Alien and Sedition Acts Essay Example
----------------
---------------
Government
22 October 2012
Alien and Sedition Acts
In 1798 the United States was involved in an undeclared war with France. “The United States again stood on the brink of war with a major European power, only this time instead of Great Britain the hostile nation was France.”(Hay 141) Later on the Federalist Party passed a series of four laws which were called the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Federalists saw foreigners as a deep threat to American security. There were a series of four acts that were adopted to alienate aliens. The first of these acts was the Naturalization Act which was passed by Congress on June 18. This act required that aliens be residents for 14 years instead of 5 years before they become eligible for United States citizenship. The second major act was the Alien Act which authorized the President to deport aliens who were dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States during peacetime. Furthermore the third act was the Alien Enemies Act which allowed wartime arrest, imprisonment and deportation of any alien from an enemy power. The last of these acts was the Sedition Act which consisted of, if there was any treasonable activity, including publication of any false or scandalous writing was wrong and punishable by fine or imprisonment. These acts helped to assist the government's sense of security for the United States. Although the government accepted the acts, people like James Madison were against for what the acts stood for. To protest the Alien and Sedition Acts, the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were written to show that the acts were unconstitutional in the since that any acts of Congress that were not authorized by the Constitution and violated on the reserved powers of the states. Stating that the federal government can’t create new powers for itself and it must be approved by the states of the people.
The second major act that was approved was the Alien Act and it’s
---------------
Government
22 October 2012
Alien and Sedition Acts
In 1798 the United States was involved in an undeclared war with France. “The United States again stood on the brink of war with a major European power, only this time instead of Great Britain the hostile nation was France.”(Hay 141) Later on the Federalist Party passed a series of four laws which were called the Alien and Sedition Acts and the Federalists saw foreigners as a deep threat to American security. There were a series of four acts that were adopted to alienate aliens. The first of these acts was the Naturalization Act which was passed by Congress on June 18. This act required that aliens be residents for 14 years instead of 5 years before they become eligible for United States citizenship. The second major act was the Alien Act which authorized the President to deport aliens who were dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States during peacetime. Furthermore the third act was the Alien Enemies Act which allowed wartime arrest, imprisonment and deportation of any alien from an enemy power. The last of these acts was the Sedition Act which consisted of, if there was any treasonable activity, including publication of any false or scandalous writing was wrong and punishable by fine or imprisonment. These acts helped to assist the government's sense of security for the United States. Although the government accepted the acts, people like James Madison were against for what the acts stood for. To protest the Alien and Sedition Acts, the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were written to show that the acts were unconstitutional in the since that any acts of Congress that were not authorized by the Constitution and violated on the reserved powers of the states. Stating that the federal government can’t create new powers for itself and it must be approved by the states of the people.
The second major act that was approved was the Alien Act and it’s