What was the purpose of the Sedition Act of 1798?

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The Sedition Act of 1798 was passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress as a response to criticism of the government and opposition to Federalist policies, especially in the press. The act made it a crime to publish "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the government, Congress, or the president, as well as to incite opposition to any lawful act of Congress. The purpose of the act was to punish revolt and conspiracy, and to suppress opposition to the government. The act was widely criticized as a violation of the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech and press, and its expiration in 1801 was one of the first acts of the newly-elected Democratic-Republican majority in Congress.

What Was the Purpose of the Sedition Act of 1798