New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-10-26
FEDERAL PROTECTION TO VOTERS.
Provisions for those who have been Re
fused Registration.

| fused Registration.
| The officers Of the Republican clubs and
the executive committees throughout the
State should at once prepare blanks in ac-
cordance with the following forms, to be
| used in all cases where necessary.
| We have reports from sever al of the coun-
| try parishes to the effect that the colored
people encounter obstacles in getting their
registration papers. One day, the registrar
is absent and the Office closed. Another,
ana he is out Of blanks. Again, there is a
rush of applicants, and the business Of
| registration conducted so slowly that many
have to go away. AS a rule, those thus sent
away are not white men. Under our State
laws registration is absolutely necessary as
prerequisite to voting; butt fortunately,
ample provision has been made in the laws
Of Congress to protect the rights of all vic
TINS Of any system of faVOritism that may
be introduced into any State.
Ii is to be regretted that any necessity for
an appeal from our own laws should be
even deemed possible. A fair and impair
tial administration of our registration and
election statutes will secure the rights Of
every voter; but in tie hands of men who
p6EBIlU JuGlE DdILlSdu HGdl w OubNSiSH lutlE
sworn obligations, these laws may be made
an engine of wrong and oppression. We
simply desire that every voter shall have
faiB chance, without restriction, hindrance,
or annoyance Of any Sort to vote for the
candidates Of his choice. 70 chat end we
give the federal law bearing on the subject
that our clubs may be. ready in Gase OF
need, TO protect their interests:
An act TO enforce the sights Of CitizenB OF the
United States to vote i'll the S6EeraA States OF
the Union and for other purposes.
SEQ. 8. And be it further enacted, That when
ever, by or under the authority of the constitution
or laws Of any state or the laws Of any Territory
any act is shall be required to (be) done by any
citizen as preIeq ulslte TO quaIly or entItte hlm
to vote, the offer of any such citizen to perform
the act required to be done aforesaid shall, if
it fail to be carried into execution by reason of The
wrongful act omission aforesaid or of the person
or officer charged with the duty of receiving or
permitting such performance offer to perform,
or action thereon be deemed and held as per-
formance in law of such act and The perssn offer
ing and failing aforesaid, and being otherwise
qualified shall be entitled to vote in the man
and to the extent as If he had in fact per-
formed such act and any judge, inspector or
other officer OF election whose duty it is or
shall be to receive, count, certify, register,
report, give effect to the vote Of any such citi-
zen who shall wrongfully refue or omit 20 receive,
count certify register report or give effect to the
vote OF such citizen upon the presentation by him
OF his affidavit stating such offer and the time and
place thereof and the name of the officer or person
whose duty it was 20 act thereon, and that he
wrongfully prevented by such person officer
tr0Ul performing such act shall for every such
otf4nse forfeit and pay the sum Of $500 to the per
aggrieVed thereby, to be recovered by action
ON the case, with full costs and such allowance for
counsel tees as the c0urt may deem Just; and
shall also for every such otfense be guilty of @
mlsdemeanor, and shall, on conviction thereof be
tued not less than. s. O. or be imprisoned not less
than one month and not more tban year, oS
boths at the discretion Of tho court.
SEC. 3. And be- it further enacted, That tie dis
triGt courts OF the United States within their re-
spective districts, shall have, exclusively of the
courts OF the several States, GogAiZanCe of all
crimes and Otfe8ses committed against the pro-
visions of this act, and also. gOncurrentIv with
the circuit courts of the United States OF all
causes, civil and criminal, arising under this act,
except herein otherwise provided and the juris
dction hereby conferred shall DE exercised in
tOrmlty with the laws ALh praCtlCe governing
United States courts and all crimes and otfenses
committed against the provisions OF this act mag
be prosecuted by the indictment OF grand jury !
in of crimes and Otfenses not infamous the
prosecution m y either by Indictment or intOrna-
ion filed by the district attorney IN court having
jurisdiction.
SEC %. And So IL further enacted, That when. !
eveg any person shall be defeated or deprived of |
his election to any Office except electOr Uf Presi
dent Vice President, Representative or Delegate !
i'll Congress or member of a State Legislature by |
reason of the denial to any itzen or citizens who
shall offer to vote, Of the right to vote on account
of race, color, previous condition Of servitude,
his right to hold and enjoy such office, and tile
thereof shall not be Impaired by any |
such denial; and such person may brdng apprO-
pirate suit or proceeding 70 recover possession of
such office, and in eases where it shall app ar that
the sole question touching the title TO such Office
arises out Of the denial Of the eight to vote 10 cs
zen5 VINO so offered 10 vote, on account OF race,
color previous condition 81 seryitude, such suit
Or proceeding may be instituted in the Circuit or
District Court Of the United States Of the circuit or
district in which such person resides and said
oircuit or district court shall have, concurrently
with the State courts, jurisdiction thereof far
TO determine the rights Of the parties such office
ly reason of the denial of the right guaranteed by
he tifte enth article of 9ndment to the COnstitu.
ion of the United Staeso and secured b. 6his act
approved May 81. 1870.