On this day in US history, one of the most egregious breaches of the US Constitution in history became a federal law when Congress passed the Sedition Act on July 14, 1798. This act of Congress endangered the new nation as Federalists took advantage of the public’s wartime fears, drafting the Alien and Sedition Acts without consulting President John Adams. Aiming at immigrants and requiring a much longer process to become a citizen, while permitting the prosecution of individuals who voiced or printed what the government deemed to be “malicious remarks.” However, President Adams and Vice President Jefferson declared the acts to be violations of the First and Tenth Amendments. Squashing the efforts led by Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists, it ended any hopes for Adams running for re-election.
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