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| Topic | BOARD 8 ELECTS - Election of 1800 - Adams (F) vs Jefferson (DR) (vs Burr (DR)) |
| Eddv 05/18/20 7:22:59 AM #5: | The most controversial of the new laws permitting strong government control over individual actions was the Addition Act. In essence, this Act prohibited public opposition to the government. Fines and imprisonment could be used against those who "write, print, utter, or publish . . . any false, scandalous and malicious writing" against the government. Under this law over 20 Republican newspaper editors were arrested and some were imprisoned. The most dramatic victim of the law was Congressman Lyon of Vermont. His letter that criticized President Adams' "unbounded thirst for ridiculous pomp, foolish adulation, and self avarice" caused him to be imprisoned. While Federalists sent Lyon to prison for his opinions, his constituents reelected him to Congress even from his jail cell. The Alien Act meanwhile gave the executive branch broad powers to deport immigrants in an attempt to be able to curtail French spying during the Quasi War. The acts were considered plainly unconstitutional but the courts were filled with Federalist judges and so the Democratic Republicans didn't even try to oppose them in federal court, instead focusing on courts in Democratic Republican states and territories like Kentucky. These are wildly unpopular even with people who normally vote Federalist. --- Board 8's Voice of Reason https://imgur.com/AWY4xHy ... Copied to Clipboard! |
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