§ 540. Jurisdiction of district courts.-The district courts have jurisdiction as follows:

(1) Of all crimes and offenses cognizable under the authority of the United States, committed within their respective districts, or upon the high seas, the punishment of which is not capital, except in certain cases of frauds upon the California surveyorgeneral's office.

(2) Of all cases arising under any act for the punishment of piracy, when no circuit court is held in the district of such court.

(3) Of all suits for penalties and forfeitures incurred under any law of the United States.

(4) Of all suits at common law brought by the United States, or by any officer thereof authorized by law to sue.

(5) Of all suits in equity to enforce the lien of the United States upon any real estate for any internal revenue tax, or to subject to the payment of any such tax any real estate owned by the delinquent, or in which he has any right, title or interest.

(6) Of suits for the recovery of certain forfeitures or damages due to the United States.

(7) Of causes of actions arising under the postal laws of the United States.

(8) Of civil causes of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, saving to suitors in all cases the right of a common law remedy, where the common law is competent to give it; and of all seizures on land and on waters not within admiralty and maritime jurisdiction.

(9) Of prizes brought into the United States.

(10) Of suits by the assignee of any debenture for

drawback of duties, issued under any law for the collection of duties against the person to whom such debenture was originally granted, or against any indorser thereof to recover the amount of such debenture.

(11) Of suits authorized by law to be brought by any person for the recovery of damages on account of any injury to his person or property, or of the deprivation of any right or privilege of a citizen of the United States by any act done in furtherance of any conspiracy relative to civil rights.

(12) Of all suits at law or in equity authorized by law to be brought by any person to redress the deprivation under color of any law, ordinance, regulation, custom or usage of any state, of any right, privilege or immunity secured by the constitution of the United States, or of any right secured by any law of the United States to persons within the jurisdiction thereof.

(13) Of all suits to recover possession of any office, except that of elector of president or vice-president, representative or delegate in congress, or member of a state legislature, authorized by law to be brought, wherein it appears that the sole question touching the title to such office arises out of the denial of the right to vote to any citizen offering to vote, on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude; provided, that such jurisdiction shall extend only so far as to determine the rights of the parties to such office by reason of the denial of the right guaranteed by the constitution of the United States and secured by any law to enforce the rights of citizens of the United States to vote in all of the states.

(14) Of all proceedings by the writ of quo warranto, prosecuted by any district attorney, for the removal from office of any person holding office, except as a member of congress, or of a state legislature, contrary to the provisions of the third section of the fourteenth article of amendment of the constitution of the United States.

(15) Of all suits by or against any association established under any law providing for national banking associations within the district for which the court is held. [Repealed July 12, 1882.]

(16) Of all suits brought by any alien, for a tort only in violation of the law of nations, or of a treaty of the United States.

(17) Of certain suits against consuls or vice-consuls.

(18) The district courts are constituted courts of bankruptcy, and have in their respective districts original jurisdiction in all matters and proceedings in bankruptcy.

The district court has also concurrent jurisdiction of some matters cognizable in the court of claims.

§ 541. Jurisdiction of the court of claims.-This court was established for the purpose of regularly investigating claims against the government, and thereby relieving and protecting congress. It is composed of five judges, who sit at Washington.

The court is required to hear and determine, (1) all claims founded upon the constitution of the United States, or any law of congress except for pensions, or upon any regulation of an executive department; (2) all claims upon any contract, express or implied, with the government, or for damages in cases not

sounding in tort, in respect of which claims the party would be entitled to redress if the United States were suable, except war claims; (3) all counter demands of the government against any such claimant; (4) petition for adjustment of accounts by debtors of the United States; (5) certain questions that may be submitted by heads of departments, to obtain a precedent for their guidance. It also has jurisdiction in a number of minor matters not of general interest.

§ 542. Jurisdiction of the court of private land claims. This court was established in 1891 for the settlement of private titles to lands claimed under Spanish or Mexican grants. It is composed of five judges and sits in the western states and territories in which the lands lie. By the act establishing it the court ceases to exist Dec. 31, 1895. The details of its jurisdiction are not of general interest.

§ 543. United States commissioners.-As auxiliaries to the courts, United States commissioners are appointed by the judges of the circuits, and act as examining magistrates in hearing charges for violation of the laws of the United States, and where a probable case of guilt is made out they admit the accused to bail for his appearance before the court having jurisdiction of the offense, or if the offense ist not bailable commit the accused to prison. These commissioners have no jurisdiction to pronounce final judgment in any case.

§ 544. Courts of the territories and of the District of Columbia. These are not strictly a part of the federal judicial system. The provisions of the constitution relative to courts of the United States do not refer to courts of the territories. Upon admission of

a territory to the Union as a state, it is the state courts and not the federal courts that are the successors of the territorial courts. The jurisdiction of these courts is a matter of special interest only in the locality of the courts.

§ 545. State courts.-The organization and jurisdiction of the state courts are matters within the exclusive province of the legislatures of the several states, and it would be out of place here to attempt to consider the subject in detail. There are, however, some general features of the American state courts which are common to nearly all of them, and which should be noticed in outline at least. Some of these courts are of limited and inferior jurisdiction, and some are courts of general and superior jurisdiction.

§ 546. Jurisdiction of state courts.-Courts held by justices of the peace, mayors and police judges are courts of inferior and limited jurisdiction. In some civil matters involving small interests, in petty misdemeanors, the judgments of these courts are final, but where the matters involved are more important appeals lie from their judgments. These courts also have power to issue warrants for the ar rest of offenders of the higher grades, and after examination to discharge, admit them to bail, or where the crime is not bailable to commit them to jail to abide the finding of the grand jury, or the judgment of the court having final jurisdiction. In some of the states the courts of superior jurisdiction are divided and classified as chancery courts, common law courts (including civil and criminal courts) and probate courts, each having jurisdiction over such subjects as are implied by their names.