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THE SEDITION ACT
OF JULY 14, 1798
An Act in addition to the act, entitled "An act for the punishment of certain
crimes against the United States."
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America, in Congress assembled, 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 behaviour in such sum, and
for such time, as the said court may direct.
SECTION 2. And be it further enacted, That if any person shall write, print,
utter or publish, or shall cause or procure to be written, printed, uttered or
publishing, 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.
SECTION 3. And be it further enacted, and declared, 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 defence, 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.
SECTION 4. And be it further enacted, That this act shall continue and be in force
until the third day of March, one thousand eight hundred and one, and no
longer: Provided. That the expiration of the act shall not prevent or defeat a
prosecution and punishment of any offence against the law, during the time it
shall be in force.
JONATHAN DAYTON, Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
THEODORE SEDGWICK, President of the Senate, pro
tempore.
APPROVED, July 14, 1798:
JOHN ADAMS,
President of the United States.
Source: The Laws of the United States of America, printed by Richard Folwell,
Philadelphia, 1796-1798.
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