The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-24
TILE INFRINGEMENT ACT.

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. "a
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 shall be otherwise qualified by law
to vote at any election by the people In any State
Territory, district count, city, parish, township,
school district Municipality or other territorial sub
division shall be entitled and allowed to vote at all
such elections without distinction of race color,
previous condition of servituie; any constitution,
law, custom, usage, or regulation of any State or
Territory, or by or under its authority to the con-
trary notwithstanding
sEo. 2. And be it further enacted, That IL by or
under the authority Of the constitution or laws of
State, the laws of any Territory, any act is or
shall be required to be done prerfqusi or quail
hcation for voting, and by such constitution or laws
persons officers 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, il 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 or knowingly omit to give full eff
feet to this section, he shall for every such offence
forfeit and pay the sum of i've hundred dollars to
the person aggrieved thereby to be recovered by
action on the with full costs and such allowance
for counsel fees as the court shall deem just and
shall also, for every such offence, be deemed OF q
misdemeauor, and shall, ON conviction thereof, be
fined not less than five hundred dollars, or be i'm.
prisoned not less than one month aud not more than
one year, or both, at the discretion Of the court
SEQ 8. And be it further enacted That whenever
by under the authority of the constitution laws
of any State, the laws of euy Territory, any act
Is or shall be required to be done by any citizen
prerequisite to qualify entite 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 reason OF the wrongful act omission
aforesaid of the person officer charged with the
duty Of receiving permitting such performances
offer to perform or actiag thereon, be deemed and
held as q 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 extentas If he had in
fact performed such act; and any judge inspector,
other officer of election whose duty it is shall
be to receive count, certify register report, give
effect to the vote of any such citizen who shall
wronguy 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 to act there
on, and that he 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 aggrieved there
by, to be recovered by an 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 misdemeanor, and SHALL on
conviction thereof be fined not less than five hum
dred dollars, or be Imprisoned not less than one
month and not more than one year, or both, at the
discretion of the court.
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That If
any person, by force, bribery, threats, intimi.
dation, or other unlawful means shall him
der, delay, prevent, or Distract, shall
combine and confederate with others to hinder,
delay prevent, obstruct, any citizen from doing
any act required to be done to qualify him to vote
from voting at any election aforesaid such person
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum
of five hundred dollars to the person aggreved 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 misdemeanor and shall ON con-
viction thereof, be fined not less than FIVE hundred
dollars, or be imprisoned not less than month
and not more than one year, or BOTH at the discre
ton of the court.
SEQ. g. And be it further enacted That If any per.
son snail prevent hinder, control, or intmidate or
shall attempt to prevent hinder, control intim-
date any person from exercising in exercising the
right of suffrage to whom the right of suffrage is
secured or guaranteed by the fifteenth amendment
of bribery, threats threats Of depving such per-
son OF employment or occupation, Of ejecting such
person from rented house, lands other property,
or 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.
SEQ g. And be it further enacted That the district
courts of the United States within their respective
districts shall have exclusively the courts If the
several States cognizance of all crimes and offences
committed against the provisions of this act and
also, concurrently with the circuit courts of the
United Staes of all causes, civil and criminal arts
ing under this act, except as herein otherwise pro
vided 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 cases of crimes and offences infamous
the prosecution may be either by indictment in
form alton filed by the district attorney in o court
having urlediCtiJu.