The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-31
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A Bill, to Protect the Right of Suffrage.

The following bill was read first time in
the House Of Representatives on the 9th in
stant: :,
Be enacted by the Senate and House Of Rep
met and sitting in General assembly, and by
the authority OF the same:
SECTION i. II any person shall, in any way,
directly or indirectly, offer, promise, procure,
confer, accept, receive, or take any money,
property, thing in action victuaIs, drink, pre-
ferment, or other consideration, by way Of fee,
reward, gift, or gratuity, for giving, or refus-
ing to give, any vote in any election; or if any
person at or before any election, by menance
indirectly, attempt to influence any person in
giving, or refusing to give, his vote therein,
or to deter or dissuade any person from
giving his vote therein, or to disturb,
hinder, persuade, threaten or intimidate
any person from giving. his vote therein, or if
any person, at or before any election,
knowingly and wilfully make any false asser--
any person who shall be a candidate thereat,
which shall have tendency to prevent his
election, or with view thereto, or if any per-
son, at or before any election, shall knowingly
and wilfully make or propagate any false report
as to the day or days Of election, for the pur-
pose Of deceiving any person or persons as to
the date thereof, or if any person shall coun..
terfeit or initiate any ballot, for the purpose Of
Heceiving any person or persons in regard
thereto, or il any person shall make any false
Abatement to any person or PERSONS as to the
character of ballot for the purpose Of de-
ffauding him or them of his or their vote, he
shall be deemed and taken to be guilty Of a
hisdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof,
dhall be punished by fine not ex-
Seeding Ave hundred dollars, or I'M
prisoned ut hard labor for any term not ex-
ceeding two years, or both, at the discretion Of
the court before which such conviction shall
be had, and shall be disqualified from the pri-
vilege Of voting ct any future election for the
term Of six years.
SEC. 2. No person shall make, Lay. or deposit
any bet, wager, or stake, to be decided by the
result Of any election, by the election or defeat
Of one or more persona at such election, or by
out Of any such elections. and all contracts for
or on account Of any money, property, or
thing in action, 80 bet, wagered, or staked,
shall be void; and any person who shall pay,
deliver, or deposit any money, property, or
thing in. action, upon the event OF any bet,
wager, or stake prohibited by this section,
may sue for and recover TIE same OF the win
ner or winners, or person or persons to whom
the same, or any part thereof, shall have been
paid or delivered, or with whom the same, or
any part thereof, shall have been deposited,
whether be or they shall have been stake
holder or shareholders, or other person or
persons, whether or not the same snail have
been paid over by such stakeholder, or whether
or not such bet, wager or stake shall have
been lost.
SEC. 8. If any company or corporation Of
person or persons who have obtained, or shall
hereafter obtain, charter from Che Legisla-
ture of this State, for the benefit Of such com.
papy or corporation, shall discharge, OF
threaten to discharge from employment, in
such business, any operative or employee, at
or before any election, for or on account OF his
ciple Of the family Of said employee, said char
ter shall be deemed and taken to be forfeited,
and shall have no legal or binding force at any
time thereafter, but shall be utterly null and
void; and the person discharged may have an
action Of trespass to recover damages for his
losses therein sustained against the said coma
pany or corporation.
SEC 4. It shall be the duty Of all and
every Justice and justices Of the peace
before whom complaint, upon oath, is
made Of the violation Of sections and 2 o.
this act, to imme liately issue warrant to ap.
prehend the violators thereof; and the saic
Justices and every one Of them, are hereby au
thorized and required to bind, by recognizance
all material witnesses to prove the offence
against 6uch OuenQer, 10 appear at Inc ue4u bes
sion OF the Court Of General Sessions for the
county where the offence was committed, or II
such other court where the sal ii offence is cog
nizable, then and there to give evidence agains
the said offender, and further, if any justice O.
the peace shall offend in anything against the
true intent or meaning of this clause or sec
ton, then the Court Of General Sessions Of tn,
county where such offence shall be committed
upon due proof thereof, upon examination be
olxn11 rNr tnl, tQYonn q
such fine on the ga justice of the peace as th,
n1nrt shall think f3f md reasonable