This opinion had already been held by Benjamin Franklin
who said in a comment on the political change in the press:
Now many of our printers make no scruple of gratifying the malice of individuals by false accusations of the fairest characters among themselves, augmenting animosity even to the producing of duels, and are, moreover, so indiscreet as to print scurrilous reflections on the gov- ernment of neighboring states, and even on the conduct of our best national allies, which may be attended with the most pernicious con- sequences.
PASSAGE OF SEDITION LAWS
That the American press from 1790 to 1800 was probably as powerful in its influence as at any time in its history, is not to be denied. But the violence and vituperation of the party press led to the first attempt on the part of the American Government to regulate the newspaper press. The year of 1798 saw the passage of the Alien and Sedition Laws. A section of the latter 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 know- ingly and willingly assist or aid in writing, printing, uttering, or pub- lishing 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 stir up sedition within 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 juris- diction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $2,000, and by imprisonment not exceeding two years.
EDITORS JAILED
There were several prosecutions under this act. Abijah Adams, publisher of The Boston Chronicle, officially called bookkeeper
