CONQUEST (Lat. eanquiro, to seek for), In Feudal Law. Purchase ; any means of obtaining an estate out of the usual course of inheritance.
The estate itself so acquired.
According to Blackstone and Sir Henry Spelmon, the word in its original' meaning was entirely dis sociated from any connection with the modern ides of military subjugation, but was used solely in the sense of purchase. It ie difficult and quite less to attempt a decision of the question which has arisen, whether it was applied to William's ae quieition of England in its original or its popular meaning. It must be allowed to a very rea sonable explanation of the derivation of the mo dern signification of the word, that it was still used at that time to denote a technical purchase, the prevalent method of purchase then, and for quite a long period subsequently, being by driving off the occupant by superior strength. The operation of making a conquest, as illustrated by William the Conqueror, was no doubt often afterwards repeated by his followers on a smaller scale; and thus the modern signification became established. On the other hand, it would be much more difficult to de-. rive a general signification of purchase from the limited modern one of military subjugation. But the whole matter must remain mainly conjectural; and it is undoubtedly going too far to say, with Burrill, that tho meaning assigned by Blackstone is "demonstrated," or, with Wharton, that the saws meaning is a "mere idle ingenuity." Fortunately,
the question is not of the slightest importance in any respect.
In International Law. The acquisition of the sovereignty of a country by force of arms, exercised by an independent power which reduces the vanquished to the submis sion of its empire.
It is a general rule that, where conquered countries have laws of their own, those laws remain in force after the conquest until they are abrogated, unless contrary to religion at mala in se. In this case, the laws of the con queror prevail. 1 Story, Coast. Q 150.
The conquest and occupation of a part of the territory .of the United States by a public enemy renders such conquered territory dur ing such occupation a foreign country with respect to the revenue laws of the United States. 4 Wheat. 246; 2 Gall. C. C. 486. The people of a conquered territory change their allegiance, but not their relations to each other. 7 Pet. 86. Conquest does not per se give the conqueror plenum dominion et utile, but a temporary right of possession and government. 2 Gall. C. C. 486 ; 3 Wash. C. C. 101; 8 Wheat. 591; 2 Bay, So. C. 229; 2 Dall. 1; 12 Pet. 410.
The right which the English government claimed over the territory now composing the United States was not founded on conquest, but discovery. Story, Const. ?. 152 et seq.
In Scotch Law. Purchase. Bell, Diet.; 1 Kaimes, Eq. 210.