In 1798 the United States stood on the brink of war with the revolutionary French government over tensions arising from the "XYZ" affair. This affair occurred when then President John Adams sent three men to meet with the French Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1797. The French government objected to a 1794 treaty between England and the United States, and started harassing American shipping, and so began the short quasi-war with France. Between June 1796 and June 1797, French ships captured 316 American ships. France, however, refused to meet with the American envoys. John Adams in March 1798 gave Congress a report on the unsuccessful negotiations. When this report was made public, there was outrage and many, especially the Federalists, wanted a declaration of war. A Navy was raised, and the U.S. started capturing French ships. However, war was never declared. The military conflict was limited to naval events. During this quasi-war the Alien and Sedition acts were passed. (Groiler presents the American Presidency)

The Alien Act allowed those who were from a hostile country to be arrested, and deported. If the USA had decided to go to war with France this would have been used to deport French immigrants. This Act was passed along with the Sedition Act to help America fight a possible war with France.

John Adams, a Federalist president passed both these laws. The powers given to the executive branch were used to oppress Thomas Jeffersons Democratic-Republican Party. The only journalists prosecuted under the Sedition Act were editors of Democratic-Republican newspapers (NOW with Bill Moyers).

Both acts proved to be overwhelmingly unpopular and led to the Federalist defeat and repeal of both laws. Looking back at these two acts they are considered to have been bad judgments, and reflect badly on the president at the time John Adams. But this is in large part because the United States of America did not end up going to war with France over American support of the French revolution. If America had gone to war French supporters would be deported because of their political views. People, newspapers, and politician would be unable to criticize the war, the way it was being run, or the government. This would result in an obscene lack of government accountability. If the government failed one way or another it would not be held accountable and have no incentive to correct its faults. Another example of the government not wanting their authority to be questioned during wartime was Lincolns unconstitutional repression of civil liberties.