Assembly

An intentional meeting, gathering, or concourse of people: of three or > United States v. Hand, 3 Wash. 437 (1810), Washington, J.; United States v. Ortega, 4 id.

534 (1825); Drew V. Comstock, 57 Mich. 181 (1885). ' Traver v. State, 43 Ala. 356 (1869), Peck, C. J.; Hays V. People, 1 Hill, 353-53 (N. Y., 1841). »Cal. Penal Code, § 340; People d.

Gordon, 70 Cal ' 468 (1886). * People V. Devine, 59 Cal. 680 (1881). more persons in one body; — of any number of persons in one place.

Assemblage.

May be composed o( things as well as persons.* — respects things only,^ Lawful assembly. Any congregating of people or citizens directed or permitted by the law of the place.

Civil assembly

A meeting of persons for purposes of trade, amusement, worship, or the like.

Political assembly

Any meeting of persons required bs' the constitution and laws of the place: as, that of law-makers — whence "Assembly" and "General Assembly" — also, that of the Federal electors, and that of voters at "primary assemblies."

Assemblyman.

A. member of the legislature of a State — possibly, by restriction, of the lower house.

See Legislature.

Popular assembly

Any meeting of the people to deliberate over their rights and duties with respect to government; also, the House of Eepresentatives in Congress, and the more numerous body in the legislature of a State. " Congress shall make no law " prohibiting or abridging " the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." * The right of the people peaceably to assemble for lawful purposes existed long before the adoption of the Constitution. It is and always has been one of the attributes of citizenship under a free government. It was not therefore a right granted to the people by the Constitution. The government of the United States, when established, found it in existence with an obligation on the part of the States to affprd it protection. The First Amendment operates upon the National government alone.* See Petition, Bight of. In eveiy meeting assembled for a lawful purpose "there must necessarily exist an inherent power to preserve order and to remove by force any person who creates a disturbance. If it were not so, the guaranty of the constitution would be idle mockery. Beligious meetings, tor example, would lose their solemnity and usefulness if they could be turned into halls of disputation at the will of any individual.'

See Worship.

Unlawful assembly

When three or more do assemble themselves together to do an unlawful act,.. and part without ' Webster's Diet. ' Crabbe's Syn. ' Constitution, Amd. I. Eatifled Dec. 15, 1701. * United States v. Cruikshank, 93 U. S. 551-63 (1875), Waite, C. J. » Wall V. Lee, 36 N. Y. 142-46 (1865), cases. See also doing it or making any motion toward it.i See Mob; Riot; Rout.