The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-09-05

y, '"O CbiJeu OIateS, VINO are
between the ages of twenty.one and
twenty-five years, and who have resided
in the election district ten days as afore-
said, shall be entitled to vote, although
they have not paid taxes.
WHEREAS, The Fifteenth Amend
ment of the Constitution of the United
States is as follows:
SEoTtoN l. The right of citizens of
the United States shall not be denied o.
abridged by the United States on ac-
count of race, color, or previous condi-
ton Of servitude. -..... b..
Sec 2. That Congress shall have
power to enforce this article by appropri-
ate legislation.
Ana qchereas, The Congress of the
United States, on the 31st of March
1870, passed an act entitled, "An act
to enforce the right of citizens of the
United States to vote in the Sc veral
States of the Union, and for other
purposes" the first and second sections
Of which are as follows:
Be 1t enacted, &c., That all citizens
of the Uni ed States who are or
shall be otherwise qualified to vote at
any election by the people of any State,
Territory, district, city, county, parish,
township, school distrct, municipality, or
other territorial subvision sha be entitled
and allowed to vote at all such elections,
without distinction of color, race, or
previous condition Of servitude; any con-
stitution, law, custom, usage, or regula-
ton Of any State or territory, or by or
under its authority, to the contrary,
Notwithstanding.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacte,t
That if, by or Under the constitution or
laws of any State Or the laws of any ter
ritory, any act is Or shall be required to
be done as prerequisite or qualification
for voting, and by euch constitution or
laws persons or officers are or shall be
charged with the performance of duties
in furnishing to citizens an opportunity to
perform such prerequisites, or to become
qualified to vote it shall be the duty o!
every such person and officer to give all
citizens of the United States, the same
and equal opportunity to perform such
prerequisite and to become qualified to
vote without distinction Of race, color or
previous condition of servtude; and if
any such persons or officers shall refuse,
or knowingly omit to give full effect to
this section, he shall for every such Of
fence, forfeit and pay the sum of five
hundred dollars, to the persons aggrleved
thereby, to be recovered by an action on
the case, with full costs and such low
ance for counsel fees as the court shall
deem Just, and shall also for every such
offence be deemed guilty OF misdemean-
or, and shall on conviction thereof be
fined not less than five hundred dollars
or to be imprisoned not less than one
month and not more than one year, or
both, at the discretion of the court.
And Whereas, 1t is declared by the
secnod section OF the VI article of the
Constitution Of the United States, that
This Constitution Of the United States
which sball be made in pursuance thereof
shalt be the supreme law of the land *
* anything in the Constitution or
lars Of any .Stute, to the contrary, not
,cithstamding."
And whereas, The Legislature of this
| Commonwealth, Oh the 9th day of A pril
1870, passed an act entitled "A further
supplement to the act relating to elec,
tions IN this Commonwealth" the 10th
section provides as follows;
SECTION 10. That so much Of every
act of Assembly as provides that only
white freemen shall be entitled to vote,
or be registered as voters, or as claiming
to vote at any general or special election
of this Commonwealth, be and the same
is hereby repealed, and that hereafter
all freemen without distinction OF color
shall be enrolled and registered accord
ing to the provisions of the first section
Of the act approved the 17th of April
1869, entitled, can act further supple
mental to an act relative to the election!
OF this Commonwealth" aud snail wher
otherwise qualified under existing laws
be entitled to vote at all general anC
special elections in this Commonwealth
No person shall be permitted to vote
whose name is not contained 10 the lis
Of taxable inhabitants furnished by tht
Commissioners, unless he first produce
receipt for the payment within tw'
years, of State or County tax, assess,
agreeably TO the Constitution, and Civ,
satisfactory evidence either on his owl
oath or affirmation of another that b,
has paid such tax, or on failure to pro
duce such receipt shall make oath of tn
payment thereof; il he claims to vote b.
being an elector between the ages O
twenty-one and twenty-five years h
shall depose on oath or affirmation tha
he has resided in the State at least on
year before his application, and max
proof of his residence within his distric
as required by the act, and that he doe
verify believe from accounts given him
=. that he is of the age aforesaid and Civ
r such other evidence as is required b
, tie act whereupon the name OF the pei
son so admitted to vote shall be regis
tered in the al alphabetical list by the il
l spector, and a note made opposite there
r 20 by the word "tax," if he shall hav
q been admitted to vote by reason of ha,
: ing paid tax, or the word sage" if
!. shall have been admitted to vote
l