The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-05-04
THE KUKLUX BILL.
The March Of DespOtism.

The Forty-Second Congress has
finally passed the iniquitous Ku-
klux Bill and invested the Presi-
dent with nothing short of dictate
rial powers. We may now say that
our government is q mere carica-
ture of a Republic. Below we give
the text Of the BILL
An act to enforce the provisions Of
the Fourteenth Amendment to
the Constitution Of the United
States, and other purposes.
BE it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the
United States Of America in Con
gress assembled, That any person,
who, under cover ofany law, stat
ute, ordinance, regulation, custom
or usage of any State, shall subject,
or cause to be subjected, any per
son within the jurisdiction Of the
United States to the deprivations
of any rights, privileges or immu-
mites secured by the Constitution
of the United States, shall, any
such law, statute, ordinance, regu-
lation, custom or usage of the State
TO the contrary Notwithstanding,
be tabled to the party injured in
action, lawsuit, &c, in equity or
other proceedings for redress, such
proceedings to be prosecuted in the
several District or Circuit Courts
of the United States, with, and sub
ject to, the same rights of appeal,
review upon error and other rene
dies, provided in like cases in such
courts, under provision of the act
ofApril 8, 1866, entitled can act to
protect all persons in the United
States in civil rights, and to furnish
the means for their vindication and
other remedial laws of the United
States which are in their natures
applicable to such cases..
Sec. 2. That if two or more per-
sons within any State or Territory
of the United States shall cores
pond together to overthrow, or to
put down or destroy by force the
Government of the United States;
or to levy war against the United
States, or to oppose by force the
aathorities of the Government of
the United States; or by force, in
timidation or threat, to prevent
hinder or delay the execution of
any law of the United States; or by
force to seize, take or possess any
property of the United States con
trary to the authority thereof; or
by force, intimidation or threat to
prevent any person from holding
any Office of trust or place Of con-
fidence under the United States, or
from discharging the duties thereof;
or by force, intimidation or threat,
to induce any officer of the United
States to leave any State, district
or place where his duties as such
officer might lawfully be performed;
or to injure him in his person or
property on account of his lawful
discharge of the duties of his Of
fee: or to injure his person while
engaged in the lawful discharge of
the duties of his office; or to injure
his property so as to modest, hinder,
interfere with, or impede him in the
discharge of his official duty; or by
force, intimidation or threat to de-
ter any party or witness in any
cause of the United States from at
tending such courts or from testi-
flying in any matter pending in such
court, fully and truthfully; or TO il :
jure any such party or witness in
his person or property, on account
of his having so attended or testi-
fed; or by force, intimidation OF
threat to influence the verdict, pre-
sentiment or indictment of any iu-
ror or Grand juror Of any court in
the United States, or to injure such
juror in his person or property on
account of any verdict, present
ment or indictment lawfully assent
ed by him, on account of his being
or having been such juror; or shall
conspire together or go in disguise
upon the public highways or prem
Uses of another for the purpose, eli
Their directly or indirectly, of de-
priving any person of any class Of
persons of the equal protection Of
the laws or equal privileges or i'm
munities under the law; or for the
purpose of preventing or hindering
the constituted authorities of any
State from giving or securing tC
all persons in such State equal pro
lection in the laws; for the purposs
Of in any manner impeding, hinder
ing, obstructing or defeating the
due course of justice in any Stat'
or Territory with the intent to dc
ny to any citizen of the United
States due and equal protection o
the laws; or TO injure any person
or his property for lawfully enforc
ing the right Of any person or elas