The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-01
THE ENFORCEMENT ACT.
An Act to enforce the right of citizens of the Unite
States to vote in the several States OF this unlor
and far othor ntirposes

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 Fenate aud House of Repr,
sentativea of the United States OF America in Con
| gress assembled, That all citizens of tho 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
iivs 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, regulation of any State OF
Territory, by under its authority, to the con.
| trary notwithstanding.
SEC q And be IL further enacted, That if by or
under the authority of the constitution laws OF
any State the laws of any Territory any act ia or
shall be required TO be done prerequisite quail
fcation for voting, and by such constitution or laws
persons officers are or 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 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 or
officer shall refuse knowingly omit to give full eff
feet to this 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 the case, with full costs and such allowance
for counsel fees as tho court shall deem just and
shall also, for every such offence be deemed of a
misdemeanor, and shall, on conviction thereof be
fined not less than five hundred dollars, be i'm.
prsoned 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
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 as
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 officer charged with the
duty of receiving permitting such performance or
offer to perform acting thereon, be deemed and
held as performance in law of such act: and the
person so 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,
or 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
wrongfuly 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
Ruch person or officer from performing such act,
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum
Of five hundred dollars to the person agg,eved there
by, to be recovered by an action on the case with
full costs and such allowance for counsel fees rs the
court shall deem just, and shall also for every such
offence be guilty OF q nfsdemeanor, and shall on
conviction thereof, be fined not less than five hun
dred dollars, or be imprisoned not less than one
month and not more than ono year, or both, at the
discretion of the court.
any person, by force, bribery, threats, intimi-
dation or other unlawful means, shall him
der, delay. prevent, Or obstruct, or shall
combine and confederate with others to hinder,
delay prevent or obstruct, any citizen from doing
any required to be done to qualify him to vote
from voting at any election as aforesaid such person
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the
of five hundred dollars to the person aggrieved there
by, to be recovered by action on the case, with
full costs and such allowance for counsel fees as the
court shall deem just and shall also for every such
offence be guilty OF O mlSu6ne6uOr, and snail
vction thereof, be fined not less than five hundred
dollars or be imprisoned not loss than one month
and not more than one year, or both, at the discre
ton of the court.
SEo. g. And be it further enacted That if any per
son shall prevent, hinder control, or intimdate,
shall attempt to prevent, hinder, control or 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 occupations or fejectng such
person from rented house. lands or other property,
or by threats of refusing to leases
for labor, or by threats OF violence to himself or
family, such person offending shalt be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor and shall, on conviction
thereof be fined not less than five hundred collars,
or be imprisoned not less than one month and not
more than year, or both, at the discretion of
the court.
SEQ g. 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 eoncurrently with the circuit courts of the
United Staes of all causes civil and criminal, aris
ing under this act, except as herein otherwise pro-
vdad 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 a court
having Jurisdiction.