The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-15
TuE ENFORCEMENT ACT,
An Act to enforce the right of citizens of the Unto
States to vote in the several States of this Union

An Act TO enforce tne rlght OF citzehs OF tne Oho
States to vote in the several States of this Union
aud for other purposes.
De it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatiyes Of the United States OF America in Con
| gress assembled, That all citizens Of the United
States who are shall be otherwise qaalined by law
| to vote at az election by the people in an State
Territory, district county, city parish, township,
school district municipality, other territorial
division shall be entitled and allowed to vote at all
such elections without distinction of race COLOR
| previous condition Of servitude; any constitutions
| law, CUSTOM usage, or regulation Of any State
Territory or by under its authority, TO the
| trary Notwithstanding
| sso2 And be it further enacted, That If by or
under the authority of the constitution laws of
apy State or the laws of any Territory any is
shall be required to be done as prertqusi qusli-
fcation for voting, and by such constitution or laws
persons or officers shall be charged with the
performance of duties in furnishing to citizens
opportunity perform such prerequisite, to be-
come qualified to vote, 1t shall be the duty of every
such person and officer TO give to all citizens Of the
United states the equal opportunity per-
form such prerequisite, and to become qualified to
vote without distinction of race, color, or previous
condition of servitude and if any such person
officer shall refuse knowingly omit to give full eff
feet to this 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
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 deemed OF a
m sdemeanor, and shall, on conviction thereof, be
fined not lees than five hundred dollars, or be i'm
prisoned not less than month and not more than
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 AM State the laws of any Territory, any act
is shall be required to be done by any citizen as
a prerequisite to qualify entitle him to vote, the
offer of any citizen to perform the act required to
done aforesaid SHALL If it fail to be carried into
execution by OF the wrongful act omission
aforesaid of the person officer charged with the
duty OF receiving permitting such performance
offer to perform or aciipg thereon, be deemed and
held 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 |
manner and to the same extent as If he had IN
fact performed such act and any judge, inspector,
other officer of election whose duty 1t is shall
be to receive count certify, register report give
effect to the vote of any such citizen who snail
wrongfully efuse or omit to receive, count certify,
register report give effect to the vote of such cit
izen upon tue presentation by him of his affidavit |
stating such offer and place the ee and the name of
the officer person whose duty IL was to act there
on, and that he wrongiully prevented by |
such person officer from performing such act,
shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum
OF five hundred dollars to the person aggeved there
by, to be recovered by an action on the CASE with
full costs and such allowance Tor counsel fees as the
'urt shall deem just and shall also for every such
offence be guilty OF m 'sdelneanor, and shall, on
bred dollars, or be imp isoned not less than one
month and not more than one year, or both, at the
discretion of the court.
SEC And be it fufther enacted, That If
my person, by force, bribery, threats intimi-
lation, or other unlawful means, shall him
Ter, delay, prevent, or obstruct. or shall
ieay, prevent or obstruct any citizen from doing
By act required to be done to qualify him to vote
ron, voting at any election aforesaid, such pes
h I'll for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum
five hundred dollars the person aggr eyed there
", to be recovered by action ihe case with
ul Costs and such allowance FIR counsel fees the
curt shall deem just. and shall also for every such
fence be guilty of misdemeanor, and SHALL con-
lotion thereof be fined not less than five hundred
ollars, or be imprisoned not less than month 1
ad not more than one year, or both, at the dsere
ion of the court. '
SEQ. 6. a nd bs it further enacted That If any per
on shall prevent, hinder control, ntmdate, or
hall attempt to prevent, hnd~r, control intimi-
ate, any person from cisng in exercising the
ght of suffrage to wnom the right of suffrage is
scured or guaranteed by the fifteenth amendment
the Constitution of the United States, by means
bribery, threats or threats of deprving such per
IN of employ ment occupation, Of eecting such
erson from rented honee, lands, other property,
by threats of refusing to renew leases contracts
n labor, or by threats of violence to himself or
mily, such person offending shall be deemed h
Utility of a misdemeanor, and shall on conviction n
hereof be fined not less Than five hundred collars II
be imprisoned not less thaa one month and not a.
ore than one year, or both, at the discretion of
10 court.
FEC And be it further enacted That the district al
urts of the United States within their respective CT
stricts shall have exclusively of the courts Of the
vsra States, coguzance of all crimes and offences oil
mmitted against the provisions OF his act and
30, concurrently with the circuit courts of the
nited States, of all causes civil and criminal aris
& under this act except as herein otherwise pro
ded and the jurisdiction hereby conferred shall be
ercised in conformity with the laws and practice 7
verning United States courts and all crimeg and
fences committed against the provisions OF this act
~ be prosecuted by the Indictment Of grand
ry, in of crimes and offences not infamous
Q prosecution may be either by indictment in tn
rm alton filed by the district attorney in court all
wing jurlsdictiJu N,