The Dangers of the Sedition Act of 1798

The Sedition Act of 1798, part of the infamous Alien and Seditions Act, was one of the great challenges the young American republic was forced to overcome. The Sedition Act allowed for people who criticized the American government or the President to be fined or even imprisoned if the criticism was “false, scandalous, and malicious.” The Federalists, who had control of the government at the time passed the Sedition Act in order to silence Democratic-Republican opposition. Throughout its brief life as a bill the Sedition Act was abused many times by the Federalists in order to silence their harshest critics. Critics of the Federalist attack on civil liberties were persecuted, including journalists and political rivals. Thomas Jefferson and his Democratic-Republicans were eventually able to use the Alien and Seditions Acts as an issue in the 1800 election and take control of the Presidency.

John Adams, the President who approved the Sedition Act

I personally view the Sedition Act as one of the great trials America had to overcome in order to become a freer nation. The amount of abuse of the law could have potentially ended in a one-party dictatorship. By allowing for critics of a government to be arrested it places a government in a bubble in which government officials cannot learn from their mistakes. Thankfully Jefferson eventually repealed the law in the early 1800’s, but it was still a great danger to America. The Sedition Act eventually became an infamous document, but that did not stop leaders during times of war from using it as guidance to pass similar laws.