Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-05-27
Bill to Enforce the Fifteenth Amendment.

cd the House OF Representatives on Monday:
Section /. Thut any officer of the Uu.ted
States, or any State, Territory or district, md
every officer of any city, county, township,
borough, ward, parish or hundred il any State,
Territory or district, who shall, by any official
net whatever, or by the omission, neglect or
refusal to perform any official act or duty
whatever, whether undcr color or prctcxt of
any provision Of any State constitution or
any law Of any State, Territory or district
whatsoever, or "fany local, municipal or other
law, rule or ordinance, deny or abridge the
right of any citizen of tho Uuitcd States to
vote, on account of race, color or previous
condition Of servtudc, nt my Federal, State,
county, municipal or other election, shall, up.
on conviction thereof, be adjudgcd guilty of
a misdcmcunor, aud shall be punished by i'm
prisonment of not less than one year, and not
exceeding three years, or by liun of not less
thau $500, or both such tiuc and inprison-
ment, at the discretion of the court.
Section 2. That NIL colorcd citizens Of the
United States,'residcnt in the several States
of the United States, shall be entitled to vote
at all elections in the State, county, parish,
town, township, ward or hundred, OF their
residence, subject only to the same conditions
which now arc or may be required to qualify
white citizens to vote therein. And any
person who shall by force, fraud, intimidation
or other unlawful means whatsoever, prevent
any colored citizen from voting at any such
election, who possesses the qualifications cx
ccpt in respect of color, requisite to enable
white citizen to vote thcrcat. shnll, upon con
v'ction thereof, be adjudgcd guilty Of mis-
dcmeanor, aud shall be imprisoned not less
than six months aud not exceeding one year.
H.,E ,l Al N .
81 1000, or be punished by both such tinc and
Imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.
Section 3. That in case tho constitution or
law OF any State shall require the assessment
or payment of tax as agualification of an
clcctor, il any assessor or other officer elected
or appointed under the laws of such State,
and authorized or required by the laws there
of to make any assessment of persons or prop
crty for the purpose of such taxation, shall
refuse or willfulIy neglect to assess the person
or proper' Of any colored citizen of The Uni
ted States qualified as aforesaid, and residing
in the town, hundred, borough, township,
parish, county, ward or district, for which
s,id assessor or ether officer shall have been
elected or appointed as aforesaid, he shall for
every such olfencc forfeit and pay the sum OF
$500 to any person who will sue tor tho same,
a misdcmcanor, and shall be fined not less
than $500, and be imprisoned not less than
one r'onth.
impose like penalties in cases of officers and
members of levy courts, registers Or clerks, to
record assessments, collections Of taxes. al d
officers Of election and of registrations who, in
their several capacities, may prevent the OK
ercisc of the right Of suffrage.
Section O. That if any person shall, by
threats, violence or intimidation, prevent, or
attempt to prevent, any citizen of e., United
vote in any election at which members of
Congress or electors for President or Vice.
President of the United States may be voted
| Tor, such person so offending shall DO liable
| to indictment, and, On conviction thereof,
shall bc subject to fine not exceeding 81 900,
or to Imprisonment not less than one year nor
more than three years, or both, at the discrc.
ton Of the court
Section TO- That the Circuit Courts Of the
United States shall have jurisdiction Of the
suits for forfciurcs imposed and causes of
action created by this act, and tho Circuit
and District Courts of the United States shall
| have jurisdiction of the msdcmeanors created
by this act
WAsHISnroN, May 2l.-rhc Senate, at
o'clock this marning, passed the bill enfor
eng the h'trentli amendment. Many new
anu more stringent c..uses were added 1t
goes to the House for concurrence. The
final vote was AZ to g. A motion tlenyinn
fees toXfurmcrs was lost by 2l to 23. On
the mHon Of Morton, section vas inserted
makinM Mcrminal all attempts to innsencc the
votes " colorcd persons by depriving them Of
occupation, cjecting them from houses, lands
and o,hcr property, and refusing to renew
leases, etc, and imposes "A fine of $50 and i'm.
prlsonmcnt of not less than one year fvr such
offence
Anaddiionnl section, by Pool, was adopt
cd, making organizations of two or more per
sons 70 violate its provisions by act of fclonics
punishable by fine of not more than $500
and Imprisonment not exceeding ten wears,
Offenders to be thereafter ineligible to Office
under the United Stntcs. Carpenter moved
as an amendment, that any person deprived
OF All office, except Congressman or State
legislator, by reason of violations of the act,
or by denial of the right to vote to any citi.
zen on account Of race, color, ETC., shall be
entitled to hold .such Office and recover pos.
session oft by quo acarrnnfo Or other appro.
pirate proceeding in any United States court
for the proper district or any State court hav.
ing jurisdiction. The amendment was adopt
cd by vote Of 2.t to 22.
The House resumed the Louisiana contcs.
| In,, noe nP 4 t