(Alien and Sedition Acts) | An act which increased residency requirement to become a citizen

(Alien and Sedition Acts)

An act supplementary to, and to amend the act, intituled, "An act to establish an uniform rule of naturalization; and to repeal the act heretofore passed on that subject." Philadelphia: 1798

Printed broadside, 1 1/2 pages on a single leaf, folio (338 x 210 mm). Docketed on verso; old folds, short closed splits to fold, minor browning. In custom half morocco slipcase and folding chemise.   

A rare preliminary printing of the Naturalization Act

The highly controversial “Alien and Sedition Acts” was passed under John Adams's administration. The first American naturalization act, which was passed in 1790, stated that a free white person could be eligible for citizenship if they had lived within the United States for two years, and was a resident of one state for a minimum of one year. In 1795, Congress passed a law that increased the residency requirement from two to five years, and the present law goes even further. It was passed during heightened tensions with France during the “Quasi-War,” and increases the residency period from five to fourteen years. It also requires all aliens to register with the federal government. This law was not repealed until 1802, during Jefferson’s first term as president, at which time the residency requirement reverted back to five years.

Rare

REFERENCE

ESTC W14669; Evans 34700; Federal Hundred 70; OCLC 11420339