The Judicial Process: A Chronology
July 14, 1798
President John Adams signed the Sedition Act into law.
The trial of Matthew Lyon
U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Vermont
October 5, 1798
A grand jury in the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Vermont returned an indictment of Matthew Lyon on three charges of violating the Sedition Act.
The court issued a warrant for Lyon’s arrest.
October 6, 1798
The deputy marshal of the district arrested Lyon in Fairhaven, Vermont.
October 7, 1798
Lyon appeared before the U.S. circuit court in Rutland, Vermont, and pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.
October 9, 1798
The trial of Lyon opened with Justice William Paterson presiding and District Judge Samuel Hitchcock sitting with him in the circuit court. Charles Marsh, the U.S. district attorney for Vermont, presented the government’s case against Lyon. Lyon served as his own lawyer, although Vermont state Supreme Court Judge Israel Smith assisted him.
On the same day, the jury returned a verdict of guilty. Justice Paterson sentenced Lyon to four months in prison, a $1,000 fine, and the costs of the prosecution, which were $60.96.
February 9, 1799
Lyon was released from the jail in Vergennes, Vermont. During his incarceration, he was reelected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and he immediately left to take his seat in Philadelphia.
October 11, 1799
The federal district attorney, Charles Marsh, presented the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Vermont with an information alleging that Lyon had libeled the federal government and the courts of justice in his published account of his trial and imprisonment.
November 7, 1799
The U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Vermont issued an arrest warrant for Matthew Lyon to answer the charges in the information of the district attorney.
April 21, 1800
The deputy marshal for the district reported that he had sought Lyon for arrest, but that he could not find Lyon in the district.
The trial of Thomas Cooper
U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Pennsylvania
April 8, 1800
Judge Richard Peters, district judge for the District of Pennsylvania, ordered the arrest of Thomas Cooper to answer the charges in an indictment drafted by William Rawle, the federal district attorney for the District of Pennsylvania. The draft indictment charged Thomas Cooper with seditious libel against the President of the United States in connection with a handbill that Cooper published in November 1799.
April 11, 1800
Thomas Cooper was arrested to answer questions related to the district attorney’s indictment.
April 14, 1800
A grand jury in the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Pennsylvania returned a true bill of indictment against Cooper for his seditious libel against the President of the United States.
April 15, 1800
Cooper pleaded not guilty and presented the court with twelve facts of evidence that he planned to present in defense of his statements in the handbill.
April 19, 1800
The trial of Thomas Cooper began, with Justice Samuel Chase presiding and District Judge Richard Peters sitting with him. William Rawle presented the government’s case. Cooper served as his own counsel. The jury returned a verdict of guilty.
April 24, 1800
Justice Chase sentenced Cooper to six months' imprisonment and imposed a fine of $500 as well as the costs of prosecution.
October 8, 1800
Judge Richard Peters authorized the release of Thomas Cooper from jail.
The trial of James Callender
U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Virginia
May 24, 1800
A grand jury in the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Virginia returned a true bill of indictment against Callender for publishing The Prospect Before Us, a pamphlet with words defaming the President of the United States, in violation of the Sedition Act of 1798. Justice Samuel Chase ordered the marshal to arrest Callender to answer the charges in the indictment.
May 27, 1800
Callender, along with Meriwether Jones and William Branch Giles, posted security for the defendant’s appearance to answer the charges in the indictment.
May 28, 1800
Callender appeared before the U.S. Circuit Court meeting at the State Capitol in Richmond and pleaded not guilty. Justice Chase denied the defense attorneys’ motion for a postponement until the November session to allow the defense to gather evidence and to subpoena witnesses, but Chase granted a postponement until the following week.
June 2, 1800
Justice Chase granted a postponement of one day.
June 3, 1800
The jury was sworn in, and the trial began. On the same day, the jury returned a verdict of guilty.
June 4, 1800
Justice Samuel Chase sentenced Callender to nine months' imprisonment and imposed a fine of $200. The court also ordered Callender to post security for his good behavior for two years.
March 3, 1801
The Sedition Act expired according to the original terms of the statute.
The Sedition Act Trials — Historical Background and Documents