Alien and Sedition Act of 1798

Ques. Was the law that congress passed agents sedation in 1798 A violation of americans freedom of speech

Yes since the laws were aimed at silencing critics of the Adams administration and its laws and policies, they can be said to be a violation of Americans freedom of speech.

In 1798, the Congress controlled by Federalist passed 4 acts to empower the president of the U.S to expel dangerous Aliens from the country. These acts give the president authority to arrest, detain, and deport resident aliens from enemy countries during wartime, to lengthen the period of naturalization for aliens or immigrants from other countries, and to silence criticism of the Federalist Party by Republicans.

In early 1798, son of President John Adams – J. Q. Adams, advised his father that France intended to invade America's western frontier. Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Jonathon Dayton speculated publicly that troops already massed in French ports were destined for North America. The government officials feared parts of America were rife with French agents and sympathizers who might rise up in support of an invasion.

Congress responded to these concerns by enacting the Alien and Sedition Acts, the popular name for four laws passed in 1798. Congress passed the Naturalization Act on June 18, which extended the period of residence required for alien immigrants from five to 14 years to become full U.S.A citizens. On June 25, Congress passed the Alien Act, this act authorized the president to expel any alien the president regarded ‘dangerous to the peace and safety’ of the U.S or whom the president suspected of "treasonable or secret" inclinations, without a hearing. On July 6, Congress passed the Alien Enemy Act, authorizing the president to give orders to arrest, imprison, or banish any resident alien from a country against which the U.S.A had declared war.

These first three acts had not much practical impact. The Alien Act was never invoked by the President Adams...