Sedition

the stirring up of disorder in the state, tending toward treason, but lacking an overt act.

In criminal law. The raising commotions or disturbances in the state. 195 Mich. 293. It is a revolt against legitimate authority. Ersk. Inst. 4. 4. 14; Dig. 49. 16. 3. § 19, not amounting to insurrection. Excitement of discontent against the government, or of resistance to lawful authority; conduct tending to treason, but without an overt act. 195 Mich. 293. The distinction between "sedition" and "treason" consists in this, that though the ultimate object of sedition is a violation of the public peace, or at least such a course of measures as evidently engenders it, yet it does not aim at direct and open violence against the laws, or the subversion of the constitution. Alis. Crim. Law, 580. The obnoxious act of July 14, 1798 (1 Story, U. S. Laws, 543), was called the "sedition law," because its professed object was to prevent disturbances. Verbal sedition, or the uttering of words tending to create discord between the king and his people; real sedition is generally committed by convocating together any considerable number of people, without lawful authority, under the pretense of redressing some public grievance, to the disturbing of the public peace. Ersk. Inst. 4. 4. 14.

In Criminal Law. The raising commotions or disturbances in the state; it is a revolt against legitimate authority. Erskine, Inst. 4. 4. 14. According to the English criminal libel act of 1820, it is to compose, print or publish any words tending to bring into hatred or contempt the king, government, or either house of parliament, or to incite subjects to attempt the alteration of any matter in church or state as by law established, otherwise than by lawful means. No act is seditious unless its full consequences are felt over considerable area or felt by a considerable number of persons. It does not include an isolated breach of the peace. It is sufficient that the acts or words tend to produce the result. An attempt to incite mutiny in the army and navy is seditious. Certain ancient forms of sedition were punished under the writ of prcemunire which is now practically obsolete. See Odgers, C. L. 149; Riot. The distinction between sedition and treason consists in this: that though the ultimate object of sedition is a violation of the public peace, or at least such a course of measures as evidently engenders it, yet it does not aim at direct and open violence against the laws or the subversion of the constitution. Alison, Crim. Law 580. The obnoxious and obsolete act of July 14, 1798, 1 Story, Laws 543, was called the sedition law, because its professed object was to prevent disturbances.

An insurrectionary movement tending towards treason, but wanting an overt act; attempts made by meetings or speeches or by publications, to disturb the tranquillity of the state. The distinction between "sedition" and "treason" consists in this: that though the ultimate object of sedition is a violation of the public peace, or at least such a course of measures as evidently engenders it, yet it does not aim at direct and open violence against the laws or the subversion of the constitution. Alis. Crim. Law, 580.

In Scotch law. The raising commotions or disturbances in the state. It is a revolt against legitimate authority. Ersk. Inst. 4, 4, 14.

In English law. Sedition ls the offense of publishing, verbally or otherwise, any words or document with the intention of exciting disaffection, hatred, or contempt against the sovereign, or the government and constitution of the kingdom, or either house of parliament, or the administration of Justice, or of exciting his majesty's subjects to attempt, otherwise than by lawful means, the alteration of any matter in church or state, or of exciting feelings of ill wlll and hostility betwcen different classes of his majesty's subjects. Sweet And sce State v. Shepherd, 177 Mo. 205, 76 S. W. 79, 99 Am. St. Rep. 624.

— Seditions libel. See Libel.

An offense speeches or publications, excite discontent treason, but wanting

An offence, tending towards treason, but wanting the overt act. See. A bishop's dignity or jurisdiction. See,^.. seat.

Conduct tending towards treason, but wanting an overt act; attempts made, by meetings or speeches, or by publications, to disturb the tranquillity of the state, which do not amount to treason. All contempts against the sovereign and the government, and riotous assemblies for political purposes, may be ranked under the head of sedition. In the Scotch law, sedition is distinguished from leasing making, in that leasing making consists of libellous attacks upon the private character of the sovereign, while sedition is directed against the government and constitution. Bell.

crimes, consists in of an estate of freehold; seisin was _ the raising commotions or distur- used in contradistinction to that prebances in the state;. it is a revolt carious kind of possession by which against legitimate authority. Ers- tenants in villenage held their lands, kine, Princ. Laws Scotl. b.4, t. 4, which was considered to be the pos- 8.14; Dig. Lib. 49, t. 16,1]. 3, §19. session of their lords in whom the The obnoxious and obsolete act of freehold continued. Scisin is either July 14, 1798, 1 Story’s Laws U. in fact or in law. Where a freehold S. 543, was called the sedition law, estate is conveyed to a person by because its professed object was to feoffinent, with livery of scisin, or by prevent disturbances. Inthe Scotch any of those conveyances which delaw, scdition is either verbal or real. rive their effect from the statute of Verbal is inferred from the uttering uses, he acquires a scisin indeed or of words tending to create discord in fact, anda freehold in deed: but between the king and his people; where the frechold comes to a perreal sedition is generally committed son by act of law, as by descent, he by convocating together any consi- only acquires a scisin in law, that derable number of people, without is, a right of possession, and his eslawful authority, under the pretence tate is called a freehold in law. The of redressing some public grievance, seisin in law, which the heir acto the disturbing of the public peace. quires on the death of his ancestor, Ersk. et supra. may be defeated by the entry of a