Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-04-26
The ku-kluX Law

An Act to enforce TIE provisions oil the Four
tenth Amendment 10 the Constitutions "
the United States. and for other purposes
Be II enacted b. the Seua,e and House of b.
preSeatatires Of he Juit.d States OF AAsr4c1 "a
Congress assembled, That any person who,
under color of any law, statute, ordinance,
regulation. custom OF usage Of any State,
shall subject, or cause To be subjected, any
person within the Jurisdiction of the United
States To the deprivation of any rights, priv
ilegcs or immuuitIes secured by the ConstItu-
tion of the | uIteI States, shall, any such law,
statute, ordinance, regulation, custom or
+ usage Of the State TO the contrary nOtwith-
standing, be liable 70 the party Injured in
any action at law suit in equity OF other
proper proceeding for redress such proceed
I ing to lie prosecuted in the several district or
circuit couI + of the United States, with and
subject TO tie same rights of appeal, review
upon error and other remedies provided in
f like cases in such courts, under The pr1Tis-
+ ions oil the act of the 9,h of April, l>U6, en-
titled " An Act y protect all persons I'D the
I nitod States ia their several rights. and q
furnish the means Tor their viud'eatisn,' and
the other remedial laws ct the Uuted States
which are in their nature applicable in such
cases.
SEc. :. That if two or more persons with
in any State OF territory of the United States
put down or to destroy nv force, the Gov
eminent OF the United States. OF to levy war
against the nitei States. or 70 oppose bv
+ force the authority 20 the Government Of the
+ UnIted States. or ny force, intimatIon. or
threat to prevent, hinder pr delay tac e1ecu-
+ ton of any Law ot the United Ssttc- or bY
/ force T. scizc, take or possess any property
/ of the UNITED states contrary TO the authori-
+ ~ thereof. or by lorce intimidation OF threat
2
or holding any Office OF trust OF place OF
confidence under the United States, or from
! dIschargng the duties thereof, OF by force.
intimidation or threat To induce any officer
of the nIted States to leave any State. dis
trict or place where his duties as such officer
might lawfully be performed. or to lniure him
/ IN his person or property on account of his
lawful discharge OF the duties ct his office,
+ OF to lnlure hls person while engaged in the
lawful disct arge of the duties OF his off re
or TO injure his property so ar u mol,st, hin
der, Interfere with, or impede him in the
discharge OF his official duty or 10y force
intimldat on. or threat To deter any party or
witness IN any court OF the United States
/ rom attending such court, or from testiiving
+ in any matter pending IN such court fully
and truthiully, OF to injure any such party
/ OF witness IN his person or property ON &c
count OF has haVIG 80 attended or testified
A l..
ence the verdict. prest ntmert. OF indictment
OF any Juror or gland juror in any court of
the | nIted States, or 70 in5ure any Juror in
his person or property on account ut any YER
/ diet presentment, or indictment lawfully as
sented 10 by him, or on account OF his being
or having been such juror, OF shall conspre
/ together, Or 20 IN disguise upon the public
/ highway or the premises of another Tor the
purpose, either directly or indirectly, of de-
+ prIyIng any person OF any class OF persons of
the equal protection OF the laws. or of equal
privileges or immunitics under the laws, or
+ tor the purpose Ot preventing or hindcrng
/ the constituted authorities of any State from
giving OF securing to all persons within such
State the equal protection of the laws, OF
shall conspire together for the purpose OF in
any manner impeding, hindering, ubstruct-
lng or defeating the due course of Justice in
any State or Territory, with intent to deny
to any citizen of the United States the due
and equal protection OF tn, laws OF t.
Inlure any person in his person or his prop
erty for lawfully enforcing the right OF any
person or class of persons 10 the equal pro
lection oil the laws, or by force, Intimidation
or threat TO prevent any citizen OF the United
States lawfully entitled To vote from giving
his support or advocacy in lawful manner
toward or in favor OF the election of anv law
fully qualified person as an elector of Presi-
dent or Nlce-PTesldcnt of the United States :,
or as member Of the Congress of the United
States, or to injure any such citizen in his
person or property on account of such sun
port or advocacy, each and every person so
offending shall be deemed guilty OF a high
crime, and upon conviction thereof in any
District or Circuit court of the United States
or district or Supreme Court of any Terrific
~ OF the United States having jurisdiction
OF similar offences, shall be punished by
fine not less than s. 600, or by Imprisonment
with or without hard labor, as the Court NAV
determine for a period not less than six
months nor more than six years, as the Court
may determine, or by both such fine and i'm
prlsonment, as the Court shall determine
And If any one or more persons engaged II
any such conspiracy shall do, or cause to b.
done, any act in iurtherance of the object OF
such conspiracy whereby any person shall bt
injured IN his person or property, or deprived
OF having aud exercising any right OF priv
lege of a citizen of the United States. tn,
person SO injured or deprived Of such right.
and privileges may have and maintain an ac
ton Tor the recovery of damages oceasioned
by such injury or deprivation of rights ana
privileges against any one or more Of the per- |