Changes

:Congress shall make no law ... abridging the '''freedom of speech''' ....

:Congress shall make no law ... abridging the '''freedom of speech''' ....

The purpose of the free speech was to limit the power of the [[federal government]].  For [[James Madison]], "the First Amendment is not about self-expression, the search for truth as an end in itself, or even the opportunity for political participation as a means of self-fulfillment — it is about checking abuses of power."; he did not even cite the First Amendment in criticizing the [[Sedition Act]].<ref>http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/news/2004_spr/blasi.htm</ref>

The purpose of the free speech was to limit the power of the [[federal government]].  For [[James Madison]], "the First Amendment is not about self-expression, the search for truth as an end in itself, or even the opportunity for political participation as a means of self-fulfillment — it is about checking abuses of power." The First Amendment was only mentioned in passing in his objections to the [[Sedition Act of 1792]]<ref>http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/news/2004_spr/blasi.htm</ref>.

After the [[Civil War]] and the passage of the [[Fourteenth Amendment]], the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] expanded the [[First Amendment]] to apply against all forms of government, such as [[state]] and [[local government]]s.   

After the [[Civil War]] and the passage of the [[Fourteenth Amendment]], the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] expanded the [[First Amendment]] to apply against all forms of government, such as [[state]] and [[local government]]s.