Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-06-02
ssnforoing the z,.fth.eenth Amendment
PROTECTION TO ALL CITIZENS.

OF the OnltSI Dates 20 Note Al tAe
severn. States OF this Union, and foi
o.Ler purposes.
Re Il enacted By the Senate and House
OF REPRESENTATIVES Of the United states
-, zpiericI in C0Rqress assembled, Tina,
ii citizens Of the United States WHO ara
or shall beotherwise qualified by law to
vote Ut any election, by the people IL
any State, Territory, district, county,
city. parish, township, school district,
municipality, or other territorial sub
division. shall he entitled and allowed
Il, vote al ali such elections, without
distinction OF race or color or previ Gus
condition ofservitude, any Constitution
law, custom, usage. or regulation OF any
state or Territory, or by or under its
authority, to the contrary notwithstand-
SgcrIoN .. -And be 1t further enact
eF. That if by or under the authority OF
rhe Constitution or laws of any State,
or the laws OF any Territory, any act Is
or shall be required to be done as a pre-
requisite or qualification for voting and
i,v such Constitution or laws persons OF
oiicers shall be charged with the per-
forn1auce Of duties in furnishing to citi-
L zens an opportunity TO perform such
ursrequisite or 70 become qualified to
vote, It shall be the duty Of every such
person and officer 20 give to all citizens
0! the United States the same anc equ2i
opportunity to perform such prerequis-
lie aud to become qualified to vote, With
4 out distinction OF race, color or previous
Iconditiou of servitude. And II any such
nerson or officer shall refuse or know
! ingIr omit to give full effect to this see
lion he shall for every such offence for
| fe;t aEd nav the sum Of 500 to the per
son aggrievel thereby, to be recovered
| nv an action on the case, with full costs
land such allowance for counsel fees rs
| the Court shall deem just; and shall
also for. every such offence be deemed
lguilty OF q misdemeanor, and shall, on
conviction thereof, be fined not less than
$500, or be imprisoned not less than enc
month and not more than one year, OF
both. at the discretion of the Court.
| Section 5 And be IL further enacted, !,
That whenever by or under the authorl'
tv ofthe Constitution or laws of any
State. or the laws of any Territory, any
set or acts shall be required to be done
! by any citizen as 4 prerequisite to quai'
| ify or eutitIe him to vote, the offer Of
any such citizen to perform the act re-
louired TO be done as aforesaid shall, II i
] teil to be carried into execution by the
wrongful act or omission aforesaid o.
| the person or officer charged with the
duty of receiving or permitting suct
performance Or offer to perform or acting
! thereon, be deemed and held as a per
! formance in law of such act and the per
son so Offering and failing as aforesaid
and being otherwise quahhed snail DE
entitled to vote in the same manner aud
TO the same extent as if he mad ] II facl
performed such act; and any Judge, IN
spector or other officer of elections
I whose duty it is or shall be to receive
count, certify, register, report or give
effect TO tie vote of any such citizer
who shall wrongfully refuse or omit tc
receive. count certify, register, report
or give effect to the vote of such citizen:
Iupon the presentation by him of his af
Iidayit stating such offer and the tins
and place thereof, and the name of tht
lofficer or person whose duty it was tt
/ act thereon, and that he was wrongful
lIy prevented by such person or eTncel
1 from performing such act shall, for every
such offence, forfeit and pay the sum o
$500 to the person aggrieved thereby, t6
Il be recovered by an action on the case
with full cost and such allowance fol
counsel fees as the Court shall deeu
lust; and shall also, for every such of
ifeace, be gully Of a misdemeanor, anC
1 shall On conviction thereof be fined no
less than $500, or be imprisoned not les:
than one month and not more than one
year. or both at the discretion OF tht
Court.
Section a. And DC 1t J,srtter enacted
That if any person by force, brihery
threats, intimidation, or other unlaw
.lful means, shall hinder, delay, preVe1l'
or obstruct, or shall=comDine ana con
federEte with others to hinder, deiay
nrevent or obstruct, any citizen from
doing any act required to be done
! to qualify to vote or from voting at any
I election as aforesaid, such person shal
for every such offence forfeit and pay
! the sum of $500 to the person aggrieyet
j thereby, TO be recovered by an action Oh
the case, with full costs and such allow
ance for counsel fees as the Court shat
i deem Just, and shall also for every suci
lofTence be guilty of misdemeanOr, anl
lshall on conviction thereof be fined no
i less than $500, or be imprisoned not les
! than one month and not more than ont
wear, or both, al the discretion OF tht
Court.
Section s. And be it further enacted
That if any parson shall prevent, hun
der. control or intimidate, or snail at
Tempt to prevent, hinder, control or In
i ltimiiate any person from exercising. cl
lin exercising the right of suffrage to
/ whom 5he right of suffrage is secured oI
guaranteed by the fifteenth Amend
Il ment to the Constitution OF the United
/ States, by means Of bribery, threats OF
threats Of depriving such person OF EN-
pIoyment or occupation, or OF eIectlng
such person from rented house, or other
property, or by threats of refusing 10
renew leases or contracts for labor, or ny
threats Of violence to himself or family
such person so offendi4g shall be deem-
/ ed gtilty OF misdemeanor, and shall
on conviction thereof be fined not less
than $500 or be imprisoned not less than
one month and not more than. one year,
OF both, at the discretion of the Court.
Section 6. And be jt further enacted,
That if two or more persons shall band
or conspire together, or go in disguise
upon the public highway or upon the
premises OF another, with intent TO vio-
| late any provision of this act, or to in
lure, oppress, threaten or orintimidate any
citizen, with intent to prevent or hinder
his free exercise and enjoyment Of any
right or privilege granted or secured to
| him by the Constitution or laws of the
United States, or because of his having
exercised the same, such persons shall
be held guilty of felony, and On convic-
ton thereof shall be fine1 or imprison-
ed, or both az the discretion of the
Court, the fine not to excaed s., 900, and
the imprisonment net to exceed ten
years, and shall moreover be thereafter
Ineligible to, and disabled from holding
any Office or place of honor, profit or
trust, created by the Constitution or
| laws of the United States.
Section 7. And be it further enacted,
That if in the act of violating any pro-
vision in either CT the two proceeding
sections and other felony, crime or mis-
demeanor shall he committed, tte often
der, on conviction of said sections, shall