Treason
| n. | 1. | The offense of attempting to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance, or of betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power; disloyalty; treachery. | |||
| 2. | Loosely, the betrayal of any trust or confidence; treachery; perfidy.
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| Noun | 1. | treason - a crime that undermines the offender's government Synonyms: high treason, lese majesty |
| 2. | treason - disloyalty by virtue of subversive behavior Synonyms: subversiveness, traitorousness | |
| 3. |  treason - an act of deliberate betrayal |
PETIT, TREASON, English law. The killing of a master by his servant; a husband by his wife; a superior by a secular or religious man. In the United States this is like any other murder. See High, Treason; Treason.
TREASON, crim. law. This word imports a betraying, treachery, or breach of
allegiance. 4 Bl. Com. 75.
2. The constitution of the United States, art. 3, s. 3, defines treason
against the United States to consist only in levying war (q.v.) against
them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid or comfort. This
offence is punished with death. Act of April 30th, 1790, 1 Story's Laws U.
S. 83. By the same article of the constitution, no person shall be convicted
of treason, unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act,
or on confession in open court. Vide, generally, 3 Story on the Const. ch.
39, p. 667; Serg. on the Const. ch. 30; United States v. Fries, Pamph.; 1
Tucker's Blackst. Comm. Appen. 275, 276; 3 Wils. Law Lect. 96 to 99; Foster,
Disc. I; Burr's Trial; 4 Cranch, R. 126, 469 to 508; 2 Dall. R. 246; 355; 1
Dall. Rep. 35; 3 Wash. C. C. Rep. 234; 1 John. Rep. 553 11 Johns. R. 549;
Com. Dig. Justices, K; 1 East, P. C. 37 to 158; 2 Chit. Crim. Law, 60 to
102; Arch. Cr. Pl. 378 to 387.