Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-04-05
From the New York Tribune Of Saturday
A New Ku-KInX Bill.

new hu-h INK BILL
Mr., Willard of Vermont has prepared t
substitute for the Shellabarger Ku-Klux bill
which he has drawn with much care, will
the view of making it strong and effectua
and, at the same time, not Objectionable to
the Conservative Republicans as being o
doubtful constltutionaIity.
The first section of Mr. Willard's substi
tutc is the same as the first section Of the ori.
ginaI bill, and the following section he pro-
poses in lieu Of the second, third, and fourth
sections
SEC. .. That if two or more persons shall
within the limit Of any State, band, coDspire
or combine together, for the purpose either
directly or indirectly, of depriving any per
son or any class of persons in such State, OF
the equal protection Of the laws, of equal
privileges and immunities under the laws
VI for the purpose Of preventing, or in any
wav hindering, the constituted authorities Of
any state, from giving to all persons in such
state the equal protection Of the laws, or for
the purpose OF aiding or abetting such au-
th.r.tlc- in refusing or denying, or any way
re.Ieetiu- TO secure TO any person in such
state such equal protection of the laws and
if any one or more OF the persons engaged in
such clusT tracy or combination shall do, or
procure OF cause to be done, any act in fur
therance Of the object Of such conspiracy or
combination, whereby any person shall be
injured in any way in his person or proper
ty. 0r deprived in any way from having and
enjoying the full and free exercise of the
rights. privileges, or immunties of a citizen
ofthc United states. the person so injured or
deprived Of such rights, privileges or immu-
mites, may have and maintain, in the same
manner as provided in the first section of this
act his action in law, or suit in equity for
the recovery of damages Occasioned by such
injury. OF deprivation of rights, privileges g,
OF immunitiez against the person committing
said act, or against any one or any number OF
such persons
SEC 3. That if any one or more Of the per-
sons in any way engaged in OF connected with
such conspiracy or combination, or any per
SON. bv his or their procurement, in pursu
aucc Oi such conspiracy and combination, and
% accomplish the object thereof shall do any
act which, il committed within the sole and
exclusive Jurisdiction OF the United States,
the person committing said act, and all the
persons in any way connected or engaged IN
such conspiracy or cDmbnatIOny whether
principals or accessories, shall be deemed
guilty ola felony, and, upon conviction there
ui, shall be liable to penalty OF not exceed
iny $4,000. or To imprisonment not exceed
ln- ten wears. OF both, at the discretion Of the
Court Provided. That if any person Or per
sons in anv way connected win OF engaged
in such conspiracy OF combination shal! IN
pursuance Of said conspiracy pr combination,
and to accomplish the object thereof, commit
murder, the person OF persons 50 committing
murder or procuring murder 70 be commit
ted, shall upon conviction thereof suffer
death. And provided, also, that any otfense,
punishable uuder this act, begun IN one Iu-
tIr ~ no mn rpt
pletcd in another, may be -alt with, inquired
of, tried, determined. and punished IN either
district
SIC T. That if there shall be at any time
an armed and organized resistance of this act,
or of anv law of the I ted States, So power
ful as to be able to resist and prevent the ex-
CcuiiJn of such law in the ordinary course of
judicial proceedings, and which armed and
organized resistance shall in the judgment Of
the President Of the United States amount to
@ rebellion against the authority Of the I nj
tai States, tie President in such case, when
ever in his judgment the public safety may
require It, Is authorized U suspend the priv
iIc.e Ot the writ Of habeas corpus within the
judicial district OF districts where such re-
lclI0n exists. and continue such suspension
while such rebellion shall exist, and until the
same lie suppressed. Pr0UlIed, that this au-
thority TO suspend the privilege OF wrlts
in force alter the lst day Of January A. ID.
lo72. And for the purpose Of suppressing
such rebellion the President shall have all
the powers conferred upon him by the act to
provide for the suppression Of rebellion
against and resistance to the laws Of the
United States, yc- passed July %, 1851.
The fifth section of Mr.. Willard's substi-
tute is Identical with the same section OF the
original bill. sixth section is added au-
thorIzin. any Judge at his discretion. to adj
minister an oath to the jurors immpaneLeI Tor
the trial Of d cause under the act, that they
have not been IN completely with the persons
arrai.uci for the violation. The bill, in brief,
makes conspiracy OF combination to de-
prire citizens Or classes ol citizens of their
rights under the Constitution and laws, or
g. resist the slmc when it results in acts Of
violence. a crime against the L nited States,
punishable in It's courts and whenever such
resistance to law amounts to an instruction,
the President is empowered 10 use the army
navy, aud militia to suppress 1t. and may
suspend the habels corpus III distri cts where
such Instruction exists. 1t Is not open to
objection made by some of its members to the
Shellab ,r.er BIZ, that it may be construed to
extend the jurisdiction Of the United States
Courts over all crimes conmi tied in the
States, and it gives the President 10 power
% declare martial law. 1t seems to be gen
orally greed that the Shellabarger bill can
not pass the House unless it is considerably
amended. and it is thought not improbable
that Mr. Wizards substitute may prove ac-
oeptab.c 70 all Republicans, and may be
adopted.
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