Alien and Sedition Acts - Research Paper Example

History and Political Science 5 March Alien and Sedition Acts Alien and Sedition Acts passed by Adams It began in 1796 during the European war; this was a war between France and England. A bitter ideology divided the federalists who favoured the English, and the republicans who favoured the French. The federalists who were then in power under the administration of John Adams took intense measures that brought the United States into a state of undeclared war with the French (US Congress 26947). The republicans were opposed to these measures and as a result, the federalist regarded the republicans to be disloyal. President Adam declared that the republicans would sink the glory of the country, and put her liberty at the mercy of the French. This made the federalists to enact on the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, which comprised of four laws. The Jefferson republicans were a corrupted dictatorial government, and were against the readiness of war. Both the politicians and journalists attacked the army and sent abuses on Adams government. The federalist congress responded to the critics using a series of laws that were referred to as the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 (Conlin 234). The first Alien act lengthened the duration of residence required for American citizenship from five years to fourteen years. The second act gives full permit to the president to deport any foreigner, whom is deemed to be dangerous to the peace and the safety of the United States. The Act stated that the non-citizens had no right to a hearing, no right to submit evidence, and no right to judicial review. The sedition act expanded the powers of the government of Adam to use censorship to silence the newspaper critics. A large number of editors faced jail term and severe fines for printing critical editorial; and others preferred to quit for fear of similar treatment (Sturgis 68). According to Ayers et al, “the fourth law, the sedition act made it illegal for any persons to unlawfully combine or conspire together, with intent to oppose any measure or measures of the government of the United States” (193) or any interference in the application of the law. It provided very harsh penalties, fines, and prison sentences for persons who reported statements that held the United States government in contempt or disrepute (Conlin 234). 2. Why did the Federalists believe that these acts were necessary? The federalists believed that the new Alien and Sedition Acts were necessary because of the declining relation with France that was as a result of the Jay treaty with Great Britain in 1795, which resulted to an attack on the American ships by the French in 1979. The federalists had grown suspicious of the French immigrants living in the United States. Sabato and Ernst point out that “they became of Jeffersons new party because it embraced the democratic ideals of the French Revolution and counted a number of French immigrants among its supporters” (6). They passed this acts to weaken the political influence of these groups, while the congress passed a naturalization act, which limited or denied citizenship to aliens from enemy nations. The sedition act “made it illegal for anyone to utter or publish false, scandalous, and malicious speech, with the intention of defaming the government and its representatives or arousing contempt for its laws” (Sabato and Ernst 6). As a result of the enactment of the Alien and Sedition Acts, there was peaceful translation of power among parties in America. 3. Kentucky and Virginia resolutions The Kentucky and Virginia resolutions were drafted by Jefferson and James Madison as a form of criticism towards the Alien and sedition Acts. They argued that the acts violated the freedom of the press and of speech declared in the First Amendment of the American constitution. “They also declared the right of the states to nullify acts of the national government that they deemed unconstitutional" (Sabato and Ernst 6). The Virginia resolution that was written by James Madison was adopted by Virginia legislation, and the Kentucky resolution, which was written by Jefferson proclaimed that the federal government was a compact of sovereign state. Some of the resolutions include the view of Virginia that “the powers of the federal government, as resulting from the compact to which the States are parties; as limited” (Haines 552). The term state is refers to individuals in their respective political associations. This means that people of each state in the United States as a whole were regarded as the parties to the compact. The second resolution gave the view of Kentucky that “the several States who formed that instrument being sovereign and independent, have the unquestionable right to judge of its infractions; and that and that a nullification by those sovereignties of all unauthorized done under the colour of that instrument is the rightful remedy” (Haines 166). This means that for powers assumed which had not been delegated, nullification of the act was the right remedy and that every state has a natural right in case not within the compact, to nullify their own authority of power by others within their limits. The Kentucky resolved resolution was that the “imprisonment of a person under the protection of the laws of this Commonwealth of his failure to obey the simple order of the President, to depart out of the United States, as is undertaken by the said entitled act concerning aliens, is contrary to the Constitution” (Collins L. and Collins, H. 403). The Virginia resolution was against the increase in the powers of the federal government calling it forced constructions. 4. Philosophical differences between the newly formed Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties. The term federalist is used to refer “to those individuals who favoured the ratification of the US constitution” (Vile 268). The newly formed federalist party was led by Alexander Hamilton and was formed around the idea of supporting a strong national government such as would be competent to exercise its powers under the necessary and proper clauses established a national bank. The Democratic - Republican Party was largely founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. This party was founded by the Virginia and Kentucky resolutions, which were against the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Democratic-Republicans had worries about the attempts to stifle the dissenting voices in the United States. Jefferson responded to these concerns by allowing the Alien and Sedition Acts to expire without renewal, and issued pardon to those who had been arrested during the time (Sabato and Ernst 301). This move not only solidified the ability for an opposition political party to be established in the United States without fear of prosecution, but Jefferson refused to grant the newly formed federalist interest to the national charter of the bank of the United State and opened another branch in New Orleans. He also cut the spending of the national debt and eliminated the internal revenue taxes; this move strengthened his standing among his opponents and many federalists were willing to work with Jefferson. This made the newly formed Federalist to have a disorganized party. In conclusion, the Alien and Sedition Act begun during the war between France and England. This war divided the federalist and the republicans. A bitter ideology divided the federalists who favoured the English and the republicans who favoured the French. The Alien and Sedition Act included four laws. The first Alien act lengthened the duration of residence required for Americans citizenship from five years to fourteen years and the second gave full permit to the president to deport any foreigner deemed to be dangerous to the peace and the safety of the United States. The Act stated that the non-citizens had no right to a hearing, no right to submit evidence, and no right to judicial review. These Acts affected the relations between federalists and republicans. They were later changed by Jefferson and Madison through the Virginia and Kentucky resolution. There have however been philosophical differences between the newly formed federalist and the Democratic - Republican Party. Some of the differences include the worries by democratic-Republican about the attempts to stifle the dissenting voices in the United States. Works Cited Ayer’s et al. American Passages: A History of the United States. 4th Ed. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2007. Print. Collins, L. and Collins, Richard H. History of Kentucky: Collins Historical Sketches of Kentucky. Pennsylvania: Clearfield Company, 2011. Print. Conclin, Joseph. The American Past: A Survey of American History. 9th Ed. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. Haines, Charles. The Role of the Supreme Court in American Government and Politics: 1789-1835. England: Cambridge University Press, 1944. Print. Sabato, Larry and Ernst, Howard. Encyclopedia of American Political Parties and Elections. New York: InfoBase Publishing, 2007. Print. Sturgis, Amy. Presidents from Washington through Monroe, 1789-1825: Debating the Issues in pro and con Primary Document. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc, 2002. Print. US Congress.Congressional Record, V. 149, Pt. 19, October 24, 2003 to November 4 2003.Washington: United States Printing Office, 2003. Print. Vile, John. The Constitutional Convention of 1787: A Comprehensive ..., Volume 1. California: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Print. Read More