Federalist In Charge

CHAPTER 9 p. 298-301

John Adams became President / Thomas Jefferson became Vice President

Because they were from different parties tension stayed high

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws passed 1798

Passed by High Federalists

Grew from crisis with France

Alien and Sedition Acts

Alien Act -Pres. could expel any alien (foreigner) thought to be dangerous to the country

Another law made it harder to become a citizen

Change law from 5 years to 14 years living in U.S. meant to keep new arrivals from

voting for Republicans

Sedition- stirring up rebellion against the government

Sedition Act – citizens could be fined or jailed if they criticized the govn. or government officials

under law several Congressmen & Republican newspapermen were fined and jailed their opinions

The Rights of States

Republicans believed new laws were unconstitutional

Did not go to Supreme Court most judges were Federalists

The Rights of States

Jefferson urged states to act

He said states had the right to nullify (cancel) a law passed by Federal government

Kentucky and Virginia Resolution

Kentucky and Virginia Resolution – 1798 & 1799

Said state “has an equal right to judge for itself “

whether a law was constitutional. If unconstitutional it could nullify it with in its borders

Kentucky and Virginia Resolution

Question -did a state have the right on its own to decide If a law was Constitutional

Not answered in Jefferson’s lifetime

Alien & Sedition Acts were changed or dropped

Peace with France

Adams’ actions made him many enemies among the Federalist

This cost Adams the election of 1800

The XYZ Affair

John Adams is elected President

Difficulty between U.S. and France

France angry because of Jay’s Treaty believed U.S. was siding with BritainFrance began to attack U.S. merchant ships

The XYZ Affair J. Adams send a three member committee to FranceFrench demand U.S. pay France a bribe of $250,000

French demand U.S. loan them several million dollars

The XYZ Affair Americans heard of the demands of France Anger was their response said, “Millions for defense, but not one sixpence for tribute.” The three men Adams sent to France were

called X Y & Z their names were not made public

The XYZ Affair XYZ Affair caused an out break of Americans

wanting a war with France

Later Napoleon Bonaparte agreed to stop seizing U.S. ships

War was avoided

Federalist fear spread of French revolution in to the U.S.

Federalist want to destroy Republican rivals

1798 Law was passed to limit immigration called The Alien ActIncreased time immigrants had to live in the

state before becoming a citizen went from 5 to 14 years

President now could deport or jail any alien he considered dangerous

Sedition: activities designed to overthrow a government

It became a CRIME to write or say anythingBad about the Pres. or government

Ten people were convicted & jailed for this crime. Most were Republicans

The harshest law ever passed restricting freedom of speech

STATES’ RIGHTS Republicans said the Sedition Act violated

the Constitution

U.S. Supreme Court did not have the power to declare a law unconstitutional

STATES’ RIGHTS The opposition had to come from the state

legislators

Madison wrote a resolution attacking the Alien Act

Virginia’s legislature approved the resolution

STATES’ RIGHTS Jefferson wrote a resolution opposing the

Sedition Act

The Resolution was passed by the Kentucky legislature

Virginia Kentucky Resolution

Stated that the Alien & Sedition Acts were unconstitutional

Believed states had the right to declare laws passed by Congress unconstitutional

Virginia Kentucky Resolution

The resolution said a state could declare a law by Congress unconstitutional (nullify it) and not enforce the law within the state borders

No other states supported the resolution

The Alien Act expired two years later

The Sedition Act expired 1801

STATES’ RIGHTS

Nullify – deprive of legal force (neutralize)

Virginia Kentucky Resolution also boosted the idea of “states rights,”

STATES’ RIGHTS

This is the idea that Union binding ”these United States” is an agreement between the states and that they therefore could over rule Federal Law

This theory of “States Rights” waited for a later date to be tested