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Why Should The Government Restrict Civil Liberties

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In 1798, President John Adams, the second President of the United States, in response of the public reaction of the Quasi War with France, he enacted the Alien and Sedition Act, and the restriction of civil liberties during wartime has operated. Civil liberties are laws that grant individual rights such as Bill of Rights to American citizens. The scope of the restrictions is mainly about the freedom of actions and speeches. After the restriction was passed, a debate between whether or not U.S. government should restrict civil liberties of citizens during the wartime arose. Should we agree the government to restrict our civil liberties during the war? These are my three reasons why the government should restrict the civil liberties : The restriction stopped some people from telling negative lectures and spreading negative comments of the war and the government, and it also inhibit revealing of the secrets of the nation. During the war, citizens are responsible to contribute, it is understandable to be asked restricting some …show more content…

These bills included Naturalization Act, Alien Friends Act , Alien Enemies Act and Sedition Act. These laws not just limited the freedom of immigrants, but also the freedom of American citizens. And this law violated the first amendment. The congress passed the law for preparation of the quasi-war and also respond to the domestic protests because the government wanted more authorities for themselves. But it was strongly attacked by Republican parties, James Madison had said that the act was the “right of freely examining public characters and measures, and of free communication among the people." In 1800, the enforcement of the Alien and Sedition Acts ended after Thomas Jefferson's election as president. However, the restriction were resurrected in later

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