State

each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the United States; (j) "identification" means

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n. A body politic or society of men, united together for the purpose of promoting their mutual safety and advantage, by the joint efforts of their combined strength. Co.oley, Const. Lim. 1. One of the component commonwealths or states of the United States of America. The people of a state, in their collective capacity, considered as the party wronged by a criminal deed; the public; as in the title of a cause, "The State vs. A. B." The section of territory occupied by one of the United Stains.

— Foreign state. A foreign country or nation. The several United Slates are considered "foreign" to each other except as regards their relations as common members of the Union.

— State's evidence. See Evidence.

— State officers. Those whose duties concern the slate at large or the general public, or who are authorized to exercise their official functions throughout the entire state, without limitation to any political subdivision of the state. In another sense, officers belonging to or exercising authority under one of the states of the Union, as distinguished from the officers of the United States. See In re Police Com'rs, 22 In I. 654, 49 Atl. 36; State v. Burns, 38 Fla. 378, 21 South. 290; People v. Nixon, 158 N. Y. 221, 52 N. E. 1117.

— State paper. A document prepared by, or relating to, the political department of the government of a state or nation, and concerning or affecting the administration of its government or its political or international relations. Also, a newspaper, designated by public authority, as the organ for the publication of public statutes, resolutions, notices, and advertisements.

— State tax. A tax the proceeds of which are to be devoted to the expenses of .the state, as distinguished from taxation for local or municipal purposes. See Youngblood v. Sexton, 32 Mich. 413, 20 Am. Rep. 654; State v. Auditor of State, 15 Ohio St. 482.

— State trial. A trial for a political offense.

— State Trials. A work in thirty-three volumes octavo, contuining all English trinis for offenses against the state and others partaking in. some degree of that character, from the ninth year of Hen. II. to the first of Geo. IV.

To set down or set forth; to relate at length, or in full; to express in words the particulars of a matter; to mention in general terms, or by way of reference State a case: to agree upon the facts of a case and to submit the case for decision. State an account: to exhibit the items of which an account is composed.

n. 1. A body of people united under a distinct government; an organized community; a government of a united people, deriving authority from In this definition is contemplated the use of the word in general public law, and without reference to the associations which have gathered around it in America. In this more general use, it is not very distinctly distinguishable from nation, except that the latter pre- ' sents more definitely the idea of independence and equality among other nations. State is quite distinguishable from the terms empire and kingdom (and from republic (q. ».), in one of its senses), in that they imply something as to the form of government, which state does not. It has much the same meaning as "commonwealth," and as "republic," in its more general sense. State is, moreover, used sometimes so as to point more to the body of people considered as united under one distinct government, and sometimes more to the government considered as maintained by and ruling a distinct people, and sometimes more to the territory which a distinct people inhabit. It embodies the combined ideas of people, territory, and government, — one being sometimes prominent, sometimes another. It is distinguished fi'om city, municipality, and all affiliated words, in that these are governments existing by authority or permission of a superior national government. This is not implied in designating a state; if there is any superior government erected, which controls a state, the fact must be learned independently: it is not suggested by the term. 2. In American constitutional law, the word state has gathered associations which are not to be considered as changing its meaning as a term, but deserve distinct notice. The supreme court has defined it, in the sense in which it ordinarily occurs in the constitution, as meaning a political community of fiee citizens living in a. territory of defined boundaries, and organized under a government authorized and limited by a written constitution, adopted by the will of the people; but in the clause of the constitution which provides that the United States shall guarantee to every state in the Union a republican form of used to express the idea of a people or political community, as distinguished from the government. Texas v. White, 7 Wall. 700. It designates, moreover, a member of the Union; and does not, when accurately used, include a territory, though organized, or the District of Columbia, 'or even the organized Indian tribes; though by special provision, and to save repetition in a particular statute, the territories and the District of Columbia may be allowed to be understood where only " state " is mentioned. A state must be a member of the Union. It is not enough to be an organized political body within the limits of the Union. Scott V. Jones, 5 How. 3i3, 377; Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 5 Pet. 1, 18. Territories are not states, within the meaning of the judiciary act of Sept. 24, 1789. Scott V. Jones, 5 How. 343. The term state, when used in the constitution of the United States, is coniined to members of the confederacy, and does not include territories. Seton v. Hanham, R. M. CharU. 374. The exception in the Alabama statute of limitations, that where the debtor is absent from the state at the time the cause of action accrues, suit may be brought " after his return into the state," means after his return within the jurisdiction of the state, where the process of the courts of the state will run. A removal to the Indian nation, where the process of the courts of Alabama did not run, was held not to be a return within the state, although within its territorial limits, in Smith v. Bond, 8 Ala. 386. Provisions of a state constitution prohibiting the state from engaging in works of internal improvement, do not forbid authorizing taxation to pay municipal bonds in aid of railroads, because it is well settled that such prohibitions restrict the state as an entirety only, and do not bind the various municipalities within the state. Talcott V. Township of Pine Grove, 1 Bench 4r Bar, s. s. 50. The phrase, out of any particular state, was construed to mean out of " any one of the United States," in United States v. Pirates, 5 Wheat. 184. State trial. This phrase may well be used to denote any trial in which the prosecution is conducted by the government, or by the attorney-general ex officio. It has not, however, been much used of government prosecutions in America. In England, its use is more common; but only the most important of such trials are generally called by trials is that which is known as Howell's State Trials, consisting of thirty-four volumes, and continued to the reign of George IV.

government. This word ig used in various senses.

In its most enlarged sense, it signifies a self-sufficient body of persons united together in one community for the defence of their rights, and to do right and justice to foreigners.

In this sense, the state means the whole people united into one body politic, (q- v.); and the state, and the people of the state, are equivalent expressions. 1 Pet. Cond. Rep. 37 to 39; 3 Dall. 93; 2 Dall. 425; 2 Wilson’s Lect. 120; Dane’s Appx. § 50, p. 63..

In a more limited sense, word state expresses merely the positive or actual organization the legislative, executive, or judicial powers; thus the actual government of the state is designated by the name of the state; hence the expression, the state has passed such a law, or prohibited such an act. State also means the section of territory occupied by a state, as the state of Pennsylvania. Vide, generally, Mr. Madison’s report in the legislature of Virginia, January, 1800; 1 Story’s Com. on Const. § 208; 1 Kent, Com. 189, note b; Grotius, B. 1, c. 1, 8.14; Ib. B. 3, c. 3, s. 2; Bur- Jamaqui, vol. 2, pt. 1, c. 4, s. 9; Vattel, B. 1,c. 1; 1 Toull. n. 202, note (1); Nation; Cicer. de Repub. l. 1, 5. 25.