Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-04-23
Summers Bill for Forcing Negro Slf-
trage on all the States.

enforce negro suffrage throughout the eouu-
try, recently introduced in the United States
Senate by Sumner of Massachusetts,:
Whersos.. The Constitution of the Bnitca
States abolishes slavery every where within
the jurisdiction thereof, SO that all Constitu.
tons, laws or regulations of any State or Ter.
rltoTy ln aid OF slavery, or growing out of the
same. are null and void aud, whereas. the
same Constitution m another provision re-
Gently adopted declares that 'Sno State shall
make or enforce any law which shall abridoe
the privilege or immunities of citizens Of tbe
oni'ed States aud, whereas, also. Congress
Is empowered by appropriate legislation to
enforce these several provisions, which can
eut DC done without securing the. elective
IFSuchise to citizens who have been slaves. or
VINO are the descendants of slaves. or who are
uePrlEed OF equal rights~by reason of race or
SotSF and, whereas, further, It is expresslv
S sS.u III the Constitution that the United
T'u.es Shall guarantee to every State in tho
H'ou republican torm Of government, and
~ 20 paul tnat any inequality of rights is i'm
consistent with republican form Of Govern.
meTt, and the promises of the Declaration -
1nGependsnce; nov, therefore,
De a enacted, dc, That every citizen oF tho
united States, although he may have been n
slave, or IS tie descendant of a slnve or h1,
reason OF race or color is deprived of cousI
rights, Sh"H, an every State and I;.rr;,1r,,
Hdrc he right 10 rate at an election for mem
DefS OF congress, for Presidential electors. for
Representatives aud Senators TO Sta,e or Tor
rtOrlal Legislatures. for all State, county. CITY
town, and other officers of every kind mon
the same terms aud conditions. and no orbers
! as Whlte citizens are aud may be allowed tn
vote, and every provision of every State and
Territorial Constitution, statute and ordinance
Which Is now, or hereafter may be enacted
an" every custom and principle of law here.
tUiore recognized in any State OF Territory
contrary to the foregoing provisions are bereby
declared null aud void
SEC. =. Ani be It farther sso,s,,5 That
any person who shall wifIalfy hinder or oh.
struct, or attempt to hinder or obstrucs anx
citizen once slave, or the descendant of n
slave or not belonging TO the so.called white
race from voting at any election where he is
s ee., TO vote according to the provisions
OF the foregoing section, shall be punished bv
u hue OF not less than one hundred nor moro
than three thousand dollars, or by imprisou.
meht III the common jail for not less than
'hlIty days nor more than one year
oEC. D. AHd be /! further enacted, That
any person holding or conducting any election
10 winch the first section of this bill is apnli
cable, who shall wilfuily refuse to receive
count return, or otherwise give the proper
legal eheet to the vote of any citizen once \
slave or the descendant of a slave. or not be-
longing to the so>culled white race, shall bS
punished by fine OF not less than five hum
drcd nor more than four thousand dOllars mr.
Dy imprisonment in the common Jail for nor
less than three calendar mouths nor more than
two years.
SEC. i And be 1t fertile, enacted, That
the District Courts of the United States.
within their respective districts, shall hive
exclusive Jurisdiction of all offences commits
ted against this act, and the District Attor-
neys, MNrshuls and Deputy Marshals. of tho
United states, tho Commissioners aBpoiptod
by the Circuit and Territorial Courts of The
United States, with powers OF urresting, imS
prISonIng, or bailing offenders against the Iaws
OF tne United States, the officers and SCENTS
VI Tue freeomen Bureau, and every other
oihcer who may be specially empowered bv
the President Of the United States shall he
ana they are hereby specially authorized and
required at the expense Of the United States.
70 Institute proceedings against any person
VINO Shall violate the pTngsious OF this net
and cause him to be arrested and in. prisopcd,
or Dalicd, as the case may be- for trial bef;te
such court of tho United States or Terrific.
rial court as BY this act has eosuizauce of Tho
offence. " -"
SEC. D. And be ii .Jrr!her enacted, That
any citizen once slave, or the descendant Of
slave, or not belonging to the so called white
race II he shall bee unlawiully deprived Of
his vote, may maintain u suit against any NOR.
son SO deprivng him. aud recover damogcs n,
any District Court Of the United States for
the district In which such person may be found,
:, ----------.---
FATAL AND DISTRESSING RAILROAD Ac-
ClDENT.-Mr. j.. w. Townsend, aged about
tn'iy SIX years, chiet clerk of the general
freight agent of the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road at camden Station, was almost Instantly
hil!cd "ednesday morning by falling from a
train at the Relay House, on the W.sbipy.
ton Branch. From the facts learned :, o5-
PEARS that the deceased had on Tuesday even
ing removed his family. consisting of his wife
and Tour children, together with his furui-
ture' from the city to the Relay, where he
Intended to reside. Coming back to the CITY
the same evening he returned by the 2 SO
tram, winch does not stop at the Relay Hou.G
and on reaching that point it is thouubt. he
attempted to jump off. but the train being az
! lull speed, he was thrown under the train
several OF TIE cars passing over his bodve
crushing his head aud both legs, cutting ono
.! t"e latter almost entirely Off and killing
HIM almost Instantly. 1t was not until tho
nsA1 .rhln came up that the body was diseov-
cred. whom it identified. An ipGticsL
was held on the body, the jury rendered n
vcrcict IN accordance with the facts. The
BODY was yesterday evening brought To the
CITY,, preparatory 10 its removal to New
brighton, Pa. where MIR Townsend's reIa.
tiVcs live. The deceased is spoken of as a
gentleman of fine persunaI and social charac-
tcrlStIcs, and 10 an employee of the railroad
company was esteemed by all with whom he
was brought in contact. His sudden death
has caused quite quite gloom amongst his
friends aud relatives.-ISuI.