Alien_and_Sedition_Acts

Alien and Sedition Acts The debate over the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 unraveled bitter disagreements on a number of separate issues. While these acts seemed to be very undemocratic in the sense that it pretty much discriminated against a citizen not born in America, but it is vital to realize the struggles and hardships young America was undergoing as a fledgling nation. When debating over the Alien and Sedation Acts, one must be able to comprehend the foreign affairs in which America was involved. The United States was caught up in the French Revolution and also the XYZ Affair, both quite dangerous to the existence of the country. These acts were very controversial and developed for a reason. One can look at the Alien and Sedation Acts from numerous perspectives. In Notes on Virginia, Thomas Jefferson can be quoted as saying "we are to expect the greatest number of emigrants. They will bring with them the principals of the governments they leave…with their language…they will share with us the ! legislation…and bias directions.” At the time, the US was receiving a mad dash of immigrants and many, like Jefferson, were worried. They were worried that some immigrants would bring some radical political views acts, government, people, alien, press, very, power, country, time, states, sedation, party, america, view, stop, put, political, jefferson, 1798, virginia, thus, sedition, revolution, president, one, means, look, good, gallatin, french, censor, bill, beliefs, being, against, affair, way, views, united, thomas, speech, reasons, present, powers, over, opposition, opposed, non-democratic, must, much