Evening star., 1948-05-29
Sedition Act of 1898

An act IN addition to the act, entitled An
act for the punishment OF certain crimes
against the United States"
Section !. Be It enacted BY the Senate
and House OF Representatives. OF the United
States OF America, in Congress assembled,
That II any persons shall unlawfully COM
bine 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
prevent any person holding place or ONCE
in or under the Government Of the United
States, from undertaking. performing or
executing his trust or duty; and II any
person or persons with intent Is 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
deneanor, and on conviction, before any
court Of the United States having jurisdic-
ton thereof, shall be punished by fine not
exceeding five thousand dollars, and by
imprisonment during term not less than
six months nor exceeding i've years: and
further. at the discretion Of the court may
be holden to fnd sureties for his good
behaviour In such sum, and for such time,
as the said court may direct.
Sec. 2. And be 1t further enacted That
If any person shall write, print utter or
publish, or shall cause or procure to be
written. printed, uttered or published. 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 Con-
gress 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 con-
tempt 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 stir up sedition within the United
States, or to excite any unlawful combina-
tions 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 per-
sons, being therefore convicted before any
court Of the United States having jurisdic-
ton thereof, shall be punished by a fine
not exceeding two thousand dollars and by
imprisonment not exceeding two years.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted and
declared, That If any person shall be prose-
cuted under this act for the writing or
publishing any libel aforesaid, 1t shall be
lawful for the defendant, upon the trial of
the cause, to give in evidence in his defense,
the truth Of the matter contained in the
publication charged as libel. And the jury
who shall try the cause, shall have the
right to determine the law and the fact,
under the direction of the court, as in other
cases.
Sec. 1. And be 1t 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:
ProUtded that the expiration of the act
shall not prevent or defeat , prosecution
and punishment Of any offense against the
law. during the time it shall be in force
Approved july H. 1798