Freedom of Press Act with some restrictions and reservations to protect all Christian religions

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The upper classes feared that the free press could threatentheir peace, happiness and standing

On 15 March 1839, the governor of Malta, General Sir Henry Bouverie, proclaimed Ordinance (IV) - The Freedom of Press Act, with some “important restrictions and reservations” to protect all Christian religions

Three judges without a jury tried persons guilty of breaching the law. John Richardson, the editor of The Harlequin, and Francesco Naudi, the printer, were the first to be tried for attacking the Catholic religion and promoting Protestantism

Among the early newspapers that appeared in Malta was the monthly Lo Spettatore Imparziale (1838) Its owner, Canon Fortunato Panzavecchia, was described as an “able and learned editor” Others included, the weekly Il Portafoglio Maltese (1838), The Harlequin (1838), Il Mediterraneo (1838) and others

The first newspapers were in Italian, English and later in Maltese They were moderate in their views In the 1830s, most Maltese were illiterate but keen to learn They probably congregated in wine shops to listen attentively to a person reading aloud from a newspaper

At the time, the newspapers contained domestic and international news and extracts from popular novels (rumanzi). It helped to lift the education of the people

Over time, newspapers became more critical In 1844 the governor, Sir Patrick Stuart, complained that the press had reached “a most ungovernable and scandalous height, not only from its attacks on private individuals but also on the local Government and Her Majesty's Government at home, tending to lower both in the estimation of the people here”

While Malta had won press freedom, Britain was unwilling to grant representative government to its fortress island in the middle of the Mediterranean.