Virginia Resolution

The Virginia Resolution was a statement written in 1798-1799 by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison opposing the Federalist-led Alien and Sedition Acts. These laws aimed to restrict immigration and limit free speech critical of the government, which the authors believed violated the Constitution. The resolution argued that states had the right to review and potentially nullify federal laws they found unconstitutional within their borders. It was part of the broader justification for states’ rights and the idea that states could oppose federal authority if they disagreed with certain laws.