"Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter"

This quote by Thomas Jefferson talks to the importance of a totally free press in a democracy. He is saying that if he needed to pick in between having a federal government without papers or newspapers without a federal government, he would select the latter. This is because he believes that papers are necessary for an operating democracy. Without newspapers, people would not be informed about the actions of their government, and would not have the ability to hold their federal government accountable. Jefferson's quote is a pointer of the value of a free press in a democracy, and how it is important for residents to be informed and participated in the political process.