8537. TREATIES, Laws of the land.—
Treaties are legislative acts. A treaty is a
law of the land. It differs from other laws
only as it must have the consent of a foreign
nation, being but a contract with respect to
that nation. In all countries, I believe,
except England, treaties are made by the
legislative power; and there, also, if they
touch the laws of the land, they must be approved
by Parliament. * * * An act of
Parliament was necessary to validate the
American treaty of 1783.—
Parliamentary Manual.
Washington ed. ix, 80.
