Alien and Sedition Acts
Notably, the Alien and Sedition Acts violate the freedoms stipulated under the First Amendment. The Aliens and Sedition Acts were intended to bar people from criticizing the Federalist government and assembling for the purpose of opposing the administration (Yale Law School, n.d.). Moreover, the legislation muzzled the freedom of the press by prohibiting them from publishing any material that was against the government (Yale Law School, n.d.). The passage of the new law triggered widespread outcry to the point that Jefferson described them as a “reign of witches” (Foner, 2017). Eighteen persons encompassing various editors of Republican newspapers were prosecuted based on the Sedition Act. Ten people were sentenced to jail for spreading “false and malicious” content concerning the government (Foner, 2017). In addition, Mathew Lyon, who was a member of Congress from Vermont, and an editor of a Republican-inclined media outlet, was imprisoned for four months and fined 1000 US dollars (Foner, 2017). Moreover, the Alien and Sedition Acts permitted the executive to expel any foreign national who was considered a threat to the security of the US (Yale Law School, n.d.). As such, the Alien and Sedition Acts violated the freedom and justice, which US citizens fought for.
The fact that the Alien and Sedition Acts contravened the beliefs of Americans concerning their right to express themselves freely was the main factor that fuelled the revolt against the Federalist administration. Foner (2017) opines that the Alien and Sedition Acts did not achieve its aim to silence Republican-associated media establishments. While some newspapers stopped publication, new ones, such as the Tree of Liberty and Sun of Liberty, emerged (Foner, 2017). The Sedition Act triggered the liberty of expression to the center of deliberations of American freedom. Jefferson and Madison assembled opposing individuals and drafted resolutions, which the Virginia and Kentucky legislatures adopted (Foner, 2017). The revolt of the legislation culminated with Jefferson’s triumph to the presidency in 1800 (Foner, 2017). Therefore, while the Alien and Sedition Acts intended to silence opposing voices, it did not achieve its purpose.