Acts Passed at the First Session of the Fifth Congress of the United States of America… 
the Fifteenth of May, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-Seven

THE ALIEN AND SEDITION ACTS OF 1797, and THE TREATY OF TRIPOLI REGARDING THE MUSLIM NATION: FIRST EDITION OF ACTS PASSED AT THE FIFTH CONGRESS are in this volume.

(Note: This book stands alone and is not part of the three sessions bound into one book as seen elsewhere bound in leather.

Philadelphia: William Ross, 1797. 8 v0. 48 pages including the Table of Contents

 First edition of the Acts of the Fifth Congress, including the Alien and Sedition Act: ("An Act to establish a uniform rule of naturalization"), and the Treaty of Tripoli, which assured the Muslim nation “that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.” This is bold statement of the separation of Christianity for the United States Republic. Please see my photo of the paragraph I photographed that states this:

The 1797 Treaty of Tripoli reads: “As the government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion, [and] as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility of Mussulmen,… no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.”

About this book:

First session bound in quarter leather and marbled boards. This appears to be the original binding. In researching this volume I could not locate the first session issued in original boards. Overall the boards are in good condition with a small piece at the bottom of the leather spine lacking as shown. The boards have surface crazing as shown and the book is solid. The endpapers and pages are of the same paper and age. Toning to the pages and some corner wear as would be expected. The book is tight and readable. Names in an old hand in old ink are on the second page in.  

 Original end pages. Moderate toning and writing in an old hand in ink to the endpapers. Insect damage to upper right corner of first two pages with  slight crazing to upper right corner of the title page. The interior pages have usual age toning and some foxing. Insect crazing to the lower left corners of the rear endpapers. This can be restored by a conservationist. The book is tight and totally readable. If more photos needed please contact me.

When this book was published, it was during a very critical and important period of American history that occurred during the first two years of John Adams' presidency. Events that did occur in this time period were The XYZ Affair, and the Quasi-War.  Spurred by the threat of war with the French, the Fifth Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Acts, a collective name for the Naturalization Act, the Alien Act, the Alien Enemies Act and the Sedition Act. The Acts gave the federal government broad power to imprison, deport, and deny citizenship to aliens, and also made any treasonable activity punishable by fine and/or imprisonment. The publication of “any false, scandalous and malicious writing” was listed as one of those treasonable activities. While necessary to provide Congress with the authority to deal with conspiracies against the government, the Sedition Act was grossly abused as a defamation and libel statute. “About 25 men were arrested and ten convicted, including one member of Congress and several Republican editors who were silenced by heavy fines or jail sentences” (Morison 351-352) Very importantly The Alien & Sedition Act that was passed by this Congress, (which seems related in some way to what is occurring now in this country) was an attempt by the Federalist controlled Congress to create new powers to deport foreigners as well as making it harder for new immigrants to vote. Federalist legislators attempted to restrict the freedom of speech after receiving criticism from the Republican press. The Acts banned publishing false or malicious statements against the government and inciting opposition to any act of Congress or the president. Decreed as unconstitutional by the Democratic-Republicans, it lead to the drafting of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, also known as the Principles of '98.  After Virginia and Kentucky declared the Sedition Act unconstitutional, it was struck down on Freedom of Speech grounds, resulting in the presidency of Thomas Jefferson due to the anti-Federalists resentment. An important piece of early American history. Overall in good condition, and a First edition