Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-09-14
Proclamation of Governor Geary-Registry
of Colored Voters.
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER.

EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
HARRISBURG, Pa, Aug. ~, 1870.
To the County Commissioners and Sheriff
of the County Of
WHEREAS, The Fifteenth Amendment of
the Constitution of the United States is as
follows:
SECTION |. The right Of citizens of the T.
nited States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States, or by any
State, on account of race, color, or previous
condition of servitude.
SEC. ?. That Congress shall have power
to enforce this article by appropriate legis-
lation.
AND WHEREAS, The Congress of the Uni
ted States on the 3lst day of March, 1870,
posed an act entitled, An act to enforce
tie right Of citizens Of the United States of
this Union, and for other purposes, ~ the
first and second sections OF which are as fol-
lows;
SECTION l. Be 1t enacted Jy tie Senate
and House of Representatives Oft United
States Of An.ericd, III Congress assembled,
That all cities OF the United States who are
or shall be otherwise qualified 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 allowed to vote
at all such elections. without distinction OF
color, race, or previous condition of servi-
tude; any constitution, law, custom, usage,
or regulation of any State or Territory, or
by or under its authority, TO the contrary
notwithS landing.
SEC. =. And be 1t further enacted, That
if by or under the authority of the constitu-
Il.
territory, any act is or shall be required to be
done as prerequisite or qualification for
voting, and by such Constitution or laws
persons or officers are or shall be charged
with the performance of duties in furnishing
to cities an opportunity to perform such
prerequisites, or TO become qualified to vote
it shall be the duty of every such person aud
officer to give all citizens OF the United
States the same and equal opportunity to
perform such prerequisite, and TO become
qualified to vote without distinction of race.
color, or previous condition OF servitude !;
and if any such person or officer shall refuse
or knowingly omit to give full effect to this
section he shall for every such offence, for
felt and pay the sum of FIVE hundred dollars
to the person aggrievcd thereby, to De re-
covered by an action on the case, with full
costs and such allowance for counsel fees as
the court shall deem just, and shall also, for
every such offence, be deemed guilty of u
misdemeanor, and shall, on conviction
thereof, be fined not less than five hundred
dollars, or be imprisoned not less than one
month and not more than one year, or both,
at the discretion of the court.
AND WHEREAS, 1t is declared by the
second section of VI article of the Consti-
tuition of the United States, that This Con
stitution, and the laws Of the United States,
which shall be made in pursuance thereof,
shall be the supreme law of the land
. anything in tie Constitution or idlcs
Of any State to the contrary notaCttsstand
ing.
AND WHEREAS, The Legislature of this
Commonwealth on the 9th day of April
1870, passed an act entitled "A further sup
plcment to the act relating to elections In
this Commonwealth, the tenth section oi
which provides as follows.
SEC. TO- That so much Of every act Of
Assembly as provides that only white free
men shall be entitled to vote or be registered
as voters, or as claiming to vote at any gene
raj or special election of this commonwealth
be and the same is hereby repealed; anf
that hereafter all freemen, without distinc
tion of color. shall be enrolled and registered
according to the provisions of the first sec
ton of the act approved the 18th day o
April, 1869, entitled IAN act further sup.
Elemental to the act relative to the election:
of this Commonwealth, and shall, wher
otherwise qualified under existing laws, bt
entitled to vote at all general and specia
elections in this Commonwealth.
AND WHEREAS, 1t is my constitutions
and official duty Ito take care that laws bt
faithfully executed and 1t has come to my
knowledge that sundry assessors and regis
tiers of voters have refused and are refusing
to assess and register divers colored male
citizens of lawful age, and otherwise quail
fed as electors
No,1 therefore, in considerations of the
premises, the County Commissioners of saiC
county are hereby notified and directed Il
instruct the several Assessors and Register;
of voters thereof TO obey and conform to th'
requirements of said constitutional amend
ments and laws and the Sheriff of sai(
county is hereby authorized and required t
publish in his Election Proclamation for th'
ensuing elections the herein recited consti
tutional amendment, act OF Congress, anC
act of Legislature. to the end that the SAINT
may be known, executed and obeyed by al
assessors, registers of voters, election off
GERS and others; and that the rights anC
privileges guaranteed therein may be seeur
ed TO all citizens of the Commonwealth en-
titled to the same.
Given under my hand and the grea
L. s. seal of the State. at Harrisburg, tn
day and year first above written.