The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-04-24
GRANTS nESoMINArIoN BILL.
The Dawn OF imperialism at Washing
ton-The .ku-Klax. Bill as 1t Passed
Congressional Nearly a Fuil-Fledg.
ed Dictator. sa

The following is.the full text of the much
| discussed and much amended Kn-Klux bill, in
the form in which it finally became the law o.
| the land !
| An ACT TO enforce the provisions CT the Four
teenth Amendment to the Constitution Of
the United States, and for other purposes.
F. SECTION l.. Be it enacted by tho Senate and
| House OF Representatives Of the United States
of America in Congress assembled, That any
person who, under color OF any lav, statute,
ordinance. regulation, custom or usage OF any
State, shall subject. or cause TO be subjected,
| any person. within the jurisdiction of the Unit
| ed States to The deprivation OF any rights,
| privileges or immunitles secured by the Con-
%stitutlon Of The United States, shall, any such
law. statute. ordinance. regulation, custom
| or usage of The State to the contrary notwlth-
standing, be liable to the party injured in any
| action at law. suit In equity, or other proper
proceeding for redress; such proceeding 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, 1866, eatitled "An
act 10 protect all %personsin the United st lies
in their. civil rights. and to furnish the. means
o fthetr yindlcation," and the other remedial
laws Of the United States which are In their
nature applcaDle IN Sucn cases. -
SEQ 3. That II two or more persons Within
any State or! Territory OF the United States
shall conspire together to overthrow, or 10 put
down, or L. destroy By force the Government
Of the United States, or to levy wal. against
the United States, OF to oppose by force the
authority Of the Government of the United
States, or by force, intimidation or threat to
prevent, hinder or delay the execution ofany
law of the. United States, or by force 10 seize,
take OK possessr any property of the' United
States contrary to the authority thereof, orby
force, intimidation or threat 10 prevent any
person from accepting or holding any office OF
trust or place OF confidence underline United
States, or from disclargiBg the duties thereof,
OF by force, intimidation or threat to indnce
State, district or place where his dulles as
such officer might lawfully be performed, or
TO iujnre him in his person or property on &C.
count of his lawinl discharge OF the duties Of
bis office, or to inlure his person while engag-
ed in the lawlrl discharge of the duties OF his
Office, or to injurc his property, so as to modest,
hinder, Interfere with or impede him in the
discharge Of his official duty; OF, by force, in
timldatlon or threat TO deter any party UT wit
ness in any court Of the United States
from attending such court. or from testltying
In any matter peAdiny In such court, fully,
freely and truthfully, or to injure any such
party or witness IN his person or property On
account Of his having 50 attended or testified,
or by force, intimidation or threat to Influence
the verdict, presentment or indictment of any
Juror or grand juror in any court-ot the United
States. or to injure suchtjuror in his person or
property on account OF any verdict. present.
ment or indictment lawfully aSSented to by
him, or on account of his being or having been
such juror, or shall conspire together or so in
disguise upon the public highway or upon the
premises Of another, for the purpose, either
directly or indirectly, of depriping any person
or any class of persons Of the equal protection
of the laws, or Of equal privileges or immuni-
ties under the laws, or for the purpose of pre-.
venting or hindering The constituted author
tiles OF any State from giving or securing TO
all persons within such State the equal pro-
lection of the laws; or shall conspire
together Tor the purpose OF In any
manner impeding, %hindering, obslructinS,
or defeating the due course OF Justice
TO any citizen of the United States the due
and equal protection of the laws, or to injure
any person in his person OF his property Tor
lawfully enforcing The right OF any person or
class oil persons to the equal protection OF the
laws, or by force, intimidation or threat TO
prevent any citizen OF the United States, law
fully entitled 10 vote, from, giving his support
or advocacy, In a lawful manner, toward or in
favor oil, the election OF any lawfully qualified
person as elector for President or Yive-Presi.
dent Of the United States, or as O member Of
the Congress Of The United States, or 10 injure
any such citizen in mis- person or In property,
on account OF such support or advocacy, each
raut every person so offending shall be deemed
guilty OF a high crime, and, upon conviction
thereof IN any District OF Circuit Court of the
United States or District or Supreme Court OF
any Territory of the United States having juris-
diction of similar offences, shall be pun
ished by a fne not less Than five hundred
nor more than five thousand dollars. or BY
imprisonment, with or without hard labor,
as the court may determine, for u period
Of not less than six mouths nor more
than six years, as the court may deter
mine, Or by both such fine aud Imprisonment as
the court GhalI determine. And IL any one or
more persons engaged in any such conspiracy
shall DO, or cause u be done any act in fur