Debate over Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798

Two popular parties in America during the formation of a new nation debated for decades over different laws, policies and other various government issues. These two parties were know as the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans also known as the Jeffersonian Republicans. Popular names in the Federalist party included John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay while James Madison and Thomas Jefferson were the most know Democratic-Republicans. Perhaps the largest debate was over the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. The Sedition and Alien Acts were put in place during the United States's conflicts with France in the late 1700s and John Jay's treaty that was signed with Great Britain. John Adams the president at the time and a majority of the government were Federalists. Most of the debate was over the Alien Act as this acts also changed the year required for citizenship from five years to fourteen years and allowed the government to protect our country from the aliens living in the U.S that posed a threat and were disloyal to the U.S government by speaking against the federalist way. Meanwhile the Sedition Act was aimed at the anti-federalists or democratic republican party speaking out about the government and allowed the government to place people in jail for criticizing the government in newspapers and articles. Although George Washington was not in a political party during his Presidency, he did have a say on immigrants to the U.S. George Washington in a Letter to John Adams said “ There is no need of encouragement ( for immigration ), while the policy or advantage of its taking place in a body may be questioned: for, by so doing, they retain the Language, habits and principles ( good or bad ) which they brin...

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...s. Jefferson also strongly disagreed with the Sedition Act because it infringed two freedoms granted by the Bill of Rights and the first amendment of freedom of speech and press. Jefferson could not protest these acts openly because he could be charged under the Sedition acts of criticism. It is evident that the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans had there debates over the Alien and Sedition Acts which caused uproar. Federalists did not support immigration to the U.S and criticism to the government while the Democratic-Republicans did support immigration and freedom of press and speech. The Alien and Sedition Acts created a rift between the government and the citizens of the United States at the time which was not a good thing at all. The Alien and Sedition Acts will go down in history as a controversial act that created a rift between people in the U.S.