The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-10-13
TELEGRAPHIG NEWS.
The Presidential Electors In the
Unrec0nstructed States.

The Presidential Electors in the
Unreconstructed States.
WASHINGTON, October 12.-!The follow
ing order has been issued: s,z,.s,.....-..-
| HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
"ADJUTAHT-GENE OFFICE,
"WAsHIsGToN, October 10, 1868.
/" General Order No. 81.
'sTbe following provisions from the Con-
stitution and laws of the United States in
relation to the election Of q President and
President of the United States, to-
gether with an act of Congress prohibiting
all persons engaged in the military or
naval service of the United States from in
terfering in any general or special election
in any State, are published for the infor
nation and government of ell concerned"
Then follows quotations from article 2,
section l, of the Constitution article II of
the amendments to the Constitution act Of
Congress approved March LIST, 1892; an act
to establish q uniform time for the election
of Presidential electors, approved January
2Sth, 1916; an act compromising persons
appointed as Presidential electors, approved
February 18th, 1921 The order concludes
with
5"An act to prereut officers Of the army and
naUv and other persons engaged IN the
military and naval service of the United
States, from interfering IN elections in the
States. a~
'sBe it enacted, That it shall not be law
full for any military or naval officer of the
United States, or any other person en-
gagged in the civil, military, or naval service
of the United States, to order, bring, keep,
OF have any troops or armed men at the
place where any general or special election
is held in any State of the United States
unless it shall be necessary to repel armed
enemies of the United States, or to keep
peace at the polls; and that it shall not be
lawful for any officer of the army or navy
of the United States to prescribe or fix, or
attempt to prescribe or fix, by proclamation,
order, or otherwise, qualifications of voters
in any Of the United States, or, in any
manner to interfere with the freedom of
any election in any State, or with the exer-
else of the free right Of suffrage in any OF
the United States. ANY officer Of the army
or navy of the United States, or other per-
son engaged in the civil, military, or naval
service of the United States, who violates
this section shall, for every such offence, be
liable to indictment for misdemeanor in
any court of the United States having jul
risdiction to hear, try, and determine cases
of misdemeanor, and on conviction they
shall pay q fine not exceeding $1,000
and suffer Imprisonment in the penitentia-
ry not less than three months nor more
than five years, at the discretion Of the
court trying the same J.; and any person 80
convicted shall, moreover, edismissed from
holding any office of honor, profit, or trust,
under the Government of the United
States.
Provided, That nothing herein con.
tanned shall be so construed as to prevent
any officers, soldiers, sailors, or marines
from exercising the right of suffrage in any
election district in which he may belong, il
otherwise qualified according to the laws Of
the State in which he shall offer to vote
"SEcTIoS 2. And be it further enacted
That any officer or person in the mill
tary or naval service of the United
States who shall order or advise, or who
shall directly or indirectly, by force, threat
or menace, intimidate or otherwise prevent
or attempt to prevent, any qualified voter Of
any State of the United States from freely
exercising the right of suffrage at any gen
eral or special election in any State Of the
United States, or who in like manner COM
pei, or attempt to compel, any officer of M
election in any such State to receive vote
from person not legally qualified to vote
or who shall impose or attempt to impose any
rules or regulations for conducting such cleo
ton different from those prescribed by law
or interfere in any manner with any office
of said election in the discharge Of hi
duties, shall, for any such offence, be liable
to Indictment for misdemeanor in any cour
in the United States having jurisdiction
and upon conviction pay fine not exceed
ing S., 900 and suffer imprisonment in the
penitc ntiary not exceeding FIVE years, at thu
discretion Of the court. Such person shall
moreover, be disqualified from holding any
office of honor, profit, or trust under th'
Government of the United States.
Approved February 25, 1865"
"By command Of General Grant.
"E. D. townsend,
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