The Sedition Act

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Passed by the Federalist Congress in 1798 amid war fever with France, the Sedition Act made it a crime to publish 'false, scandalous, and malicious writing' against the government. Jefferson and Madison considered it a flagrant violation of the First Amendment; its unpopularity helped sweep the Federalists from power in 1800.

SEC. 2. That if any person shall write, print, utter or publish, or shall cause or procure to be written, printed, uttered or published, 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… 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.