The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-05-04
THE KU KLUX BILL.
FULL TEXT OF THE BILL AS IT PASSED
CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, April 20. 1871.

WASHINGTON, April 20 1871.
The following is the full text of the Ku
Klux bill:
"An act to enforce the provisions Of the
Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitu-
tion of the United States, and other pur-
1 poses:
| "Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress Assembled, That any
| person who under color of any law, statute.
ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage of
any State shall subject or cause to be sub
jected any person within the Jurisdiction of
/ the United States to the deprivation of any
rights, privileges or immunities secured by
the Constitution of the United States, shall,
any such law. statute, ordinance custom, or
| usage of the State to the contrary, nOtwith-
| standing, be liable to the party injured in
any action, law suit in equity, or better
| proper proceeding for redress, such proceed
| ing to be prosecuted in the several District
or Circuit Courts of the United States, with
and subject to the same rights of appeal,
| review upon error, and other remedies
| provided in like cases in such courts, under
the provisions of the act of the 9th of April,
1885, entitled An act to protect all persons
| in the United States in civil rights, and
furnish means of their vindicatiOn,' and
other remedial laws of the United States
which are in their nature applicable to such
cases.
Sec. 2. That if two or more persons
within any State or Territory in the United
States shall conspire together to overthrow
or to put down by force the Government
of the United States, or to levy war against
the United States, or oppose by force the
authority of the Government of the United
States or by force, intimidation, or threat
prevent, hinder. or delay the execution of
any law OF the United States; or by force to
seize, take, or possess any property of the
United States contrary to the authority
thereof; or by force, intimidation. or threat,
to prevent any person from holding any
office. or trust. or place of confidence under
the United States, or from discharglng the
duties thereof, or by force, intimidation,
United States to leave any State, district,
or place where his duties as such officer
might lawfully be performed, or TO injure
him in his person or property, on account
of the lawful discharge of the duties of
his office, or to injure his property so
as to modest hinder, Interfere with or inn
pede him in the discharge OF his official
duties, or by force, intimidation or threat
to deter any party or witness in any matter
pending In such court fully and truthful1y,
or to injure any such party or witness in
person or property on account of his hav-
ing so attended or testified, or by force, in
timidation, or threat to influence the ver-
diet presentment or indictment lawfully
asse-5sed to by him, or on account of his
h 60 or having having been such juror,
all conspire together or 60 in disguise
> TO the public highway or the premises
= mother for the purposes of either Oil
= .tly or Indirectly depriving any person or
al y class Of persons of the equal protection
5 ! the laws, or for the purpose of preventing
.1or hindering the constituted authorities OF
any State from giving or securing to all
persons within such State the equal pro-
lection of the laws, or shall conspire together
hindering, Obstracting or defeati.g the due
course of justice in any State or Territory
with intent to deny to any citizen of the
United States the due and equal protection
of the laws, or TO iDjure any person In his
person or his property for lawfully enf0rc-
sons 70 the equal protection of the laws, or
by force, intimidation or threat TO prevent
any citizen OF the United States. lawfully
entitled to vote, from giving his support or
advocacy in an election of any qualified
person as an elector for President or Vice
President of the United States, or as q menu
Der Of Congress OF the United States, or 70
injure any such citizen in his person or
property on account Of such support or adj
Vocacy, each and every person SO Offending
upon conviction thereof In any District or
Circuit Court of the United States, or the
District or Supreme Court of any Territory
OF the United States having jurisdiction OF
similar offenses. shall be punished BY a fine
not less than $500 nor more than $4,000, or
| by impeachment. with or without bard Ia
Dor, as the court may determine, or by both
such fine and Imprisonment q the court
shall determine. And IL any one or more
persons engaged In such conspiracy shall do.
or cause 20 be done, any any act In further
ance Of the object Of snch eonspirAey.where-
| by any person shall be injured, In his per-
| son or property, or deprived OF having and
exercising any right or privilege Of = eifi-
zen Of the United States, the person 80 in
jured, or deprived Of such rights and privi-
leges, may have and maintain an aeticm f0I
| the recovery ofdamaGes oecasi0ned by such
injury, or The deprivation Of fights and
| persons engaged In ouch cons piracy. such
action TO Be prosecuted inthe proper District