Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1870-05-20

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The following are the main features Of the
bill to enforce the Fifteenth Amendment,
which was passed in the United States House
of Representatives on Monday by vote of
yeas 1a1 to nays A:
That any officer of the United States, or of
any State, Territory or district, and every
officer Of any city, county, township, borough,
ward, parish or hundred, 10 any State Ter
ritory or district, who shall by any official act
whatever, or by the omission, neglect or re-
fusal to perform any official act or duty what
ever, whether under color or pretext of any
law of any State, Territory or district what
soever, or of any local, municipal or other
law, rule or ordinance, deny or abridge the
right of any citizen of the United States to
vote, on account Of race, color or previous
condition of scrvitude, at any Federal, State,
county, municipal or other election, shall,
upon conviction sthereof, be adjudged guilty
of misdemeanor, and shall be punished by
imprisonment of not less than one year, and
not exceeding three years, or by a fine not
less than five hundred dollars, or both such
fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of
the court.
Sec. 9. That ali coiored citizens of the u
nted States resident 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 are or may hereafter be required
to qualify white citizens to vote therein. And
VI, hall hui int
dalton, or other unlawful means whatsoever.
prevent any colored citizen from voting at
any such election, who possesses the qualif-
cations, except in respect Of color, requisite
to enable white citizen to vote thereat, shall,
upon conviction thereof, be adiudged guilty
of misdemeanor, and shall be imprisoned
not less than six months and not exceeding
one year, or be fined not less than one hun
bred dollars nor more than one thousand Gol-
lars, or be punished by both such fine and
imprisonment in the discretion of the court.
Sec 8. That in case the constitution or law
of any State shall require the assessment or
payment of a tax as a qualification of an cleo
tor, if ally assessor or other officer elected or
appointed under the laws of such State, and
authorized or required by the laws thereof to
make any assessment of persons or property
for the purpose of such taxation, shall refuse
or willfully neglect to assess the person or
property of any colored citizen of the United
States qualified as aforesaid, and residing in
the town, hundred, borough, township, parish
county, ward or district for which said asses
sor or other officer shall have been elected or
appointed as aforesaid, he shall for every such
otfense forfeit and pay the sum of $500 to
Gov kbo Il
shall for every such offense be guilty of a
misdemeanor, and shall be iued not less than
$500, and be imprisoned not less than one
month.
| Sections four, five, six, seven and eight i'm
pose like penalties in cases of officers and
members of levy courts, registers or clerks, tc
record assessments, collections of taxes, and
officers of election and of registration, who in
their several capacities may prevent the ex-
ercise of the right of suffrage.
Sec. 9. That if any person SHALL by threats
violence, or intimidation, prevent, or attempt
to prevent, any citizen of the United States
! from the free exercise of his right to yote in
any election at which members of Congress
or electors for President and Vice President
of the United States may be voted for, such
person so offending shall be liable to indict-
ment, and, on conviction thereof, shall be
subject to fine not exceeding one thousand
dollars, or to Imprisonment not less one year
nor more than three years, or both, at the
discretion of the court
Sec. 10. That the circuit courts of the o.
nited States shall have jurisdiction of the suits
for forfeitures imposed and causes of action
created by this act, and the circuit and dis
r Il -1-n
jurisdiction of the misdemeanors created by
| this oot