Page 150 - Beers With Our Founding Fathers

Beers with our Founding Fathers

Much of what is known about John Adams, by way of his quotes,

comes from letters to his wife, Abigail. Abigail Adams was Adams
advisor and his strength. There is as much written about Abigail

that should be read, as any Founding Father. Her contributions to
the birth of our Country, though not in this work, should not be

overlooked or forgotten in our history.
One area of controversy was the signing of the Alien and

Sedition Acts by Adams as president. These were four acts that
found their enactment following the French Revolution and

intended to prevent talks of state secessions and anarchy in our
young Country. These acts were the Naturalization Act, Alien Act,

Alien Enemies Act, and the Sedition Act. In essence, there were
components that were contrary to the Bill of Rights. The

Naturalization Act reduced the time of residency for an immigrant to
become a citizen (said to be for getting more eligible and favorable

voters); the Alien Friends Act and the Alien Enemies Act provided
the authority for the president to deport by executive order any

foreigner he thought dangerous to the Country; the Sedition Act
made it a crime to publish "…false, scandalous, and malicious

writing…" against the government or its officials. These acts
resulted in few deportations or imprisonments, and Jefferson,

opposed to the acts, pardoned any who remained in prison when he
became president. The use of the executive order to bypass

Congress and the Constitution, and enactment of laws violating a

person’s rights, is a bruise on the body of Adam’s life. However,
these were repealed and the whole of Adam’s contributions to the
founding of our Country cannot be emphasized enough.

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