The purpose of the first amendment is to allow criticism of the government, a press to freely report, and the people to freely assemble.
It’s pretty clear.
Treason is when you are an American citizen and wage war against the United States or provide aid and comfort to its enemies. THAT is also clearly defined in the constitution.
Espionage is when you steal confidential information from the government and provide it to a foreign entity. That is something Bradley Manning could be prosecuted for,
But Julian Assange...he’s just reporting what he has been given. Its no different than when the New York Times published photos of Abu Ghraib abuses. By law, the NYT had the right to do that even if it hurts the country. That is freedom of the press. If you dont want the media to be able to publish stories that could hurt the country, then you will have to get rid of the first amendment.
Im sorry but that’s the way it is.
Bull S***! Assange himself is a hacker who has been directly involved (even bragging about it in a book) in hacking into the NSA. He has enticed US citizens to commit treason. He has willfully and maliciously stolen and destroyed private property. He is no different than the soviet agents who hired paid Aldrich Ames to reveal government secrets or the Nazi agents who enticed Quisling to turn on his country and reveal battle plans.