Year: 1862

The 'ollowing Ia copy OF the law
passed during the Presidency Of the elder


Adams, and commonly known as til,


"alien and sedition" Law. 1t continued


in operation as will be seen by the las


section five years.


SECTION l. Be it enacted by the Sen


ate and House of Representatives of. the


United States of America in Congres,


assembled. That if any person shell IN.


lawfully combine or conspire together
with intent to oppose any measure or
measures of the Government of the Uni
ted States, which are or shall he directed
by proper authority or to impede the op-
perations Of any law Of the United States
or to intimdate or prevent any person
holding place or office in or under the
Government Of the United States from


an undertaking, performing or executing
his trusc or duty; AMI if any person or
persons with intent as aforesaid, shall
counsel, advise or at.-mpt to procure any
insurrection, riot, unlawful assembly, or
combination, whether such conspiracy,
threathing, counsel, advise or attempt
shall have the proposed effect or no. he
or they may be deemed guilty of high
misdemeanor, and on conviction before
any court of the United States having
Jurisdiction thereof, shall be punished by
fine not aXcceding five thousand dol
lars 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 behavior in such sum and for
such time. as the said court may direct.


SECTION ,. And be it further enacted,
DC, That if any person shall write,
print, utter Or publish, or shall cause OF
procure to be written, printed uttered or
published or shall knowingly and will
lingly assist or aid in writing, printing,
uttering or publishing any false, scanda-
lous and malicious writing or writings
against the Government of the United
States or either house of the Congress Of
the United States. or he President of the
United States, with intent 10 detame said
Government, or either house of said Con-
gress or the said President, or to bring
them or either of them into contempt or





either or any of them the hatred of the
good people of the United States or to
excite any unlawful combination 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 power in him
vested by the Constitution of the United
States. or to resist, oppose or defeat any
such law or act or 10 aid, encourage OF
abet any hostile designs of any foreign
nation against the United States, their
people or Government, then such person
heing thereof convicted before any court
of the United States having jurisdiction
thereof shall be punished by 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
pro, ecuted under this act for the writing
or publishing any libel aforesaid, it shall
he lawful for the defendant, upon trial of
the cause to give in evidence the truth OF
the matter contained in the publication
charged as libel And the jury who
shall try the cause, shall have right to
the law and the fact under the
direction of the court, as in other cases.


SEC. t. 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.