The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-27
THE ENFORCEMENT ACT.

An Act to enforce the right Of citizens Of the Unite
States to vote in the several States Of ,his Union
and for other purposes.
Be il enacted by the Senate and House Of Repro
seniatives of the United States OF America IN Con.
| press assembled That all citizens Of the United
States who are shall be otherwise qualined by law
to vote at any election by tho people 10 ans State
| Territory, district, county, city, parish, township
school district municipality, other territorial sub
dvs on shall be entitled and allowed to vote at all
such elections without distinction OF race color, or
previous condition of servitude; any constitution,
| law, custom, usage, regulation OF apy state or
Territory or by under its authority, 10 the con-
| trary Notwithstanding.
SIC. g And be 10 further enacted, That II by or
under the authority of the constitution or laws OF
any State or the laws of any Territory, any act is
shall be required to be done q, prerequis or qua-
cation for voting and by such oonsttution or laws
persons or officers shall be charged with the
performance OF duties in furnishing TO citizens an
opportunity to perform srch 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 tho and equal opportunity 70 per-
form such prerequisite, and to become quailhed to
without distinction of race, color, or previous
condition of servitude and II any snch person or
officer shall refuse or knowingly omit to give full eff
feet to hsl 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 an
action OH 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
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 or laws
of any State or the laws of any Territory, any act
ia or 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
DO done as aforesaid shall if it 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 or permitting such performance
offer to perform or acting thereon, be deemed and
held as q performance in law OF such act; and the
person go Offering and falling 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,
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 snail
wrongfuliy refuse omit to receive, count certify,
register report give effect to the vote OF such Cit
izen upon the presentation by him OF ms afldavlt
stating such offer and place thereof and the name of
the officer person whose duty 1t was to act there
on, and that he wroDgfully prevented by
such person officer from performing such act,
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sun
OF five hundred dollars to the person sgg ieyed 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 misdeneanor, and shall, on
conviction thereof, be fined not less than i've hun
dred dollars, be Imprisoned not less than one
month and not more than one year, or potn, NJ the
SEQ. a. And be it further enacted, That if
any person, by force, bribery, threats, intimi-
dation or other unlawful means, shall him
Ger, delay, prevent, or obstruct, or shall
combine and confederate with others to hinder,
delay prevent, obstruct, any citizen from doing
any required to be done to qualify him to vote or
from voting at any election aforesaid, such person
shlll for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum
OF hundred dollars to the person aggreyed there
by to be recovered by action on the case, with
full costs and such allowance for counsel fees as tho
court sha deem just and shall also for every such
offence DO guilty of msdomeanor, and shall con-
yction thereof be fined not less than five hundred
dollars or be i'm prisoned not less than one month
and not than one year, or both. at the dscre~
ton of the court.
SEC s. And be it further enacted, That If any per
son shall prevent, hinder, control, intimidate
shall attempt to prevent, hinder control. intim
date any person from exercising or in exercising the
right of suffrage, to whom the right OF suffrage is
to the Constitution of the United States by means
of bribery, threats threats of depriying such
of employment or occupation, or ofejectng such
person from rented house. lands, or 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, conviction
thereof, be fined not less than five hundred dollars,
or be imprisoned not less thaa one month and not
more than ons year, or both, at the discretion OF
the court.
SEQ s. And be IL further enacted That the district
courts of tho 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
also, concurrently with the circuit courts of the
United States of sill causes cvii and criminal, arts.
ing under this act, except herein otherwise pro.
vided aud the Jurisdiction hereby conferred shall be
exercised in conformity with the laws and practice
governing United States Courte 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.