New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-10-22
THE NEW CIVIL R1eHrs ACT.

newspapers and pamphlets containing
speeches, and finding nothing tit for any
use, they had recourse to the laws of q
Republican Congress, and Republican
State Legislature. Among the laws. OF
Congress stumbled upon by these gentle
men is the ''act to enforce the right OF
citizens of the United States to vote in
the several States of this Union" This
was taking title. The fright of citizens
of the United States" had fair sound,
and promised to be of some benefit to the
constituents of the searchers. For they
had been told that fraction of the Dem
ocratic party had been disfranchised for
following the banners of the country's
enemies, and the merciful government
had spared their forfeited lives, but de-
prived them of the power to do harm by
denying them the right to vote.
They hoped to find some provisions
under cover of which these disabled voters
could sneak back into citizenship with
out the consent of their enemies, the Rad
icals. A little examination showed them
they had stumbled upon the law to enforce
the provisions of the fifteenth amendment
to the constitution, which, instead Of
favoring their side, went against them at
every turn. All the fines and penalties
mentioned in this law are denounced
against those persons who deprive citizens
of the right to vote on account of race or
color. In this respect most Of the State
laws were sadly deficient. The nations
wards We're not protected, and SO the ma
ton spoke in their behalf, and in poten-
tial voice. There was little encourage
ment for the committee in this law. AS a
whole, it was hardly admissible in a Dem
ocratic address; but they finally decided to
copy three sections and endeavor to
apply them to the cases of such persons as
were refused registration on account of
their participation in the rebellion. OF
course, the law did not fit the case, nor
the case the law. And, as might have
been expected. the material sections were
not published. We shall supply the omis-
sion to some extent. Promising with the
that the only offense mentioned
n the act is that of denying the elective
franchise to man because he is black,
We will quote some of the penalties pre-
;cribed. The first section declares that
'All citizens Of the United Slater who are
Or shall be otherwise qualified by law to
vote at any election by the people of any
State, Territory, district. county, city, or
my other place where an election may be
leld, shall be entitled to vote at all such
elections without distinction of race, color
II previous condition of seryitude." Thus !
he otfense consists Of two simple branches |
One Of these is refusal to permit a
,itizen to vote, and this is qualified by
he motive. which, to bring the Of |
ender under the provisions of the |
.ct. must be because the person
'fering to vote is colored or may have |
oeen slave. This law, made by the Re- |
,ublicans, while all the Democracy ~as |
threatening revolution in case it passed, |
las been quoted by the sapient Brice as
he weapon by which they hope to secure
he success of the white mans party, to
he utter discontinue of the Republicans
The second and third sections are famil-
ar to the people, as they have been pub
shed several times in the Democratic
apers, and once officially i'll the REpUB-
Joan.
The fifth section is intended to restrain
be propensity OF the Democrats to with
raw patronage, employment and bust
ess facilities from their ''hands, in case
hey do not vote to suit them. 1t de-
cribes with striking exactness the acts of
ONE of our planters in 1868:
That if any person shall prevent. hinder,
ontroi, or intimidate, or shall attempt to
revent hinder, control or intimidate, any
erson from exercising or in exercising the
light of suffrage. to whom the right of suf-
rage is secured o. guaranteed by the |
fteenth amendment to the constitution of
he United States. by means of bribery, |
hreats, or threats of depriring such person of
mpfoynent o. occupation, or of ejecting such
erson from rented house lands, or other |
or by threats of refusing to rcnc,c
'ases or contracts for labor, or by threats of
iolence to himself or family, such person
offending shall be deemed guilty of a
lisdemeanor. and shall, on conviction |
hereof, be fined not less than five hundred
ollars, or be imprisoned not less than one |
lonth and not more than one year, or both, |
the discretion of the court.
Section six takes care of the raiders
nd ku-klux, who go securing through
le country on horseback, in parties or
luads, hunting niggers," calling them
ut Of their houses at midnight and shoot
g them in their own door-yards, after
lie manner of 1868, before we had this
lcellent law, which the Democrats quote
sparingly:
That if two or more persons shall band or
inspire together or go in disguise upon the
lbic highway, or upon the premises of ,
lother, with intentto violate any provision ;
this act. or to injurc. Cypress, threaten, or
tiiht,dt1 an cIeiHen WIFI intent 10 prevent
hinder his free exercise and enjoyment of I
~ right or privilege granted or secured to
IN by the constitution or laws of the
nited States, or because OF his having ex-
cised the same, such persons shall be held ,
lilty of felony and. on conviction thereof
all be fined or imprisoned or both, at the 6
secretion of the cOurt-the fine not to ex- !
ed five thousand dollars, and the impris-
lment not to exceed ten years--and shall,
oreover, be thereafter ineligible to- and t
sabled from holding, any office or place