The Van Buren press., 1870-08-09
The Enforcement Act.


many letters from its friends in the coun-
try, inquiring about the meaning and eff
feet Of the late Act Of Congress, called
the enforcement bill. They seem to think
that this new law kicks up the old boy
with all State registration laws, and
makes it the duty of the Federal Courts
to protect every citizen in the exercise
of his lawful right to vote. But the Re
publican, alarmed at this view of the sit
uation by its country friends, makes haste
to inform them that this enforcement act
has nothing to do with anybody but ne
groes, and was passed only to protect
negroes and not white people in their
right to vote.
We are happy to say to oar country
friends that whatever the RepuJIicaa or
any of its friends may have to say about
the jurisdiction of the United States over
laws Of Congress, Judge CALDWELL of the
L. 5. Circuit Court, is very likely to be
governed by his own views of the case,
and to give such force, effect and inter
probation to this law as may be warrant
ed by the well established rules and prin-
ciples of law, The act is very plain in
its terms, and can hardly be misunder-
stood by the dullcst intellect, or miscon
strued by the most bigoted partisan.
The first section of the act declares,
"That all citizens of the United States
who are or shall be otherwise qualified
by law to vote, at any election by the
people, in any State, Territory, District,
county, city, parish, township, school
district, municipality, or other territorial
sub division, shall be entitled and oUored
to rotc, at all such elections, without dis
tinction Of race, color or previous con
dition of servitude, any constitution, law,
custom, usage or regulation of any State
or Territory, to the contrary notwith-
standing"
And section declares,'
"That the district courts of the Uni
ted States, shall have, exclusively OF the
courts of the several States, cognizance
of all crimes and offences committed
against the provisions of this act and
also concurrently with the circuit courts
of the United States, of all causes, civil
and criminal, arising under this act"
And by the 9th section of the act, il is
declared,
THAT the district attorneys, marshals
and deputy marshals, and commissioners
appointed by the circuit courts, with
powers of arrcsting, imprisoning or bail
ing offenders against the laws ofthe Uni
ted States, shall be and they are hereby
specially authorized and required, at the
expense oft United States, to institute
proceedings against all and every person
who shall violate the provisions of this
act, and cause him or them TO be arrested
etc"
Thus it will be seen that by this act,
passed under authority of the Constitu-
ton Of the United States, the subject
matter of the elective franchise is taken
altogether from the States and put under
the exclusive jurisdiction of the United
States.
The act clearly embraces call citizens
Of the United States who are qualified by
law to VOTE and il will remain with
Judge Caldwell, and not the Little Rock
Republican, to decide whether the whHc
people of Arkansas, rs well as negroes, do
not come under the designation of "all
citizens Of the United States who are
qualified by law to vote. II. Il. Gazette