Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-04-28

shall violate the provisions OF this Act, and
cause him or them to be arrested and imprs-
oncd, or bailed, as the case may be, for trial
before such Court of the United States or Ter
ritorial Court as by this Act has cognizance
of the offence and with view to affording
reasonable protection to all persons in their
constitutional rights of equality before the
law, without distinction of race or color, or
previous conditions of slavery or involuntary
seryitude except as punishment for crime,
whereof the party shall have been duly oon-
victed; and to the prompt discharge of the
duties of this Act, it shall be the duty of the
Circuit Courts Of the United States, and the
Superior Courts of the Territories of the Uni.
ted States, from time to time, to increase the
number Of Commissioners, SO as to afford
speedy ana 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, scvcralIy and collectively,
in term time and vacation, upon satisfactory
| proof being made, to issue warrants and pre-
ccpts for arrcstiug and bringing before them
all offenders against the provisions Of this Act,
and, on examination, to discharge, admit to
bail or commit for trial, as the facts may war
rant. a.
SEc, s. THAT such Commissio oners areherc,-
Nj S,19 Ind iEa
on them by THIS Act, and the same duties
with regard to offences created by this Act as
they are authorized by law to exercise with re-
| gard to other offences against the laws of
the United States that it shall be the duty
of all Marshals and Deputy Marshals to obey
and execute all warrants and precepts issued
under the provisions Of this Act, when to them
directed and should any Marsha! or Deputy
Marshal refuse to receive such warrant or other
process. when rendered, or to use all proper
me-: rs diligently to execute the same, he shall,
on conviction thereof, be fined in the sum Of ono
thousand dollars, to the use of the person up
on whom the accused is alleged to have com
mittud the offence; and the better to enable
! the said Commissioners to execute their duties
faithfully and efficiently, in conformity with
the Constitution of rhc United States and the
requirements Of this Act, they are hereby au-
thorizcd and empowered, within their counties
respectively, to appoint in writing, under their
hands, any one or more suitable persons, FROM
time to time, to execute such warrants and
other process as may be issued by them in the
laW,ful performance of their respective duties;
and the persons SO appointed to execute any
warrant or process as aforesaid, shall have au-
thority to summon and call to their aid the
bystandcrs or posse comatatus of the proper
county, or such portion of the land or naval
forces of tho United States, or of the militia.
as may be necessaryto the performance of the
duty with which they are charged and to in
sure faithful observance of the clause Of the
Constitution which prohibits slavery, in con
formity with the provisions of this Act; and
said warrants shall run to be executed by said
officers anywhere in the State or Territory
j within which they arc issued.
I SEC. 7. That any person who shall know
ingly and wilfulIy obstruct, hinder or prevent
any officer or other person charged with the
execution of any warrant or process issued
under the provisions of this Act, or any per-
son or persons lawfully assisting him or them,
from arrestng any person whose apprehension
such warrant or process may have been issued,
or shall rescue or attempt to rescue such per-
son from the custody of the officer, other per-
son or persons, or those lawfully assisting as
aforesaid, when so arrested in pursuance to
the authority herein given and declared, or
shall aid, abct, or assist any person so arrested
as aforesaid, directly or indirectly, to escape
from the custody Of the officer or other person
legally authorized as aforesaid, or shall harbor
or conceal any person for whose arrest a war