law. In any civil suit at common law where the amount in controversy is more than twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury is also preserved. Rules like these will be found in the jurisprudence of the several States. These rules, however, relate exclusively to the National tribunals. The Fourteenth Amendment declares that no State shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

451. Military Courts.-Cases arising in the military and naval service are tried in special courts called courts-martial. This is true of the militia also when they are employed in the public service in time of war or public danger. In all such cases as these the rule in regard to an indictment by a grand jury has no application.

452.

Treason.-Treason against the United States is either making war against them, or siding with their enemies, rendering them aid and comfort. No person can be convicted of this crime, which is considered the greatest of all crimes, except on the testimony of two witnesses to the same offense, or on his own confession of guilt in open court. Congress has enacted two modes of punishment for treason at the discretion of the judge trying the case. The traitor shall suffer death; or he shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not less than five years, be fined not less than $10,000, and be pronounced incapable of holding any office under the United States.

CHAPTER XXXV.

NEW STATES AND THE TERRITORIAL SYSTEM.

The American Government. Sections 584-597.

The Territorial System of the United States has played a very important part in their history. It is proposed in this chapter to show how it originated, and to describe its principal features.

453. The Original Public Domain.—At the time of the Revolution seven of the thirteen States claimed the wild lands lying west of the Alleghany Mountains and extending to the Mississippi River and the Northern Lakes. These were then National boundaries. · In time these States yielded their claims. When the Constitution was framed in 1787, the country northwest of the Ohio River had already come into possession of the Old Congress. The Southern cessions were made later. In general, the cessions to the Nation included both soil and jurisdiction-the ownership of the land and the right to govern the territory. The Northwestern cessions constituted the first Public Domain of the United States; that is, a territory belonging to the Nation in common. The Constitution gave Congress the power to dispose of the National territory, and to make all needful rules and regulations for its government. Before this, however, Congress had established a government over the existing domain, which was styled the Northwest Territory. 1

454.

Annexations.-Seven annexations of territory have been made to the United States: Louisiana purchase,

1 See Chapters V. and VI.

1803; Florida, 1819; Texas 1845; Oregon, 1846; the two Mexican annexations, 1848 and 1853, and Alaska, 1867. These annexations, with a single exception, were additions to the public domain and became at once subject to the control of Congress. This exception was Texas, which had been an independent power and was admitted to the Union as a State at once without passing through the Territorial probation. Subsequently Texas sold that part of her dominion which now forms the eastern part of the Territory of New Mexico to the United States.

455. Provision for New States.-The claimant States made their cessions of Western territory on the condition that, as rapidly as it became ready, such territory should be divided into new States to be admitted to the Union on an equality with the old ones. So a provision was inserted in the Constitution that authorized Congress to admit new States to the Union. But this was not all; some controversies had already arisen concerning the formation of new States out of old ones. So it was provided that no new State should be formed within the jurisdiction of any State, nor should any new State be formed by uniting two or more States, without the consent of the Legislatures concerned as well as of Congress.

456. Territories of the United States. In a broad sense the whole dominion of the United States is their territory, States and Territories alike. But in common usage the term territory is limited to so much of the whole dominion as has not been formed into States. Still further, as thus limited the word is employed in two senses. An organized Territory is a part of the dominion having prescribed boundaries and a fully developed Territorial Government. Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma are the only Territories of this class. An unorganized

Territory either has no government at all, or has a very rudimentary one carried on by officers sent from Washington. Thus civil government is administered in Alaska, which is an unorganized Territory, by a Governor and Commissioners appointed by the President and Senate.

Government of an Organized Territory.Such a government is set up by Congress. The Governor, Secretary, and Territorial Judges are appointed by the President for four years, and are paid from the National Treasury. The Legislature consists of a house of representatives and a council, the members of which are elected by the qualified voters of the territory. The Legislature legislates on subjects of local concern, subject to the Constitution and laws of the United States. For example, it may establish counties and townships and local self-government for the people. It may also establish a Territorial system of schools. The Governor exercises powers similar to those exercised by the Governor of a State, while the Secretary performs duties similar to those performed by a State Secretary of State. There are also a District Attorney and a Marshal appointed by the President. A Territory can not be represented in Congress or participate in the election of President and Vice-President. Still an organized Territory is permitted to send a delegate elected by the people to the House of Representatives, who may speak but not vote. It will be seen that the status of a Territory is in all respects inferior to that of a State. A Territory is an inchoate State.

458. Admission of New States.-This subject has been committed wholly to the discretion of Congress. Congress makes the boundaries of the State, fixes the conditions of admission, gives the State its name and

determines the time of admission. Congress settles some of the details in the act creating the Territory, and still others in a law providing for its admission called an Enabling Act. The principal steps to be taken are the following: First, the people of the Territory elect the members of a convention to frame a State constitution. Secondly, the convention thus elected performs the duty duly comnitted to it. Thirdly, the constitution is submitted to the people for their approval. Fourthly, Representatives and Senators are elected to represent the new State in Congress. Fifthly, comes the formal act of admission, which is sometimes performed by the President, who issues a proclamation to that effect in compliance with a law previously passed, and sometimes is performed by Congress passing an act called an act of admission.

459. States Admitted.-Thirty-two new States have been admitted to the Union. Vermont, Maine, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee were formed from old States and were never Territories. The facts in regard

to Texas have been stated already. The other States, twenty-six in number, have been formed from the public domain; and, save California alone, have passed through the Territorial probation.

460. Indian Territory.-Some sixty years ago this Territory was set apart and dedicated by Congress as a home for so-called civilized tribes of Indians. Many tribes and portions of tribes were removed there from east of the Mississippi River. The Indians keep up their tribal organization of government, but they are subject to the general oversight of Congress. There is a United States court in the Territory, which exercises jurisdiction over offenses committed against the laws of Congress so far as they are applicable.