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Is it, or not, a violation of the 6th section of the act of Congress, pas:sed on the 20th of April, 1B 18, en ti tied "An act in addition to an acl for lhe punishment of certain crimes against the United States, and to repeal the acts therein mentioned," that meetings should be held in this dislricl, anrl committees appointed to provide means and make collections for the purpose of enabling the inhabitants of Texas to engage in a civil war with the sovereignty of Mt:,ico, now at peace wilh lhe United Stales? Gideon Tucker. To which proposition the court replied as follows: In answering the foregoing inquiry, the court will confine itself lo the facts stated, and the section of the law referred to. The inquiry is, whether meetings held in this district, (or Stale,) and committees appointed to provide means and make collections for the purpose of enabling the inhabitants of Texas lo engage in a civil war with the sovereignty of .Mexico, is a violation. of the section of the law referrd lo? That section of the act is as follows: "And be it further enacted, That if any person shall, within the territory or jurisdiction of the United States, begin to set on foot, or provide or prepare the means for, any military expedition or enterprise, to be carried on from thence against the territory or dominions of any foreign prince or State, or of any colony, district, or people with whom the United Stales are at peace, every pen;on so offending shall be deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and shall be fined not exceeding three thousand dollars, and imprisoned not more than three years." This seclion applies only to military expeditions and enterprises to be carried on from the United States against any foreign Power with which we are al peace. No person shall begin or set on foot, or provide or prepare the means for, any military expedition or enterprise, lo be carried on from thence; that is, from the United States, or the territory within their jurisdiction. Donations in money, or any thing else, to the inhabitants of Texas, to enable them to engage in a civil war with the soeereignty of Mexico, is in no sense beginning, or selling on fool, or providing the means for, a military expedit~on from the Uni~ed States or their territory. The answer, therefore, to the question put by the grand jury, is, Thal_ the ~acts stated. to not amount lo any offence, under the 6th scct,011 of the ad referred to.
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