Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-04-20
@Aiseellanepna,
THE DISFRANCHISEME OF DE
SERTERS.

The following bill has been passed by both
Houses of the Pennsylvania Legislature:
A further supplement to the Election LdaCs
of the Commonwealth:
WHEREAS, By the act of the Congress of
the United States entitled, AN act to
amend the several acts heretofore passed to
provide for the enrolling and calling out the
national forces, and for other purposes,
and approved March third, one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-five, all persons who
have deserted the military or naval service
of the United States, and who have not been
discharged or relieved from the penalty or
disability therein provided, are deemed and
taken to have voluntarily relinquished and
forfeited their rights of citizenship and their
rights to become citizens, and are deprived
Of exercising any rights Of citizens thereof;
and
WHEREAS, Persons not citizens of the
United States are not, under the constitu-
tion and laws of Pennsylvania, qualified
electors of this Commonwealth:
Sec l. Be it enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives of the Common
wealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assem-
bly, met, and it is hereby enacted by the au-
thority of the same, tha. in all elections
hereafter to be held in this Commonwealth,
it shall be unlawful for the judge or inspec-
tors of any such election to receive any bal
lot or ballots from any person or persons en-
braced in the provisions and subject to the
disability imposed by said act of Congress,
approved March third, one thousand eight
hundred and sixty-fye, and it shall be un-
lawful for any such person to offer to vote
any ballot or ballots
SEC. 2 That if any such Judge and in
spectors Of election, or any one of them,
shall receive or consent to receive any
such unlawful ballot or ballots from any such
disqualified person, he or they so offending
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and on con-
viction thereof in any Court Of Quarter
Sessions of this Commonwealth, he shall, for
each offense, be sentenced to pay fine of
not less than one hundred dollars, and to
undergo an Imprisonment In thejail of the
proper county for not less than sixty days.
SIC. 8. That if any person deprived of
citizenship and disqualified as aforesaid,
shall at any election hereafter to be held in
this Commonwealth, vote, or tender to the
officers thereof, and offer to vote, ballot or
ballots, any person so offending shall be
deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and on
conviction thereof in any Court of Quarter
Sessions of this Commonwealth shall for
each offence be punished in ike manner as
provided in the preceding section OF this act
in the case of officers of election receiving
such unlawful ballot or ballots
SEC. f. That if any person shall hereafter
persuade or advise any person or persons,
deprived of citizenship and disqualified as
aforesaid, to offer any ballot or ballots to the
officers of any election hereafter to be held
in this Commonwealth, such persons so Of
Tending shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,
and upon conviction thereof in any Court Of
Quarter Sessions Of this Commonwealth,
shall be punished in like manner as is pro-
yided in the second section of this act in the
case of officers of such election receiving such
unlawful ballot or ballots.
SEc. 5. That it shall be the duty Of the
Adiutant General of this Commonwealth to
procure from the proper officers Of the Uni
ted States, certified copies Of all rolls and re
cords containing official evidence of the fact