The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-22
THE nNroRCEMENT 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.
Be il enacted by the senate and House of Repro
sentatives of the United States OF America in Con
gress assembled, That all citizens of the United
States who are or shall be otherwise qualified by law
to vote at any election by the people IN ans state
Territory, district, county, city, parish, township,
school district municipality or Dtnsa territorial sub
such elections without distinction If race color,
previous condition of seryitu1e; any constitution,
law, custom, usage, or regulation OF any State or
Territory by or under Its authority, to the con-
trary notwithstanding. r.TF
SIC. 2. And be it further enacted. That IL by
under the authority Of the constitution or laws Of
any State the laws of any Territory, any act Ia
shall be required to be done prers quis quali-
fcation for voting, and by such constitution laws
persons officers shall be charged with the
performance of duties In furnishing to citizens an
to perform such prerequisite or to be-
come qualified to vote, it shall be the duty of every
such person aud 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 previous
condition of servitude and If any such person or
officer shall refuse or knowingly omit to give full Of
feet to this section he shall for every such offence,
forfeit and pay the sum 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 as the court shall deem just, and
shall also for every such offence, be deemed of o
msdemeanor, 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, both, at the discretion of the court.
SEQ. 3. And be 1t further enacted, That whenever,
by under the authority of the constitution laws
is shall be required be done by any citizen as
prerequisite to qualify entitle him to vote the
offer Of any citizen to perform the act required to
be done as 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 performance or
offer to perform or acting thereon, be deemed and
held as performance in law Of such act; and the
person 80 offering and failing aforesaid and being
otherwise qualified, shall be entitled to vote in the
same manner and to the same extent 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 give
effect to the vote of any such citizen who shall
wrongfully refuse 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
on, and that he was wrongfully prevented by
such person or officer from performing such act,
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the
OF five hundred dollars to the person sggrieved there
by, to be recovered by action 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 i've hun
dred dollars, or be Imprisoned not less than
month and not more than one year, or BOTH at the
discretion of the court
any person, by force, bribery, threats, intimi-
dalton, or other unlawful means, shall him
Ger, delay, prevent, or .,obstruct, or shall
delay, prevent or oostruct, any citizen from doing
any act required to be done to qualify him to vote or
from voting at any election as aforesaid such person
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum
of five hundred dollars the person aggreved there
by, to be recovered by an action on the case with
full costs and such allowance for counsel fees the
court shall deem just and shall also for every such
offence be guilty of "A niadameQnOr and hall
viction 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 discre
ton of the court. rM u
SEC. s. And be it further enacted That if any per-
son shall prevent, hinder, control, or intmidate or
shall attempt to prevent, hinder, control ntim-
date any person from exercising in exercising the
right of suffrage, to whom the right of suffrage IL
secured or guaranteed by the fifteenth amendment
to the Constitution of the United States, by means
OF bribery threats or threats of deprvng such per
son OF employment or occupation, ofeecting 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 30 offending shall be deemed
guilty of a 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.
SIC g. And be it further enacted That the district
courts OF the United States, within their respective
districts shall have exclusively of the courts If the
several States, cognizance of oil crimes and offences
committed against the provisions of this act and
also. concurrently with the circuit courts of the
United States Of all causes civil and criminal aris-
ing under this act except as herein otherwise pro-
vded 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
may be prosecuted by the indictment of grand
jury or in cases of crimes and offences not infamous
the prosecution may be either by indictment or in
form alton filed by the district attorney in court
having Jurisdiction.