The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-10-13
WASHINGTON.


MILITARY INTERFERENCE WITH ELECTIONS.
WASHINGTON, October 12.-The following
order was issued to-day:
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY. ADJUTANT-
GENERALS OFFICE, October 10, 186S.-lGene-
raj Orders No. 82.1-The following provisions
from the constitution and laws Of the United
States, in relation to the election of President
and ice-President OF the United States to.
gether with an act Of Congress prohibiting all
persons engaged in the military and naval
services from interfering in any general or
special election in any State, are published Tor
the information and government OF u. con-
cerned
The following are the authorities quoted !:
Article @ Section OF the constitutions; Ar
ticle Ia OF the amendments to the constitution,
and the Act OF Congress approved March 1,
1892; an act to establish uniform time tor
the election OF Presidential electors, approved
January 23, 1845; an &C. compensatlng persons
appointed as electors, approved February H.
1926.
The order concludes as follows:
An act to prevent officers Of iie army and
navy. and other persons engaged ID the MILL
tary and naval service Of the United States
from interfering in elections in the States Is as
follows :-Be it enacted, That it shall not be
lawful for any military or naval otncer OK the
United States, or other persons engaged IN the
civil, military or naval service OF the United
States to order, bring, keep or nave unosr MS
authority or control, any troops Or armed men
ut the place where any general or special cleo
ton is held in any State Of the United States,
unless it shall be necessary torepel armed enc
mics of the United States. or to keep peace at
the polls and that II shall not he lawfnl for
any officer Of the army or navy OF the United
States to prescribe or fix, or attempt to pre-
sor;J,a fy bv rroplo atiOD order or other.
wise, qualifications Of voters in any OF the Uni
ted States, 1r in any manner to interfere with
freemen, at any election in any State, or with
the exercise OF the right of suffrage IN any o
the States. Any officer of the army or navy OF
the United States, or other persons engaged IN
the civil, military or naval service OF the Gni-
ted States who violates this section shal l
for every such offence, be liable to In
dictment for misdemeanor in any Court
of the United States having jn-s ilction to hear,
try and determine cases or mlsdemeanor, ana
on conviction shall pay fine not exceeding
five thousand dollars and suffer impr sonmen
| in the penitentiary for not less tlan thre
months nor more than five years, at the dis
c1etion OF the court trying the same; and any
person convicted as aforesaid shall, moreover.
be disqualified from holding any Office OF honor,
| profit or trust under the Government OF the
United States. Provided, that nothing hereln
contained snail be construed so as to prevent
any officers, soldiers, marines or sailors from
exercising the right Of suffrage in any election
district to which he may belong, II otherwise
qualified, according to the laws of the State IN
which he shall offer TO vote.
Section 2. Be 1t further enacted, that any
officer OF person in the military or naval ser
vice of the United States, who shall order or
advise, or who shall directly or indirectly, by
force. threat, menace, intimidation or othe:-
wise. prevent OF attempt to prevent any quail
fed voter, Of any State of the United States,
from freely exercising the right Of suffrage at
any general or special election n any state
the United States, or who shall in like man.
ner compel, or attempt to compel, any officer
of an election in any such Sta.e: to receive
vote from O person not legally qualified to vote,
or who shall imp ose, or attempt to impose, any
rules or regulations for conducting an electlon
different from those prescribed by law, or IN.
| terfere r any manner with any officer OF SAID
election in the discharge OF his duties, shall,
for any such offence be liable for indictment
| for misdemeanor in q court OF the United
states having jurisdiction to hear, try and de-
termine cases of misdemeanor, and on convlc-
ton thereof shall pay fine not exceeding
$4,000, and suffer imprisonment IN the penltIGn- zen
tiary for not exceeding five years, at the dis
cretion OF the court trying the same; and any
person convicted as aforesaid, shall moreover
be distranchised from holding any omce I
honor, profit or trust under the government I
| the United States.
Approved February 70, 1000.
By command OF General GRANT.
e. D. TOWNSEND, A. a. G.
Governor Bowman, of West Virginia, is here.
He wants troops for the elections, and thinks
the moral effect of few companies will an
swer his purpose.
In elation to the Presidents order of to-day,
prohibiting any military interference with ciVl
elections, the Star says: " In Republican quar-
tiers it seems to be apprehended that in the un-
reconstructed States the Conservatives Will now
make arrangements to choose Presldentla
electors. and that President Johnson Will de-
mand that their votes be counted
In telegram dated the 4th instant, Minister
Hale applied for instructions in view OF the
politi .aI situation at Madrid. The instructions
we're given through the same medium on the
5th instant. MIR. Hale now telesraphs that' III
complianc, with these instructions, ne mas re-
cognizcd the new government at Madrlf- his
action has been approved