The Sedition Act, Kuwaiti women vote and ...Meanwhile back at the convention

As we continue our week of highlighting social reforms...

(see the earlier posts if you have not already)

On this day in 1918, the Sedition Act is passed by the U.S. Congress.
(see definition of sedition) The act made it an imprisonable offense to:

1)  Unlawfully to combine or conspire together to oppose any measure of the government of the United States

2)  To write, print, utter or publish, or cause it to be done, or assist in it, any false, scandalous, and malicious writing against the government of the United States, or either House of Congress, or the President, with intent to defame, or bring either into contempt or disrepute, or to excite against either the hatred of the people of the United States, or to stir up sedition, or to excite unlawful combinations against the government, or to resist it, or to aid or encourage hostile designs of foreign nations.

The Sedition Act was repealed on December 13, 1920, the same year the American Civil Liberties Union was founded.


Interesting link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_V._Debs

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On this day in 2005, in a 35-23 National Assembly vote, Kuwait permits women's suffrage.

Better late...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/30/world/middleeast/30kuwait.html

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Meanwhile back at the Constitutional Convention...
(see Monday's post if you have not read it already)


Although scheduled to begin on May 14th, very few delegates were present on that day and the convention's seven state quorum was not met until the 25th when James Madison and the Virginia delegation arrived. As the convention attendees waited for the remaining delegates to arrive, the Virginia delegation presented their plan for the organization of the new government.

Known as "The Virginia Plan" or "Large State" plan, it proposed a two chamber legislature. The number of delegates that each state sent was dependent upon its population, the larger the population the more delegates from that state would be sent for representation. Coincidentally, Virginia's population was the largest of all the states at that time.

The Virginia Plan also called for a judicial and executive branch, so the very important concept of checks and balances was introduced. Now the only question was, would the Virginia Plan hold up once the New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island delegates showed up?

The Historical Inebriant:  Virginia "Plan" Eggnog
http://www.esquire.com/drinks/virginia-eggnog-drink-recipe
(serves 10 - perfect for when a delegation comes to visit)

Ingredients:

• 12 egg(s)
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar
• 1 pint cognac
• 1/2 pint dark rum
• 1 pint milk
• 1/2 pint heavy cream
• nutmeg

Separate the eggs, putting aside the whites for the moment. Beat the yolks strenuously, slowly adding in the granulated sugar. Continue at tempo until the sugar is entirely dissolved. Slowly pour in the cognac, stirring all the while. Follow with the rum. Pouring the liquor into the yolks has the effect of cooking them more lovingly than any stove could. Now stir in the milk and heavy cream. (The cream may be whipped, but this makes the result a bit rich, so to some tastes, plain cream is preferable.)

Clean off the egg-beating equipment and go at the whites until they will stand without toppling. Fold the whites into the general mixture, then stir in grated nutmeg. If the outcome is too sweet to suit your taste, splash about a little extra cognac (or a lot, if Aunt Henrietta isn't watching too closely). This will serve about 10 people. For convenience's sake, some people make this eggnog the day before the party and put it in the refrigerator. Parked there -- or even on the pantry windowsill -- it will keep perfectly for several days if air-tight glass jars are used.

Tune in tomorrow for our next installment "Snookie visits the Convention"