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Brickleberried t1_isvkojg wrote

> A crime, or misdemeanor, is an act committed, or omitted, in violation of a public either forbidding or commanding it. This general definition comprehends both crimes and misdemeanors; which, properly speaking, are mere synonymous terms; though in common usage the word 'crimes' is made to denote such offenses as are of a deeper and more atrocious dye; while smaller faults and omissions of less consequence are comprised under the gentler name 'misdemeanors'

And:

> Constitution. But the unanimous court, speaking by MR. CHIEF JUSTICE TANEY, held that "the words, 'treason, felony, or other crime,' in their plain and obvious import, as well as in their legal and technical sense, embrace every act forbidden and made punishable by the law of the State. The word 'crime' of itself includes every offense, from the highest to the lowest in the grade of offenses, and includes what are called 'misdemeanors,' as well as treason and felony."

> Most of the currently accepted definitions of the term "crime" are in harmony with the above statement of MR. CHIEF JUSTICE TANEY. Thus BISHOP, in his NEW CRIMINAL LAW, says, "A crime is any wrong which the govern- ment deems injurious to the public at large, and punishes through a judicial proceeding in its own name." ? 32. And again: "We have three degrees of crime,-the highest being called Treason, the intermediate grade Felony, and the name of the lowest being Misdemeanor." ? 602. BLACK'S LAW DIC- TIONARY says: "The better use appears to be to make crime a term of broad and general import, including both felonies and misdemeanors, and hence covering all infractions of the criminal law. In this sense it is not a technical phrase, strictly speaking (as 'felony' and 'misdemeanor' are), but a con- venient general term. In this sense, also, 'offense' or 'public offense' should be used as synonymous with it." BOUVIER'S LAW DICTIONARY defines "crime" as "An act committed or omitted in violation of a public law forbidding or commanding it * * * A wrong which the government notices as injurious to the public, and punishes in what is called a criminal proceeding in its own name." And the CENTURY DICTIONARY defines it as "An act or omission which the law punishes in the name and on behalf of the State, whether because expressly forbidden by statute or because so injurious to the public as to require punishment on grounds of public policy; an offense punishable by law."

All that is exactly what I said it was.

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CombyMcBeardz t1_isvxkec wrote

> though in common usage the word 'crimes' is made to denote such offenses as are of a deeper and more atrocious dye; while smaller faults and omissions of less consequence are comprised under the gentler name 'misdemeanors'

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