Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-05-26
Political.
Enfore,ngtne Flf,e.nth Amendment


The following is the bill for the en-
forcement ofthe Fifteenth Amendment,
which passed the House of Represen-
tatives on Monday:
Section. /. That any officer of the
United States, or ofany State, Territory
or district, and every officer of any city,
county, township, borough, ward, par
isb or hundred in any State or Terrific
~ or district, who shall, by any official
act whatever, or by the omission, ne
glect or refusal TO perform any official
act or duty whatever, whether under
color or preteXt of any provision of any
State constitution, or any law OF any
State, Territory or district whatsoever,
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 pre-
svious condition of servitude, at any
Federal, State, county, municipal or
other election, shall, upon conviction
thereof, be adjudged guilty of a misde-
mcanor, and shall be punished by i'm
prisonment of not less than one year,
and not exceeding three years, or by a
fine of not less than five hundred do.-
lars, or both such fine and imprison-
ment, at the discretion of the Court.
Section 2. That all colored citizens
of the United 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, sub
ject only to the same conditions which
now are or may hereafter 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, except
in respect of color, requisite to ena5le q
white citizen TO vote thereat, shall upon
conviction thereof, be adiudged guilty
of misdemeaner, and shall be impris-
oned not less than six months and not
exceeding one year, or be fined not less
than one hundred dollars nor more than
one thousand dollars, or be punished by
both such fine and Imprisonment in the
discretion of the Court.
Section 8. That in case the Constitu-
ton or law of any State shall require
the assessment or payment of a tax rs a
qualification of an elector, if any asses
sor or other officer elected or appointed
under the laws of such State, and au-
thorized or required by the laws there
of to make any assessment of persons or
property for the purpose Ofsuch taxation
shall refuse or wilfully neglect to assess
the person CT property of any cOlored
citizen of the United States qualified as
aforesaid and residing in the town, hum
dred, borough, township, parish, or dis
trict for which said assessor or other
officer shall have been elected or appoint
ed as aforesaid, he shall for every such
offence forfeit and pay the sum OF $500 to
any person who will sue for the same,
and shall for every such offence be gull
ty of a misdemeanod, and shall be fined
not less than one month.
Sections four, five, six, seven and eight
impose like penalties in cases of officers
aud members of levy courts, registers or
clerks, to record assessments, collections
of taxes, and officers of election and of
registration, who, in their several capa-
cities, may prevent the exercises of the
right of suffrage.
Section g. That if any person shall,
by threats, violence, or intimidation,
prevent or attempt to prevent, any citi-
zen of the United States from the free
exercise of his right to vote in any slec;
ton at which members of Congress OF
electors for President or Vice President
of the United States may be voted for,
such person so offending shall be liable
TO endictment, and on conviction there
of, shall he subject to fine not exceed
ing one thousand dollars or TO imprison-
ment not less than one year nor more
than three years. or bothSt sne discre-
tion of the Court.
Section 10. That the Circuit Court of
the United States shall have jurisdiction
of the suits for forfeitures imposed and
causes of action created by this act, and
the Circuit and District Court of the
United States shall have jurisdiction of
the misdemeanors created by this act.