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Alien Act, 25 June 1798:
SEC. 1 Be it enacted . . .That it shall be lawful for the
President of the United States at any time during the continuance
of this act, to order all such aliens as he shall judge dangerous
to the peace and safety of the United States, or shall have
reasonable grounds to suspect are concerned in any treasonable or
secret machinations against the government thereof to depart out
of the territory of the United States, within such time as shall
be expressed in such order, which order shall be served on such
alien by delivering him a copy thereof, or leaving the same at his
usual abode, and returned to the office of the Secretary of State,
by the marshal or other person to whom the same shall be directed.
And in case any alien, so ordered to depart, shall be found at
large within the United States after the time limited in such
order for his departure, and not having obtained a license from
the President to reside therein, or having obtained such license
shall not have conformed thereto, every such alien shall, on
conviction thereof, be imprisoned for a term not exceeding three
years, and shall never after be admitted to become a cities of the
United States.
The Alien Enemies Act, July 6,
1798:
Section 1: Be it enacted . . . That whenever there shall be a declared war
between the United States and any foreign nation or government, or any
invasion or predatory incursion shall be perpetrated, attempted, or
threatened against the territory of the United States, by any foreign nation
or government . . . all natives, citizens, denizens, or subjects of the
hostile nation or government, being males of the age of fourteen years and
upwards, who shall be within the United States, and not actually
naturalized, shall be liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured and
removed, as alien enemies.
The Sedition Act of 1798:
SEC. I Be it enacted . . ., That if any persons shall unlawfully combine or
conspire together, with intent to oppose any measure or measures of the
government of the United States, which are or shall be directed by proper
authority, or to impede the operation of any law of the United States, or to
intimidate or prevent any person holding a place or office in or under the
government of the United States, from undertaking, performing or executing
his trust or duty; and if any person or persons, with intent as aforesaid,
shall counsel, advise or attempt to procure any insurrection, riot. unlawful
assembly, or combination, whether such conspiracy, threatening, counsel,
advice, or attempt shall have the proposed effect or not, he or they shall
be deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and on conviction, before any court
of the United States having jurisdiction thereof, shall be punished by a
fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, and by imprisonment during a term
not less than six months nor exceeding five years; and further, at the
discretion of the court may be holden to find sureties for his good behavior
in such sum, and for such time, as the said court may direct.
SEC. 2. That if any person shall write, print, utter. Or publish, or shall
cause or procure to be written, printed, uttered or published, or shall
knowingly and willingly assist or aid in writing, printing, uttering or
publishing any false, scandalous and malicious writing or writings against
the government of the United States, or either house of the Congress of the
United States, or the President of the United States, with intent to defame
the said government, or either house of the said Congress, or the said
President, or to bring them. or either of them, into contempt or disrepute;
or to excite against them, or either or any of them, the hatred of the good
people of the United States, or to excite any unlawful combinations therein,
for opposing or resisting any law of the United States, or any act of the
President of the United States, done in pursuance of any such law, or of the
powers in him vested by the constitution of the United States, or to resist,
oppose, or defeat any such law or act, or to aid, encourage or abet any
hostile designs of any foreign nation against the United States, their
people or government, then such person, being thereof convicted before any
court of the United States having jurisdiction thereof, shall be punished by
a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment not exceeding
two years.
SEC. 3. That if any person shall be prosecuted under this act, for the
writing or publishing any libel aforesaid, it shall be lawful for the
defendant, upon the trial of the cause, to give in evidence in his defense,
the truth of the matter contained in the publication charged as a libel. And
the jury who shall try the cause, shall have a right to determine the law
and the fact, under the direction of the court, as in other cases. SEC. 4.
That this act shall continue to be in force until March 3, 1801, and no
longer. . . .
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