Treason

tre'zn, an offense against the government. To prevent ambiguity, the Constitution of the United States contains a provision as follows: "Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court." No one has been punished seriously for treason in the United States. April 30, 1790, an act was passed, making treason punishable by death. Aaron Burr was tried under this act, but was permitted to take his departure. At the close of the Civil War Jefferson Davis was confined on charge of treason, but was dismissed finally. In 1844 Rhode Island convicted Dorr of treason, but public sentiment did not permit the sentence to be carried into effect. In England, however, a charge of treason was for centuries a common way of getting rid of a political opponent. The list of illustrious persons confined in the Tower and executed for treason is a long one. The punishment approved by custom and law was for a long time disemboweling while alive, beheading, and quartering. The present penalty is hanging. See Tower; Burr; Rhode Island; Russia