Daily American organ., 1856-03-14

roll up majority for Fillmore and Donclson that
will strike dismay to all selfish demagogues, and
cheer the heart Of every lover Of his country. Mr..
Broom retired amid prolonged cheers, and rounds
of applause.
Mr.. Meacham,s Bill.
A BILL defining the rights Of voters and the du-
ties of commissioners of elections, in the city of
Washington, and for for other purposes.
BE IL enacted by the Senate aud House of
Representatives Of the United States of An,erica
IN Congress assembled That from and after the
passage OF this act every free white male resident
OF the city OF Washington, (vagrants, paupers, fel
on5, and persons non compos montis excepted }
who shall have resided in the said city one year
immediately preceding the day of election and
who shall be citizen of the United States and
twenty-one years OF age at the time he offers to
vote, and shall have paid the schooltlx, and all
taxes on personal property due from him, shall be
entitled to vote in the ward of which he shall have
been for one month previous to the day Of cleo
tion, and is on the day thereof bona-fde resi-
dent, for Mayor, members of the Board of Alder
men aud Common Council Register Collector,
Surveyor Assessors, and such other officers as
may hereafter be made elective Provided That
in all cases where the person so otherwise entitled
and offering to vote, shall not have been resident
OF the particular ward in which he is resident bona
fide upon the day of election for the space of one
month Immediately previous thereto, that then such
person stall be entitled to vote in the ward in which
he last previously resided.
Sec. 2. And be 10 further enacted, That no per-
son shall be allowed to vote at any election as
aforesaid, unless he shall have been returned on
the books OF the corporation of said city as SUBJ
ject to schooltax and it shall be the duty of the
register OF said city, in addition to the names of
persons SO returned by the assessors of said city
upon satisfactory proof under OATH to be admins
tered by some justice OF the peace of the county
OF Washington, that the name of any such person
has been accidentally or wilfuly omitted from said
books, to place the thereon at any time after
he shall have received said books from the asses
sors, up to ten days before the said election and
in case any such person shall be absent from the
city at said tima under twentyone years of age,
and his name in consequence thereof be omitted
from said books, then upon his return, or becom-
ing Of age at any time after the day of registration,
and before the day of said election and upon salts
factory proof thereof made as aforesaid, the said
register shall place the of such person SO re-
turning on said books And If any person shall
knowingly swear falsely in the premises he shall,
upon indictment and conviction thereof before any
court competent to try the same, be adjudged
guilty OF wilful and corrupt perjury, and punished
accordingly.
SEC. 3. And be Il further enacted, That if any
commissioner of election shall refuse to receive the
vote OF faperson possessing the legal aquaicatons to
vote at such election prescribed in the 6rs and
second sections Of this act when called upon no
to do or shall in any other manner hinder or pre-
vent the legal exercise of the elective franchise in
said city OF Washington, he SHALL upon indictment
and conviction thereof before the criminal court of
the District of Columbia, he subject to imprison-
ment in the county jail for period of time not
exceeding six months, and to fine not exceeding
two hundred dollars in each case at the discretion
of the court, and shall thereafter be Ineligible to
lonryr rfS poda ~
liable in damages to the party whose vote shall be
SO rejected.
SEC. 4. 44nd be 1t further enacted That the
penalties prescribed in the foregoing sections of
this act shall apply to any commissioners or other
person appointed to superintend an election, who
may wilfully and knowingly receive, or permit to
be received, the vote of any person not legally
authorized to vote and also to any person or per-
| SONS who may wilfully disturb, modest, hinder or
interfere with said commissioners while in the dis
charge OF their duties, or who may wifuy disturb,
modest, hinder, or interfere with any voter while
at, going to the polls, and also to any person or
persons who may vote illegally, or more than once,
| at any municipal election and in making the re-
turns of any election to the Register of the city,
the commissioners or other persons appointed to
superintend said election, shall also make return
Of alxhe ballots cast on the occasion, to be secure
ly kept fg period Of at least two years.
! SEC. Sind be 1T further enacted. That In the
Joint meeting of the Board of Aldermen and Com
| mon Council for the appointment of commissioners
of elections, provided in the sixth section OF
the act approved May fifteenth, eighteen hundred
and twenty, entitled I" An act to incorporate the
inhabitants of the city of Washington, and to re-
peal all acts heretofore passed for that purpose
no member of either board shall be entitled to vote
| for more than two of the three commissioners TO
be elected for each ward or election precinct and
in all cases the three persons having the highest
number of votes shall be declared duly elected
SIC. 8. And be it further enacted That it shall
be the duty of the city corporation to provide at
1 least two election precincts in each ward, to Ap-
point commissioners to superintend elections ia the
same, and to adopt such other regulations as may
be necessary to give full force and effect to this
! section.
| SEC. Z. And be IL further enacted That it shall
be the duty of the register of the CITY to furnish
the commissioners of election in each ward or cleo
ton precinct, previous to opening the polls al
every election, list of the persons who shall have
paid the taxes due from them, provided in the
first and second sections of this act SO as to fac
tate said commissioners in the discharge Of their
duties !: Prouided however, that this section shall
not have the effect to exclude from voting any one
who possessing the qualifications REQUIRED by the
first section OF this act shall exhibit receipt show
ing all taxes due from him to have been paid.
SEC. And be if further enacted, That ut all
elections to be held in the city of Washington for
municipal officers, the polls shall be opened At
o'clock, A. NJ, and closed at o'clock, P. NJ and
that all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with
this act are hereby repealed
The Americans of st. Louis, tMo. held mass
meeting in that city, on Monday night, March IL
and ratified the nominations Of Fillmore and Don.
elson. hss
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