§2384. Seditious conspiracy

If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, 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 contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 808 ; July 24, 1956, ch. 678, §1, 70 Stat. 623 ; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(N), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148 .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §6 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §6, 35 Stat. 1089 ).

Amendments

1994-Pub. L. 103–322 substituted "fined under this title" for "fined not more than $20,000".

1956-Act July 24, 1956, substituted "$20,000" for "$5,000", and "twenty years" for "six years".

Effective Date of 1956 Amendment

Section 3 of act July 24, 1956, provided that: "The foregoing amendments [amending this section and section 2385 of this title] shall apply only with respect to offenses committed on and after the date of the enactment of this Act [July 24, 1956]."

Canal Zone

Applicability of section to Canal Zone, see section 14 of this title.

Cross References

Alien advocates of overthrow of government, exclusion of, see section 1251 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality.

Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud United States or to impede or injure officer, see sections 371 and 372 of this title.

Federal retirement benefits, forfeiture upon conviction of offenses under this section, see section 8312 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Forfeiture of veterans' benefits upon conviction under this section, see section 6105 of Title 38, Veterans' Benefits.

Letters and writings containing matter advocating forcible resistance to any law of United States as nonmailable, see section 1717 of this title.

Officers aiding importation of books and articles containing matter advocating forcible resistance to any law of the United States, see section 552 of this title.

United States nationality as lost by attempting by force to overthrow or bearing arms against the United States, see sections 1481 to 1489 of Title 8, Aliens and Nationality.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 14 of this title; title 5 section 8312; title 8 section 1481; title 38 section 6105; title 50 App. section 34.