The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-16
TILE ENFORCEMENT ACT.
An Act to enforce the right of citizens of the Unite
States to vote in the several States of this Union

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 the eenate and House of Repre-
sentatiyes of the United States OF America in Con
gress assembled That all citizens Of the United
States who are or shall be otherwise qGaned by law
to vote at any election by the people IN an State
Territory. district, county, city, parish township
school district municipality or other territorial sub
division shall BIO entitled and allowed to vote at all
such elections without distinction Of race color OF
previous condition of servitude; any constitution,
law, custom, usage, regulation OF any state or
Territory, or by undor its authority TO the con-
trary Notwithstanding.
under tho authority of the constitution or laws OF
any State or the laws of any Territory any act is or
shall be required to be done as or quail
fication for voting and by such constitution or laws
persons or officers are or shall be charged with the
perform ance of duties in furnishing 70 citizens an
opportunity to perform such prerequisite or to be-
come qualified to vote II snail pc she uusy OF every
United States the and equal opportunity to per-
form suob 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 knowingly omit to give full ef'
feet to this section, he shall for every such offence,
forfeit and pay the sum of five hundred dollars to
the person aggrieved thereby to be recovered by
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, be deemed OF q
9QemeaDOr,
fined not less than FIVE hundred dollars, 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 3. And be it further enacted That whenever
nv or under the authority of the constitution or laws
OF any State, or the laws OF any territory any act
is or shall be required to be done by any citizen as
prerequisite to qualify or en'itle him to vote the
offer of any citizen to perform the act required to
be done as 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
ar
offer to perform or acting thereon, be deemed and
held as performance in law OF such act; and the
person go offering and failing as aforesaid ana being
otherwise qualified shall be entitled 10 vote IN the
same manner and to the same extent If he had In
fact performed such act and any Judge, inspector,
or other officer of election whose duty IT is or shall
be to receive count certify, register report or gre
effect to the vote Of any such citizen who shall
wrongfully refuse omit to receive count, certify,
register report give effect to the vote oil such cit
izen upon the presentation by him OF his afndavlt
stating such offer and place the' ee and the name OF
the officer person whose duty 1t was to act there
on and that he wrongiully prevented by
such person or officer from performing such act,
shall for every such offence forfeit ana pay the sum
OF five hundred dollars to the person ieved there
BY to be recovered by an action on the case, wlth
full costs and such allowance for counsel ices as the
court shall deem just, and shall a'so 'or every sucn
offence be guilty of a misdemeanor, ana snail on
conviction thereof be fined not less than five hun
dred dollars or be imp isoned not less than one
month and not more than one year. OF oo'h' ~ inc
SEC A. And be it further enacted, That IT
any person, by force, bribery, threats inflmi-
dation, or other unlawful means, shall hin,
der, 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 or
from voting at any election as aforesaid such person
sh al for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum
OF five hundred dollars to the person aggreved there
BY to be recovered by an action on me case, with
full costs and such allowance for counsel fees as the
hall mat. and shall also for every SUCH
offence be guilty of misdemeanor and snail On con-
yction thereof, be fined not less than five hundred
and not more than year, OF both, at the dsere-
tion of the court.
SEC g. and be it further enacted, That if any per
son shall prevent, hinder, CONTROL or intimdate, or
shall attempt to prevent hinder, control or ntim-
date any person from exercising or In 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 threats threats of deprving such per
son of employ occupation, or ofejecting such
person from rented house, lands, or other property,
or by threats of refusing to leases 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, on conviction
thereof be fined not less than five hundred dollars,
or he Imprisoned not less than one month and not
more than ono year, or both, at the discretion OF
the court.
courts of the United States within their respective
districts shall have exclusively of the courts OF the
several States coguzance OF all crimes and offences
committed against the provisions OF this act and
also, ooncurrently with the circuit courts of the
United States of all causes, civil and criminal aris-
ing under this act except as herein otherwise pro
vided and the Jurisdiction hereby conferred shall Dc
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 or in cases of crimes and offences not infamous
the prosecution may be either by indictment or in
form alton filed by the district attorney in court
hayin 10 Jurisdiction.