Final answer:
The Sedition Acts were viewed by Republicans as a violation of the First Amendment's protection of Free speech. So, the correct answer is option b.
Step-by-step explanation:
Republicans likely understood the Sedition Acts to be a violation of the Constitution's protection of the right to Free speech. The Sedition Act of 1798 was primarily designed to smother political opposition, rather than safeguard civil liberties.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the freedoms of speech, press, religion, and the right to assemble peacefully. Thus, when the Federalist Party introduced the Sedition Acts, the Democratic-Republicans, led by Jefferson and Madison, viewed these laws as an unconstitutional attempt by the Federalists to suppress their political rivals and curtail individual liberties, particularly the right to criticize the government.