coalItion

[Fr. coalition; Low Lat, coalitio, from coalitum, sup. of coalesco =to coalesce, to unite.] 1. Ord. Lang.: A union or coalescing of separate bodies into one body or ma . "The world's a ma of heterogeneous consistencies, and every part thereof a coalition of distinguishable varieties." Granville. 2. Polit .: A combination for temporary purposes of persons, parties, or states having different interests. ". the only effect of a coalition between them must have been that one of them would have become the tool of the other." -Macaulay: Hist . Eng ., ch. xiii. 3. French Law : An unlawful agreement among several persons not to do a thing except upon some conditions agreed upon. The most usual coalitions are: (1) Those which take place among master workmen to reduce, diminish, or fix at a low rate the wages of journeymen and other workmen. (2) Those among workmen or journeymen not to work except at a certain price. The offense is punishable by fine and imprisonment. In this country these combinations of employers and employes have been unmolested until a recent decision of the United States court seemed to fix upon them the stigma of conspiracy and unlawfulne .