The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-29
THE nNFoRCEMRNT ACT,

II - EOhhOE fth AC1t
An Act to enforce the right Of citizens of the Unite
States to vote in the several States Of this Unio
and for other purposes.
30 il enacted by tho Senate and House Of Repr
senlatiyes of the United States OF America in Cor
| gress assembled, That all citizens Of the Unite
States who are shall be otherwise qualified by lay
to vote at any election by the people in any State
Territory, district, county, city, parish, township
school district, Municipality, other territorial sub
division shall be entitled and allowed to vote at al
such elections, without distinction Of race, color,
previous condition of sorvitude; any constitution
| law, custom, usage, or regulation of any State o
Territory, or by under its authority, TO the con
| trary notwithstanding.
| ssc.2 And DO il further enacted, That if by OF
under tho authority of the constitution or laws o
any State the laws of any Territory, any act is OF
shall be required to be done as prerequisite or quail
ncation for voting, and by such constitution or laws
persons officers are or shall be charged with the
performance OF duties iii furnishing to citizens an
opportunity to perform such prerequisite or to be-
qualified to VOTE it shall be the duty OF every
such person and officer to give to all citizens of the
United States the 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 OF
officer shall refuse or knowingly omit TO give full Of
feet to ths5 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
action the CAGE with full costs and such allowance
for counsel fees as tho court shall deem just and
shall also, for every such offence DO deemed of a
misdemeanor, and shall, on conviction thereof, be
fined not less than Eve hundred dollars, or be i'm.
prisoned not less than month and not more than
one year, both, at the discretion Of the court.
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted. That whenever
by or under the authority of the constitution laws
of any State, the laws OF any Territory, any act
ia shall be required to be done by any citizen as
prerequisite to qualify or entite 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 or omission
aforesaid of the person or 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 offering and failing as 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 1t is or shall
be to receive count certify register report or give
effect to the vote Of any such citizen who shall
wrongfuly 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
the officer person whose duty it was to act thero
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 agg eved there
by, to be recovered by 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 misdemeanor, and shall, on
conviction 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
discretion of the court.
SEC L. And be it further enacted That if
any person, by force, bribery threats, intimi-
dation or other unlawful means, shall him
der, delay. prevent, or obstruct, or shall
combine and confederate with others to hinder
delay, prevent. or obstruct, any citizen from doing
any act required to be done to qualify him to vote
from voting at any election aforesaid such person
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the
of five hundred dollars to the person aggrieyed there
by to be recovered by an action on the case with
futl and allowance counSpl "a ha
court shall deem just and shall also for every such
offence be guilty Of msdemeanor, and shall, on
yictio thereof be fined net less than FIVE hundred
and not more than one s-~ or both AT ths ,,isera-
ton of the court.
SEC o. And be it further enacted, That If any mar.
shall prevent, hinder control, intimidate or
shall attempt to prevent, hinder control or intimi
date any person from exercising or in exercising the
right of suffrage to whom the right OF suffrage Ia
secured or guaranteed by the fifteenth amendiient
to the Constitution OF tho United States, by
of bribery threats threats Of depriving such per-
son Of employment or occupation, or ofeecting such
person from rented house. lands, other property,
by threats of refusing to leases contracts
for labor, by threats of violence to himself or
family, such person offending shall be deemed
guilty of rnisdemeanor, 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.
SEQ 8. And be it further enacted, That the district
courts of the United Statz within their respective
DISTRICTS snail haVe exclusively OF the courts oil 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 all causes, civil and criminal arts.
ing under this act, except as herein otherwise pro-
yided and the jurisdiction hereby conferred shall be
exercised in conformity with tue laws and practice
governing United States courts and all crimes and
offences committed against the provisions of this act
may BIO 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.