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boundaries of Texas and the Louisiana purchase, and south of Oregon Territory. From these lands were subsequently organized the States of California, Nevada, and Utah, and the Territories of Arizona and New Mexico; and portions of the States of Colorado and Wyoming lie within the limits of that tract.

Texas was admitted as a State, in 1845, by annexation. California was admitted as a State, without having passed through the preliminary stage of territorial existence, in 1850. Nevada was originally organized as a Territory in 1861, and was admitted as a State in 1864.

Portions of the States of Colorado and Kansas, and the Territory of New Mexico, were included in the original limits of Texas, but were ceded by that State to the United States.

West Virginia was originally a part of Virginia; it was set off from that State and admitted to the Union as a sovereign State, in 1863.

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CHAPTER X.

TREASON

REASON is the crime of disloyalty to a government; it can be committed only by a person who owes allegiance to said government. Under the Constitution treason against the United States is defined to consist "only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort."

Under the laws of the United States, passed in conformity with the provisions of the Constitution, treason is punishable with death, or imprisonment for a term of not less than five years, and a fine of not less than $10,000, and the convicted person is forever debarred from the right to hold office under authority of the United States; and his slaves, provided he had any, were by the law of 1862 to be declared free.

Misprision of treason is the concealment of the crime by any person who knows that it has been committed, and who by such concealment becomes an accessory thereto.

A citizen accused of treason must be tried in one of the Circuit Courts of the United States, having first been indicted by a United States grand jury.

Several of the States have constitutional provisions for the punishment of the crime of treason against the State; but prosecutions of this nature, on behalf of a State, are very rare.

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CHAPTER XI.

TARIFFS AND CUSTOM-HOUSES

TARIFF is a law providing for and regulating the imposition of duties to be paid on goods imported from a foreign country.

A fiscal tariff, or a tariff for revenue only, is one which makes provision only for the raising of money to carry on the government. A protective tariff is one which adjusts the duties to be paid on imports in such a way as to hinder the competition of foreign goods and products with the goods and products of the country into which such articles are to be imported.

Ad valorem duties are those which are laid on imported goods with sole regard to the cost or value of the commodities in the country in which they are produced. Specific duties. are those which are laid upon goods without reference to cost, the duty being levied and collected solely with reference to weight, measurement, or quantity.

Custom-houses are United States establishments for the collection of the duties levied upon imported goods. These were formerly situated only at seaports, as the principal import trade with foreign countries is carried on by sea; but since the growth of the Republic has developed many large cities in the interior, custom-houses are now established in all the great centres of population; and foreign goods imported by sea are transported to the interior under certain conditions, and the duties are collected thereon at the custom-house of the district to which the goods are consigned.

The entire Republic is divided into collection districts; the chief officer of each district is a collector of customs; and he is assisted in his duties by other officers of varying degrees of importance and responsibility; in the more important districts these officers are numerous and their duties are important.

In addition to the duty of collecting the revenues arising from the customs, the officers of each collection district are charged with many other duties regarding the commercial marine of the United States. All vessels of American build, doing business in the waters of the United States, or engaged in foreign trade, must be enrolled in the custom-house of the

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