aid and comfort

1 definition found

aid and comfort - Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) :

  AID AND COMFORT. The constitution of the United States, art. 8, s. 3,
  declares, that adhering to the enemies of the United States, giving them aid
  and comfort, shall be treason. These words, as they are to be understood in
  the constitution, have not received a full judicial construction. They
  import, however, help, support, assistance, countenance, encouragement. The
  word aid, which occurs in the Stat. West. 1, c. 14, is explained by Lord
  Coke (2 just. 182) as comprehending all persons counselling, abetting,
  plotting, assenting, consenting, and encouraging to do the act, (and he
  adds, what is not applicable to the Crime to treason,) who are not present
  when the act is done, See, also, 1 Burn's Justice, 5, 6; 4 Bl. Com. 37, 38.