The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-26
THE ENFORCEMENT ACT.

An Act to enforce the right Of citizens of the Unite
States TO vote in the several States Of this Unior
and for other purposes.
Be il enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States OF America in Con
gress assembled, That all citizens Of the United
States who are shall be otherwise qualified by law
to vote at any election by tho people in ans State
Territory, district, county, city, parish, township
school district municipality, or other territorial sub
divis on shall be entitled and allowed to vote 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, by under its authority, to the con-
trary Notwithstanding.
SIC. 2, And be 10 further enacted, That If by or
under the authority of the constitution or laws of
any State the laws of any Territory any act is
shall be required to be doneas prerequisite or quali
hcation for voting and by such constitution or laws
persons or officers are shall be charged with the
performance of duties in furnishing to citizens an
opportunity to perform such prerequisite, or 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, or previous
condition of servitude; and if any such person or
officer shall refuse knowingly omit to give full eff
feet to thiss section he shall for every such offence
forfeit and pay the sum of five hundred dollars to
the person aggreved thereby, to be recovered by
action on the case with full and such allowance
for counsel fees tho court shall deem just, and
shall also, for every such offence, be deemed of
m1BdemeanOr, ana snail, on CONVICTION tnefeOI, De
fined not less than Eve hundred dollars, or be i'm
prlsoned not less than one month and not more than
one year, or both, at the discretion Of the court.
SEC. 8. And be 1t further enacted That whenever
by or under the authority of the constitution laws
of any State, the laws Of any Territory, any act
is or shall be required to be done by any citizen
prerequisite to qualify or entite him to vote, the
offer of any citizen TO perform the act required to
be done as aforesaid SHALL if 1t fail to be carried into
execution by reason 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 or acting thereon, be deemed and
held as o performance in law of such act; and the
person Offering and failing aforesaid and being
otherwise qualified, shall be entitled to vote in the
same manner and to the same 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 shall
wrongfully 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 person whose duty it was to act there-
on, and that he wrongfully 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 the case, with
full costs and such allowance for counsel fees the
court shall deem Just and shall also for every such
offence be guilty Of misdemeanor, and shall, on
thereof, be fined not less than five hun
bred dollars, or be imprisoned not less than one
month and not more than one year, or both, at the
SEC. a. And be it further enacted, That if
any person, by force, bribery, threats, intimi-
dalton or other unlawful means, shall him
der, delay, prevent or obstruct, shall
combine and confederate with others to hinder,
delay, prevent, obstruot, 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 all for every such offence forfeit snd pay the
of five hundred dollars to the person aggrieyed 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 be guilty of misdemeanor, and SHALL ON
victon thereof be fined not less than five hundred
dollars, or be imprisoned not less than month
and not more than one year, both, at the disere
ton of the court.
Sec g. And be it further enacted, That if any per-
son shall prevent hinder, control, intimdats, or
shall attempt to prevent hinder, CONTROL intimi-
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 deprivng such per-
son of employment or occupation, or eecting such
person from rented house, lands, other property,
by threats of refusing to leases contracts
for labor, or by threats of violence to himself or
family, such person SO offending shall be deemed
guilty of 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 g. And be 1t further enacted That the district
courts of the United States within their respective
districts shall have exclusively of the courts Of the
several States cognzance of all crimes and offences
committed against the provisions of this act and
aso concurrently with the circuit courts of the
United States of ell causes, civil and criminal aris
ing under this act, except 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, or. in of crimes and offences not infamous
the prosecution may be either by indictment or in
formation filed by the district attorney in court
having Jurisdiction.