Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-06-13
Passage of the Force Bill.

WASHINGTON, June l0.-Ihe session
to-day was prolonged from hour to hour.
Finally, the force bill. to amend the act
approved February 2S, 1871, passed, as
follows: That whenever, in any county or
parish, many Congressional District, there
shall be ten citizens thereof of good stand
ing, who, prior to any registration of votes
for an election for Representative in Con-
gress, or prior to any election at which
Representative in Congress is to be voted
for. shall make known in writing to the
Judge Of the Circuit Court Of the United
States for The district wherein such coun-
ty OF parish is situated, their design to
have said registration or election both
guarded and scrutinized, it shall be the
duty of said Judge of the Circuit Court,
within not less than ten days prior to said
registration or election, as the case may
be, to open the said Court at the most
convenient point in the said district, and
the said Court, when so opened. by said
Judge, shall proceed to appoint and COM
mission, from day to day and from time to
time, and under Z h. hand Of the SAID Judge,
and under the eeaRoi ID Court for such
election district or voting '."seinct in said
Congressional District, a.. shall IN the
manner herein prescribed have been appll-
ed for and to revoke, change or renew
said. appointment from time to time. two
citizens residents of said election district
or voting precinctin said county or parish.
who shall be of different political parties,
and able to read and write the English
language; and who shall be: known and
designated as supervisors of election, and
said Court when opened by said Judge, as
required herein, shall therefrom and there
after, and up to and including the day fol-
lowing the day of the election, be always
open 70. the transaction Of business un-
der this act, and the powers and lurlsdic-
ton hereby granted and conferred shall be
exercised az well in vacation as in term
time, and a Judge sitting at chambers
shall have the same powers and Jurlsdlc-
ton, including the power of keepingorder
and of Furnishing any contempt OF ms
authority, as when sitting IN the Court;
no person shall be appointed under this
act as supervisor Of election who IS not at
the time Of appointment qualified 70.
ter Of the county, parish, election district
or voting precinct for which he IS appoint
ed, and no person shall be appointed dep.
uty marshal under this act or the act OF
which this is amendatory, who IS not q
qualified voter at the time Of his appoint
ment in the county, parish, district or pre-
cinct in which his duties are to be per
formed and section l3 of the act of which
this is an amendment shall be construed
to authorize and require the Circuit Courts
of the United States in said section men
toned to name and appoint, as soon as
may be after the passage of this act, the
commissioners providedfor in said section,
in all cases in which such appointments
have not already been made in conformity
Herewith: and the Sd section of the act
to which this is an amendment shall be
taken and construed to- authorize each o.
the Judges of the Circuit Courts of the
United States to designate one or more
Of the Judges of the District Courts with
in his circuit to discharge the duties under
this act, or the act to which this Is al.
and the words, "any person
in section Of the act of May 3lst, 1870
shall be held to include any officer or 9TH
er person having powers or duties of an
official character under this act or the act
to which this is an amendment; provided,
further, that the supervisors herein pro-
vided for shall have no power to make ar
rests but are authorized to be in the i'm
mediate presence of the officers holding the
election, and they are hereby authorized
10 witness all the proceedings, including
the counting of the votes and the making
Of all the returns thereot, as provided in
The act to which this is an amendment;
and so much of said sum herein appro
prated as may be necessary for said sup
elemental and amendatory provisions Is
hereby appropriated from and after the
passage OF this act.