The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-22
THE nNFoRoNMNNT AcT.
An Act to enforce the right of citizens of the Unite
States to vote In the several States Of this linton
and for other purposes,

An Act TO enforce the right OF citizens of the Unite
States to vote In the several States Of this Unto
and for other purposes.
Be IL enacted by the Eenato and House Of Repr
sentatives of the United States OF America in Con
gress assembled, That all citizens OF the unite'
States who shall be otherwise qualified by Law
to vote at any election by tho people In sny State
Territory, district, county, city, parish, township
school district municipality or other territorial sub
divis on shall be entitled and allowed to vote at al
such elections without distinction Of race color,
previous condition of servitude; any constitution
law, custom, usage, or regulation OF any State OF
Territory, by under its authority, TO the con
| trary notwithstanding.
| BIC q And be IL further enacted, That il by OF
under the authority Of tho constitution or laws oil
any State the laws of any Territory any act is or
shall be required to be done prerequisite or quail
cation 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 saon prefe1us,te, or 70 be-
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 or knowingly omit to give full ef
feet to thss 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 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
misdemeanor, and shall, on conviction thereof be
fined not less than FIVE hundred dollars, or be i'm
prisoned not less than month and not more than
year, or both, at the discretion of the court.
SEC. g. And be it further enacted That whenever
by under the authority of the constitution laws
of any State the laws of any Territory, any act
Is shall be required to be done by any citizen
prerequisite to qualify entitle him to VOTE the
offer of any citizen to perform the act required to
be done aforesaid SHALL If 1t fail to be carried into
execution by reason Of the wrongful act or omission
aforesaid of the person officer charged with the
duty of receiving permitting such performance or
offer to perform actpg 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 extent as if he had in
fact performed such act and any judge, inspector,
or other officer of election whose duty it is 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 ther eel, and the name of
the officer person whose duty it was to act there
on, and that he was wrongfully prevented by |
such person officer from performing such act, |
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum
OF five hundred dollars to the person 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 a misdemeanor, and shall on
conviction thereof, be fined not less than five hum
ired dollars, or be imprisoned not less than one |
month and not more than one year, or both, at the
discretion of the court
my person, by force, bribery, threats, intimi-
lation or other unlawful means, shall him
Ter, delay, prevent or obstruct, or shall
combine and confederate with others to hinder, |
leay, prevent, obstruct, any citizen from doing
my act required to be done to qualify him to vote
rom voting at any election as aforesaid such person
hall for every such offence forfeit and pay the
If five hundred dollars to the person aggreved there
", to be recovered by an action on the case, with
n costs and such allowance for counsel fees the
ourt shall deem just. and shall aso for every such
fenc0 be guilty of misdemeanOr. and shall.
fiction thereof, be fined not less than Ave hundred
dollars, or be imprisoned not less than one month
Ihd not more than one year. or both at the discre-
ion of the court.
SEQ. 8. nd be it further enacted, That If any per
on shall prevent, hinder, control, or intimidate, or
ball attempt to prevent, hinder control or intimi-
ate any person from exe csing or in exercising the
light of suffrage to whom the right of suffrage is
ecured or guaranteed by the fifteenth amendment
o the Constitution of the United States by means
bribery threats or threats of depriving such per
on of employment or occupation or OF ejectng such
erson from rented house. lands, or other property,
by threats of refusing to leases contracts
DR. labor, or by threats of violence TO himself or
,miIy, such person so offending shall be deemed
utility of misdemeanor, and shall, on conviction
hereof be fined not less than five hundred collars,
+ be imprisoned not less than one month and not
lore than year, both, at the discretion of
he court.
SEQ 8. And be it further enacted That the district
ourts of the United States, within their respective
istricts shall have exclusively of the of the
evera States cognizance of all crimes and offences
ommitted against the provisions of this act and
lso, concurrently with the circuit courts of the
United States, of all causes, civil and criminal ars
ng under this act except herein otherwise pro
ided and the jurisdiction hereby conferred shall be
xercised in conformity with the laws and practice
overning United States courts and all crimes and
fences committed against the provisions OF this
ray be prosecuted by the Indictment of grand
Try, or in of crimes and offences not infamous
he prosecution may be either by indictment in
,rmation filed by the district attorney in court
aying Jurisdiction.