The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-05
THE ENFORCEMENT ACT.


An Act to enforce the right of citizens of the Unite
States TO vote in the several States Of this Union
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by tho Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States OF America in Con.
| gress assembled, That all citizens of the United
| States who 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, other territorial sub
divs on shall be entitled and allowed TO at all
such elections without distinction Of race color,
previous condition of servitude; any constitution,
law, custom, usage, or regulation of any State or
Territory, or by under its authority, to the con-
trary notwithstanding
BIC. 2. And be it further enacted, That If by or
under the authority of the constitution laws of
any State the laws of any Territory any act is
shall be required to be done prerequisite quail
fcation for voting, and by such constitution laws
| persons officers shall be charged with the
performance OF duties in furnishing to citizens an
opportunity to perform such prerequisite, to be-
come 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 per-
| form such prerequisite and to become qualified to
vote without distinction of race, color, previous
| condition of servitude and if any such person
officer shall refuse knowingly omit to give full eff
feet thiss section he shall for every such offence
forfeit and pay the of five hundred dollars to
the person aggreved thereby, to be recovered by
action the CASE with full costs and such allowance
for counsel fees tho court shall deem just, and
shall also, for every such offence, be deemed of
fined not less than Ave hundred dollars or be i'm
prisoned not less than month and not more than
one year, both, at the discretion of the court.
SEC 3. And be il further enacted. That whenever
by under the authority of the constitution laws
of any State or the laws of any Territory any act
is shall be required to be done by any citizen
a prerequisite to qualify entitle him to vote, the
offer of any citizen to perform the act required to
be done aforesaid SHALL If it fail to be carried into
execution by OF the wrongful act or omission
Aforesaid of the person or officer charged with the
duty Of receiving permitting such performance or
offer to perform acting thereon, be deemed and
held as q performance in law OF such act; and the
person Offering and falling as aforesaid, and being
otherwise qualified, shall be entitled to vote in the
same and to the extent as if he had in
fact performed such act and any judge, inspector,
other officer of election whose duty it is or shall
be to receive count certify register report or give
effect to the vote of any such citizen who snail
wrongfuy refuse or omit to receive count certify,
register report give effect to the vote of such cit
izen upon the presentation by him of his affidavit
stating such offer and place thereof and the name OF
the officer or person whose duty It was 70 act there
on, and that he wrongiully prevented by
such person or officer from performing such act,
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the
OF five hundred dollars to the person aggieved there
BY to be recovered by an action on the case, with
full and such allowance for counsel fees as the
court shall deem just and shall also for every such
offence be guilty of msdemeanor, and shall, on
conviction thereof be fined not less than five hum
dred dollars, be imprisoned not less than one
month and not more than one year, or both, at the
discretion of the court.
SEC A. And be it further enacted, That if
any person, by force, bribery, threats, intimi-
dation other unlawful means, shall him
DER delay, prevent, 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
from voting at any election as aforesaid such person
sh all for every such offence forfeit and pay the
of fl hundred dollars to the person aggreved there
by to be recovered by an action on the case, with
full costs and such allowance for counsel fees the
court shall deem just and shall also for every such
offence DO guilty of msdemeapor and shall, con-
vcton 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 disore-
ton of the court
SEC. g. And be it further enacted, That if any per-
son shall prevent, hinder, CONTROL intimidate,
shall attempt to prevent, hinder, control, or intimi
date any person from exercising in exercising the
right of suffrage to whom the right of suffrage is
secured OF guaranteed by the fifteenth amendment
to the Constitution OF the United States, by means
of bribery threats threats of deprving such per-
son of employment occupation, or ofeecting such
person from rented house, lands, or other property
by threats of refusing to roDew leases contracts
for labor, by threats of violence to himself or
family, such person offending shall be deemed
guilty of a 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.
SEC s. And be it further enacted That the district
courts of the United States within their respective
districts 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, concnrrently with the circuit courts OF the
United States of all causes civil and criminal aris
ing under this act except as herein otherwise pro-
vded and the jurisdiction hereby conferred shall be
exercised in conformity with the laws and practice
governing United States courts and all crimes and
offences committed against the provisions of this act
may be prosecuted by the indictment of grand
jury in cases of crimes and offences not infamous
the prosecution may be either by indictment in
formation filed by the district attorney in court
having jurisdiction.