The Sedition Act of 1798: Silencing Dissent and Sparking Resistance
The Sedition Act of 1798 marked one of the most extreme restrictions on free speech in American history, criminalizing criticism of the government and making it illegal to publish anything that could “bring them or either of them into contempt or disrepute.” The law...
Marshall and Madison on Immigration Power
I’ve now had time to read and think about John Marshall’s comments on Congress’ power over immigration (or, strictly speaking, the comments in the 1799 report of the minority of the Virginia Legislature, attributed to Marshall), recommended by Kurt...
A Christmas Gift from James Madison: The Virginia Resolutions of 1798
Resolutions drafted by James Madison and passed by Virginia on Dec. 21 and 24, 1798, answer a timeless question: What do we do when the federal government oversteps its constitutional bounds? All too often, we simply ignore unconstitutional federal overreach. But...