Article III, Section 3. (click here) Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
And the authority of a King or Queen wasn't the issue as it was in England, but, of the sovereignty of a nation. Very different. A nation is not threatened with 'its life' as a human being would be, however, it is threatened when its instutions aren't functioning and become adverse to the citizens.
An Anti-War Protest or act of journalism would never be considered treason, but, the deliberate act of the abuse of power, such as perscribed propaganda that leads to adversity of the nation would definately be treason.
Not just treasonous, but, actual deletarious impacts on the nation.
One might ask if the acts of a person is about 'control' of the nation in an adverse way. Such as the difference between Bradley Manning, Julian Assange and Rupert Murdoch. One might focus on THE TRUTH and what effects the 'acts' of all three of these people actually played in deleterious acts against the government. Either they are all freedom of speech or not.
