The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-06-06
THE ENFORCEMENT ACT.
An Act to enforce the right of citizens of the Unite
States to vote in the several States Of this Union

An Act to enforce the right of citizens of the Unite
States to vote n tho several States Of this Union
and for other purposes.
sentatives of tho 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 county, city, parish, township
school district municipality other territorial sub
divis on, shall be entitled and allowed to vote at all
such elections without distinction Of raco, COLOR or
previous condition Of servtude any constitution,
law, custom, usage, regulation OF any State or
Territory, by under its authority, to the con-
trary Notwithstanding.
SIC. q And be il further enacted, That IL by or
under the authority of the constitution or laws of
any State the laws of any Territory any act is or
shall be required TO be done prercqusi or qua-
cation for voting and by such constitution or laws
persons officers or 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, it shall be tho duty OF every
such person and officer to give to all citizens OF the
United States tho and equal opportunity to per-
form such prerequisite, and to become qualified to
vote without distinction of race, color, or previous
condition of seryitude; and If any such person or
officer shall refuse knowingly omit to give full ef
feet to hss section, he shall for every such offence
forfeit and pay the of five hundred dollars to
the person aggreved thereby to be recovered by an
action the case, with full costs and such allowance
for counsel fees tho court shall deem just, and
shall also, for every such offence, be deemed OF
misdemeanor, and shall, on conviction thereof, be
fined not loss than five hundred dollars, or be I'M
prisoned not less than one month and not more than
one year. or both, at the discretion OF the court
SEC. g. And be it further enacted, That whenever
by or under the authority of the constitution or laws
of any State, the laws of any Territory, any act
Is or shall be required TO be done by any citizen as
prerequisite to qualify entite him to vote, the
cffer of any citizen to perform the act required to
be dono 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
dnty of receiving permitting such performance or
offer to perform acting thereon, be deemed ana
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 and to the same extent as II ne hao IN
fact performed such act and any judge inspector,
or other officer of election whose duty it is OF shall
be to receive count certify, register report or give
effect to the vote of any such citizen VINO snail
wrongfully refuse omit to receive, count, certify
register report or give effect to the vote OF such cit
izen upon the presentation by him OF his aihaavit
stating such offer and place thereof and the name OF
the officer person whose duty It was 70 act mere
on. and that he was wrongfuy prevented by
such person or officer from performing such act,
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum
OF five hundred dollars to tho person nggfieYeu there
bv to be recovered by an action on the case with
full costs and such allowance Tor counse Iees es lie
court shall deem just aud shall also for every sucn
offence be guilty of misdetneanor ana snail, on
conyictiou thereof be fined not less than five hun
dred dollars or be imprisoned not less than one
month and not more than one year. or both, at the
SEC. 4 And be it further enacted, That If
any person, by force, bribery, threats, intim-
dalton or other unlawful means, shall nm n
der delay, prevent, or obStruct, or snail
combine and confederate with others to hinder,
delay, prevent or obstruct any citzen from uoine
aoy act required to be done to qualify him to vote or
from voting at any election as sioresa sucn person
sh ali for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum
of i've hundred dollars the person aggreved there-
by, to be recovered by an action on the case with
full costs and such allowance for counsel ices as the
court shall deem just and shall also for every such
offence be guilty of msdemeanor, and shall, on con-
yction thereof be fined not less than nve hundred
dollars or be imprisoned not less than one month
and not more than one year, OF DUN, az tho uiseo
| ton of the court. .
son shall prevent, hinder, control or intimdate or
shall attempt to prevent. hinder consro OF MI
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 or threats of deprivng such per
son of EMPLOYMENT occupation or ofeJectlng such
person from rented house, lands or other properly,
or by threats of refusing to renew leases OF
for labor or by threats of violence to himself or
| family such person offending shall be deemed
| guilty of misdemeanor, and shall, on convictioh
thereof be fined not less than five hundred collars,
or be imprisoned not less than one month anu not
more than one year, both, at the discretion OF
| the court. ,,...
oourts of the United States within their respective
dstrics 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 concurrently with the circuit courts OF tne
| Tntad States of all causes civil and criminal arts
| ing under this act except as herein otherwise pro
yided and the jurisdiction hereby conferred shall DC
exercised in conformity with the laws aud practct
governing United States courts and all crimes ano
offences committed against the provisions OF THIS ac
| NAV be prosecuted by the Indictment OF Crane
jury, or 10 cases of crimes and offences not
the prosecution may be either by Indictment or in
formation filed by the district attorney IN a cour
| having Jurisdiction.