American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-04-25

or previous condition of slavery, Of
involuntary servitude, except as pun
ishment for crime, whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted, and . the
prompt discharge of the duties of this
act, it shall be the duty Of the Circuit
Courts OF the United States, and the Su-
perior Courts. of the Territories of the
United States, from time to time, to in-
crease the number of Commissioners, so
as to afford speedy and convenient
means for the arrest and examination of
persons charged with violation of this
act.
Sec. s.. That said Commissioners shall
have concurrent jurisdiction with the
Judges of the Circuit and District Courts
of the United States, and the Judges Of
the Superior Courts of the Territories,
severally and collectively, in term time
and vacation, upon satisfactory proof be-
ing made, to issue warrants and precepts
Tor arresting and bringing before them
all offenders against the provisions of
this act, and, on examination, to dis
charge, admit to bail, or commit them
for trial, as the facts may warrant.
Sec. G. And such Commissi oners are
hereby authorized and required to exer-
else all the powers and duties conferred
on them by this act, and the same duties
with regard to the offenses created by
this act as they are authorized hy law to
exercise with regard to other offenses
against the laws of the United States
That it shall be the duty of the Marshals
and Deputy Marshals to obey and exc
cute all warrants and precepts issued un-
der the provisions of this act, when to
them dire ected, and should any Marshal
or Deputy Marshals refuse to receive
such warrant or process when rendered or
to use all proper means diligently to ex-
ecute the same, he shall, on conviction
thereof, be fined in the sum of one thous-
and dollars, to the use of the person up
on whom the accused is alleged to have
committed the offense and the better to
enable the Commissioners to execute
their duties faithfully and efficiently, in
conformity with the Constitution of the
United States and the requirements of
this act, they are hereby authorized and
empowered, within their counties respec-
lively, to appoint, in writing under their
hands, any one or more suitable persons
from time to time,y to execute all such
warrants and other process as may be is
sued by them in the lawful performance
of their respective duties, and the per-
sons so appointed to execute any warrant
OF process as aforesaid shall have author
ity to summon and call to their aid the
bystandcfs, or posse eomitatus of theprcp-
er county, Or such portion of the land or
naval forces of the United States or of
the militia as may be necessary to the per-
formance of the duty with which they
are charged, and to insure faithful OBJ
servance of the clause of the Constitu-
ton which prohibits Slavery in conform
ity with the provisions Of this. act and
said warrants shall run and BE- executed
by said officers anywhere in tho State or
Territory within which they are issued
Sec. 7. That any person who shall
knowingly and wrongfully obstruct, him
der, or prevent aay officer or other per-
son charged with the execution of any
warrant or process issued under the pro-
visions of this act, or any persons law
fully assisting him or them, from arrest
ing any person for whose apprehension
such warrant or process may have been
issned, or shall rescue or attempt to res.
cue such person from the custody of the
officer, or person or persons, or those law
fully assisting as aforesaid when so arres-
ted, persuant to the authority herein
given and declared, or shall aid, abet, or
assist any person so arrested as aforesaid,
directly or indirectly, to escape from the
custody of the officer or other persons le-
gally authorized as aforesaid, or shall
harbor or conceal any person for whom
warrant or process shall have been is
sued as aforesaid, so as to prevent his dis
covery and arrest after notice or knowl-
edge of the fact that parrant has been
issued for the apprehension of such per-
son, shall, for either of said offences, be
subject to fine not exceeding 81 900 and
imprisonment not exceeding six months,
by Indictment before the District Court
of the United States for the district in
which said offense may have been COM
mitted, or .hafore the proper court Of Grim
inal jurisdiction, if committed within
any one Of the organized Territories of
the United States.
Sec. 8. That the District Attorneys,
IL IL