguments on both sides (London: 1750); The trial of John Peter Zenger, of New-York, printer : who was tried and acquitted, for printing and publishing a libel against the government : with the pleadings and arguments on both sides (London, 1752); A brief narrative of the case and trial of John Peter Zenger, printer of the New-York weekly-journal (Lancaster, PA, 1756; the imprint explains that this is a reprint of the New York first edition); The trial of John Peter Zenger, of New-York, printer : who was charged with having printed and published a libel against the government : and acquitted ... to which is now added ... the trial of Mr. William Owen, bookseller ... (London, 1765); A brief narrative of the case and trial of John Peter Zenger, printer of the New-York weekly journal, for a libel (New York, 1770); A brief narrative of the case and tryal of John Peter Zenger, printer of the New-York weekly journal (New York, 1782?); The trial of John Peter Zenger, of New-York, printer : for a libel against the government ... (London, 1784); and A brief narrative of the case and tryal of John Peter Zenger, printer of the New-York weekly journal ([Boston, 1799]). The text was also reprinted in compendia like John Almon's A select collection of interesting political tracts; which were published during the years 1764, 1765, 1766, 1767, 1768, 1769, and 1770, 8 vols. (London, 1770 [1771]). Because it bears his name this text was long attributed to Zenger himself, but Alexander is now held to have written it with contributions from Zenger's lawyer Andrew Hamilton.
Holding Note: APS has one copy of the 1756 (Lancaster, PA) edition. It is inscribed, "Presented by Edward Penington, November 1816."
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Member(s): James Alexander (d. 1756) | Member(s): William Smith (1727-1803), Provost
10.004
The complaint of James Alexander and William Smith to the committee of the General Assembly of the colony of New-York, &c.
Creator(s):
Alexander, James, 1691-1756 (Author) | Smith, William, 1697-1769 (Author)
Publication:
New York: Printed by John Peter Zenger, 1735.
Subjects:
De Lancey, James, 1703-1760. | Philipse, Frederick, 1698-1751.
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 729 | Sabin 84554 | Evans 3864 | Streeter II: 865
APS Subjects:
Law | Politics
Editions:
1x 1735
Editions Note:
One edition.
Holding Note: APS does not own this text. Help the APS acquire this item.
Member(s): James Alexander (d. 1756)
10.005
General instructions by the surveyor general, to the deputy surveyors of the eastern division of New-Jersey.
Creator(s):
Alexander, James, 1691-1756 (Author)
Publication:
[New York: Printed by James Parker], [1747]
Subjects:
Surveying -- New Jersey. | Surveyors -- New Jersey.
Record Source:
References:
Evans 40434 | Streeter II: 919
APS Subjects:
Cartography | Geography | Science | Surveying
Editions:
2x 1747
Editions Note:
One edition under this title and a second, identical to the first except that the word "western" is substituted for the word "eastern" in the title and once in the text, published the same year. There is no attribution to Alexander on the title page, but the text reprints his letter of appointment as surveyor general.
Holding Note: APS does not own this text. Help the APS acquire this item.
Member(s): James Alexander (d. 1756) | Member(s): William Smith (1727-1803), Provost
10.006
Some observations on the charge given by the Honourable James De Lancey, Esq; chief justice of the province of New-York, to the grand jury, the 15th day of January, 1733.
Creator(s):
Alexander, James, 1691-1756 (Author) | Smith, William, 1697-1769 (Author)
Publication:
New York: Printed and sold by J. Peter Zenger, 1733-1734.
Subjects:
De Lancey, James, 1703-1760. Charge of the Honourable James De Lancey Esq. ... | New York (State). Supreme Court. | Equity pleading and procedure -- New York (State). | Seditious libel -- New York (State). | New York (State) -- Politics and government -- To 1775.
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 19341 | Sabin 84557 | Evans 3835
APS Subjects:
Law | Politics
Editions:
1x 1733-1734
Editions Note:
One edition. Sometimes attributed to Lewis Morris.
Holding Note: APS does not own this text. Help the APS acquire this item.
Member(s): James Alexander (d. 1756)
10.007
The vindication of James Alexander, one of His Majesty’s Council for the province of New-York, and of William Smith, attorney at law, from the matters charged and suggested against them in two pamphlets lately published : the one a paper addressed to the mayor, aldermen and commonalty of the city of New-York, by the Honourable Francis Harrison, Esq; one of His Majestys Council, for the province of New-York : the other a report of the committee of His Majesty’s Council, to whom it was referred to examine and make inquiry touching a letter found in the house of Mr. Alexander, in New-York on Fryday the 1st day of February, 1732-3, in order to make the fullest discovery concerning the author of the same : to which is added a supplement containing a brief account of the case of William Trusdell, plaintiff, against the Honourable Francis Harison, Esq; defendant, for arresting and imprisoning the plaintiff and keeping him 9 weeks in prison, at the suit of Joseph Weldon ...
Creator(s):
Alexander, James, 1691-1756 (Author)
Publication:
New York: Printed by John Peter Zenger, and to be sold by him at his house in Broad Street, near the upper end of the long bridge, in New-York, 1733 [1734]
Subjects:
Trusdell, William. | Harison, Francis. To the right worshipful, the mayor, aldermen and commonalty of the city of New-York. | New York Council. Report of the committee of His Majesty's Council. | Libel and slander.
Record Source:
References:
Sabin 731 | Sabin 30380 | Sabin 84558 | Evans 3848
APS Subjects:
Law | Politics
Editions:
2x 1734
Editions Note:
Two editions, both in 1734.
Holding Note: APS does not own this text. Help the APS acquire this item.