Nation

An Independent body politic; a society of men united together for the purpose of promoting their mutual safety and advantage by the joint efforts of their combined strength. But every combination of men who govern themselves independently of all others will not be considered a nation. A body of pirates, for example, who govern themselves, are not a nation. To constitute a nation, another ingredient is required. The body thus formed must respect other nations in general, and each of their members in particular. Such a society has her affairs and her interests; she deliberates and takes resolutions in common, — thus becoming a moral person, who possesses an understanding and will peculiar to herself, and is susceptible of obligations and rights. Vattel, Prelim. Ill, 2; 5 Pet. (U. S.) 52. See 1 Idaho (N. S.) 612.

An independent body politic. A society of men united together for the purpose of promoting their mutual safety and advantage by the joint efforts of their combined strength. But every combination of men who govern themselves independently of all others will not be considered a nation; a body of pirates, for example, who govern themselves, is not a nation. To constitute a nation, another ingredient is required. The body thus formed must respect other nations in general, and each of its members in particular. Such a society has its affairs and interests; it deliberates and takes resolutions in common, — thus becoming a moral person, who possesses an understanding and will and is susceptible of obligations and rights. Vattel, Prelim. §§ 1, 2; Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 5 Pet. (U. S.) 52, 8 L. Ed. 25. It belongs to the government to declare whether they will consider a colony which has thrown off the yoke of the mother-country as an independent state; and until the government have decided on the question, courts of justice are bound to consider the ancient state of things as remaining unchanged; Hoyt v. Gelston, 13 Johns. (N. Y.) 141; Gelston v. Hoyt, id. 561. See Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 5 Pet. (U. S.) 1, 8 L. Ed. 25; 1 Kent 22. In American constitutional law the word state is applied to the several members of the Union, while the word nation is applied to the whole body of the people embraced within the jurisdiction of the federal government, Cooley, Const. Lim. See Texas v. White, 7 Wall. (U. S.) 700, 19 L. Ed. 227.

Implies a body of men united together to procure their mutual safety and advantage by means of their union... ■' State " and " nation " frequently import the same thing.2 See State, 3. But " nation " is more nearly synonymous ^-ith **pe.ople." While a " state " may embrace different nations or peoples, a nation is sometimes so divided politically as to constitute several states.^ National. Belonging to, affecting, or pertaining to, a particular nation: as, national domicil, the national government. Often opposed to State, and nearly synonymous with Federal, q. v.: as, in national bank (q. v.), or national banking association. The word national was excluded from the Constitution because it might seem to present the idea of the union of the people without bringing into view that the one republic was formed out of many states. Toward foreign powers the country presented itself as one nation.* No bank or banker other than a national banking association, and except a savings bank authorized by Congress, may use the word " national " as a portion of its title." International. Concerning, or existing between, distinct nations or independent sovereignties: as, international — comity, commerce, copyright, extradition, qq. v. La'w of nations; international law. That law which regulates the conduct and mutual intercourse of independent states ' Carpenter v. Carpenter, 12 R. I. 548 (1880), Durfee, Chief Justice. ' Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 5 Pet, 52 (1881), Thompson, J.; Vattel, Law of Nations, § 1; Texas v. White, 7 Wall. 720 (1808). ' Cooley, Princ. Const. Law, 20, Const. Lim. 1; 1 Story, Const. § 207; Langford v. Monteith, 1 Idaho, 617 (1876). with each other, by reason and natural justioe.i A system of rules, deducible by natural reason, and established by universal consent among the civilized inhabitants of the world, in order to decide disputes, regulate ceremonies and civilities, and insure the ob- ■ servance of justice and good faith in their mutual intercourse. This general law is f oimded upon the principle that different nations ought in time of peace to do one another all the good they can, and in time of war as little harm as possible, without prejudice to their own real interests. And, as none of these states will allow a superiority in the other, no one can dictate or prescribe the rules of this law to the rest; but such rules must necessarily result from those principles of natural justice in whi(ih all the learned of every nation agree; or they depend upon mutual compacts or treaties, in the construction of which there is no judge to resort to but the law of nature and reason,— the only law in which all the parties are equally conversant and to which they are equally subject.^ International law is' part of the universal law of reason, justice, and conscience. ^ The principal offenses against the law of nations are: violations of safeconducts or passports; infringement of the rights of ambassadors; piracy; ^ injuring a state at peace with the United States by exercising a commission to serve a hostile state, arming a vessel to cruise for such hostile state, assisting its armed vessel or setting afloat a mihtary expedition for it.^ The nation injured by the subject of another first demands satisfaction and that justice be done on the offender by the state to which he belongs; and if that be refused, the sovereign then avows himself an abettor of his subject's crime." Public international law comprises the rights and duties of sovereign states toward each other. Private international law comprises the rights and duties of the subjects of different states toward each other — refers to the power of the state to act upon the persons and property within the limits of its own territoryj-' The rules of private international law are: 1. Every nation possesses an exclusive sovereignty and jurisdiction within its own territory — as to all property, persons, and contracts. 2. No state can, by its laws, directly affect or bind property out of its territory, or persons not resident therein. 3. Whatever force and obligation the laws of one country have in another depends solely upon the laws of the latter, that is, upon the comity exercised by it.' See Co MiTy; Disoovbbt, 1, Eight of; Indian; Merchant, Law; Poblioist; Theaty; Wab. ' 1 Bl. Com. xxiv, 43. 2 4 Bl. Com. 67-68. 3 Wilson V. Mc Namee, 103 U. S. 674 (1880). See Hogsheads of Sugar V. Boyle, 9 Cranch, 198 (1815); 1 Op. Att.-Gen. 27; 7 id. 18, 229; 37 Miss. 230. « Wharton, Cr. I;aw, 130.

A community or people permanently occupying a distinct territory, maintaining a government of their own, and recognized as independent of, and capable of dealing with, other sovereignties. National: affecting, or belonging, or pertaining to a nation. Nationality: character of a person, vessel, &c., as belonging to some sovereignty; membership of a nation. National bank; national banking association. The names of a class of institutions for banking purposes, created by laws of the United States, as distinguished from those organized under state laws. The statutes of the United States regulating the organization, conduct, and dissolution of national banking associations are contained in title