Treason
HIGH, that crime which is directly committed against the supreme authority of the State, considered to be the greatest crime that can be committed. Formerly in England certain offenses against private superiors were ranked as petit or petty treason, and it was in opposition to such offenses that treason against the sovereign was called high treason; but by an act of George IV. high treason was made the only England comprehends the following descriptions, namely: (1) Compassing or imagining the king's death. (2) Violation of the king's companion (meaning the queen), his eldest daughter, unmarried, or the wife of the eldest son and heir. (3) Levying war against the king in his realm. (4) Adhering to his enemies in his realm, and giving them aid and comfort in the realm or elsewhere. (5) Counterfeiting the great or privy seal. (6) Slaying the chancellor, treasurer, etc. The third of the offenses detailed in this statute is now treason felony and has a milder punishment than treason annexed to it. Clause 5 is now repealed. The English law condemns the person convicted of treason to be drawn hurdle to the place of execution, there to be hanged, and then beheaded and quartered; and a conviction was followed by forfeiture of land and goods and attainder of blood; but this is now restricted to hanging, forfeiture and attainder being abolished. The concealment of treason is called misprision of treason.
In the United States treason consists in levying war by a citizen against the country, or adhering to its enemies. In the session of Congress (1901-1902) several measures were introduced making any attack on the life of the President, Vice-President, or certain other government officials an act of treason, and punishable by death. The provision was also introduced that the offender should be tried by the Federal Courts, thus removing such cares from the jurisdiction of State courts at the place of the occurrence.