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Seditious Conspiracy Act, July 31, 1861
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seditious conspirAcy Act, July 31, 1861 U.S. Statutes at Large 12:284. Internal security concerns have been, are, and will continue to be an issue in the history of the united States, and the era of the Civil War was no exception. This act established the new federal crime of seditious conspiracy. less than treason (the only crime defined in the 1787 Constitution itself and punishable by death, Art. 3 §3), Congress sought to protect loyal officeholders in the Border and Southern states as well as punish those persons who actually took up arms to resist the authority of the union and the Constitution. Chapter XXXIII—An Act to define and punish certain Conspiracies. Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That if two or more persons within any State or Territory of the united States shall conspire together to overthrow, or to put down, or to destroy by force, the Government of the united States, or to levy war against the united States, or to oppose by force the authority of the Government of the united States; or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the united States; or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the united States against the will or contrary to the authority of the united States; or by force, or intimidation, or threat to prevent any person from accepting or holding any office, or trust, or place of confidence, under the united States; each and every person so offending shall be guilty of a high crime, and upon conviction thereof in any district or circuit court of the united States, having jurisdiction thereof, or district or supreme court of any Territory of the united States having jurisdiction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not less than five hundred dollars and not more than five thousand dollars; or by imprisonment, with or without hard labor, as the court shall determine, for a period not less than six months nor greater than six years, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Approved, July 31, 1861. ...