Harold Hitz Burton

“ It has not even been suggested that a conflicting state definition could give a narrower scope to the offense than that given to it by Congress. We believe that, similarly, a conflicting state definition does not enlarge the scope of the offense defined by Congress. The Assimilative Crimes Act has a natural place to fill through its supplementation of the Federal Criminal Code, without giving it the added effect of modifying or repealing existing provisions of the Federal Code. ”

“ It is not disputed that this Indian reservation is 'reserved or acquired for the use of the United States, and under the exclusive or concurrent jurisdiction thereof,' [2] or that it is 'Indian country' within the meaning of Rev.Stat. § 2145. [3] This means that many sections of the Federal Criminal Code apply to the reservation, including not only the Assimilative Crimes Act, but also those making penal the offenses of rape, [4] assault with intent to commit rape, [5] having carnal knowledge of a girl, [6] adultery [7] and fornication. ”

“ The consequence is, that a great variety of actions, to which a high degree of moral guilt is attached, and which are punished as crimes at the common law, and by every State in the Union, may be committed with impunity on the high seas, and in any place where Congress has exclusive jurisdiction. ”