Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-06-07
tuesday Morning, Juue I, 1919,
ENFORCEMENT OF TIE XVIII
AMENDMENT.
The Bill Passed by the United States
Senate.

! force the Fifteenth Amendment as passed by
the Senate Of the United States on Saturday
morning last--yeas AZ, nays Sand which
was sent to the House for its action thereon.
| The bill is in the nature of a substitute for
the bill passed by the House. Yestesday that
body refused to concur in its provisions, and
asked for committee of conference, to which
the Senate consented, A committee was ac-
cordingly appointed, and the bill is now before
it for an adjustment of tho disagreeing votes
of the two Houses :-Boh Gazette, Nay
Be.it enacted, &c., That all citizens of the
United States who are or shall otherwise be
qualified by law to vote at any election by the
people in any State, Territory, district county,
city, parish, township, school district, munich
pality, or other territorial subdivision, shall
be entitled and allowed to vote at all such cleo
tions, without distinction of race or color or
previous condition of servitude, any consti-
tuition or law, custom, or any regulation of any
State or Territory, or by or under its law, to
the contrary Notwithstanding.
Section 2. And be it further enacted, If by
or under the authority under the constitution
or law of any of the States or Territories any
act shall be required to be done as q pre-
|
| constitution or laws persons or officers shall be
charged with the performance of duties in
furnishing to citizens an opportunity to per-
form such prerequisite or to become qualified
to vote, it shall be the duty of every such
person and officer to give to 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 $500 to tho person
aggrieved thereby, to be recovered by an ac-
| ton in the case, with full costs aud such al
lowance for counsel fees MS tho Court shall
deem just; aud shall also for every such Of
fence be deemed guilty of misdemeauor,
aud shall, on conviction thereof, be fined not
less than $500, or be imprisoned not less than
one month and not more than one year, or
| BOTH at the discretion of the Court.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That
whenever, by or under the authority Of the
Constitution or laws of any State, or the laws
| of any Territory, any act or acts shall be re-
! quired to be done by any citizen as pre-
requisite to qualify or cntitle him to vote, the
! cfer of any such citizen to perform the act
! required to be done as aforesaid shall, ifit fail
| tG be carried in execution by tho wrongful act
or omission aforesaid of tho person or officer
charged with the duty of receiving or per-
mitting such performance, or offer to perform,
| or acting thereon, be deemed and held as a
! performance in law of such act, and there
| dpon the person so offering and failing as
| aforesaid, and being otherwise qualified, shall
| .ie entitled to vote in the same manner and to
the same extent as if he had il fact performed
such act; and any judge, inspector, or other
| officer of elections, whose duty it is or shall
be to receive, count, certify, register, report,
OF give effect to tho vote of any such citizen,
who shall refuse or knowingly omit to receive,
count, certify, register, report, or give effect
to the vots of such citizen upon the presen-
tation by him of his affidavit stating such offer
| and the time and place thereof, and the name
I Of the officer or person whose duty it was to
act thereon, and that he was wrongfully pre-
vented by such person or officer from perform
ing such act, shall, for every such offence for
felt and pay the sum of $500 to the person
agrieved thereby, to be recovered by an action
on the caee with full costs aud such allowance
for counsel fees as tho Court shall deem just;
and shall also, for every such offence, be
| guilty of misdemeanOr, and shall on con-
viction thereof bo fined not less than $500, or
be imprisoned not less than ono month aud
not more'than ono year. or both, at the dis
cretion of tho Court.
Sec 4. And bo it further enacted. That if
any person by force, bribery threats, intimi-
dation, or dNhcr unlawful means, shall hinder,
delay, prevent or obstruct or shall combine
and confederate with others to hinder, delay,
prevent, or obstruct any citizen from doing
any act required to be done to qualify him to
vote at any election as aforesaid such person
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay
the sum of 5000 to the person sggrieved
thereby, to be recovered by an action on the
case, with full costs and such allowances for
counsel fees as the Court may deem Just, and
| shall also for every such offence be guilty Of a
misdemcanor, and shall on conviction thereof
be fined not less than $500, or be imprisoned
not less than one month and not moro than
one year, or both, at the discretion of the
Court.
Sec. B. That it any person shall prevent,
hinder, control or intimidato, or shall attempt
to prevent, hinder, control or intimidate any
! person from exercising the right of suffrage
to whom the right of suffrage is secured or
guaranteed by the Fifteenth Amendment to
the Constitution of the United States. by
means of bribery, or threats of depriv-
ing such person of employment or occupation,
or of rejecting such person from rented house,
lands or other property by threats of refusing
to renew lease or contracts for labor, or by
threats of violence to himself or family. such
person so offending shall be deemed guilty of
a misdemeanor, and shall upon conviction
thereof be fined not less than $500 or be i'm
prisoned not less than one month and not more
than one year, or both, at the discretion of the
Court.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That if
| hall r..
together, or go in disguise upon the public
intent to violate any provision of this act, or
] To ininrn nnnrnss thrnatnn Or intin,;rln4. mn,