Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-03-02
synopsis Of. the Porce BIIl.

synopsis Of. the Force Bill.
The following is a full synopsis of the
bill as presented 1t is entitled can
act to protect electors and to prevent
fraud at electionsi"
Section /. That If two or more persons
within the jurisdiction of the United
States or of any of the States Of the
Union shall forcibly overthrow a State
government or any of the constituted
authorities Of the same, or interfere in
any forcibie or unlawful manner with
the due execution of the laws of a
State, or Of the United States, or con.
spiFe for such purpose with the intent to
commit a crime, the person so offending
shall be deemed guilty of felony and
punished with a fine not exceeding ten
thousand dollars and imprisoned at hard
labor not exceeding ten years.
Section q Ii two or more persons
shall conspire to usurp by force any sd ch
government, or any department thereof,
or shall attempt to subvert or usurp such
State government, or shall actually
overthrow the government Of any State
such person, upon conviction, shall be
deemed guilty OF crime, and fined not
less than five thousand dollars and i'm
prisoned not exceeding two years.
Section g. No citizen of the United
States entitled to vote at an election for
Representative in Congress, under the
Constitution of the United States or un.
der the fundamental conditions pre-.
scribed in any of the acts of Congress
admitting any Of the States lately in re.
bellion, shall be deprived of such right
TO vote by any action of such States
whether by act of the Legislature or
amendments to the several State Consti-
tutions. If any officer charged with con-
ducting such election shall refuse at any
election for Congress to receive the vote
of any such citizen in consequence of
any such action, he shall be guilty of a
misdemeanoH and upon conviction be
fined from five hundred to one thousand
dollars, and Imprisonment not exceeding
one year.
Section 4. Any person using firearms
o. other deadly weapons against any
person at any place on the day of regis.
tration for the Congressional election for
the purpose Of intimidating or injuring
such person while such election is in
progress, and who shall do the same be.
fore any election, shall be guilty of a
crime; penalty five hundred to two thou.
sand dollars; imprisonment not exceed.
ing three years; Provided, That il any
person shall carry concealed arms or
other deadly weapons at such elections
or places of registration, this shall be
taken as presumptive evidence of the
intent to intimidate under this act.
Section 5 provides that any registra.
tion officer or supervisor appointed un-
der the laws Of any State who shall re-
fuse to permit citizens to vote or to reg
ister or to allow them sufficient oppor.
tuuities to register or to obtain proper
information, shall also be deemed guilty
of crime; penalty, FIVE hundred to one
thousand dollars; imprisonment six
months to two years.
Section 6 relates to ballot boxes. poll
lists and other papers connected with
elections. 1t declares the abduction or
mutilation Of any of these papers
crime, punishable by fine of five hun.
dred to three thousand dollars and inn
two to five years.
Section I provides that if any person
shall be- killed while acting under the
law, such killing shall be murder, pun
ishable with the death penalty.
Section 8 confers civil and criminal
jurisdiction under this act on United
States courts.
Section 8 provides for the appointment
of general supervisors of election in all
Congressional districts in the same man. /.
ner as is now provided in any town from
ten to twenty thousand inhabitants. The
may be appointed from any
part OF the district, and are to be ap
pointed by the judges of the United
States Circuit Courts thirty days before
registration. There is 10 be chief su.
peryisor in every district.
Section 10 provides for the extension
of the existing laws as to deputy United
States marshals, so that marshals may
be appointed in every county and parish
in every Congressional district.
Section II prescribes the duties of the
officers in charge Of the ballot boxes on
the day Of election; makes it their duty
to count the votes before leaving the
ballot box in the presence Of the super.
visors Of election or deputy marshal, and
to Immediately send certified COPY of
the returns to the chief supervisor Of the
district, and to the clerk of the national
House of Representatives.
Section II provides that no officer
acting under this act shall receive com.
pensation, and that the ballot boxes,
papers, etc., shall be retained by the Gus,
todian until the close of the first session
of the Congress to which they relate;
also prescribes means whereby contest
ants in Congress may obtain certified
copies of the ballot.
Section Is provides that whenever any
such unlawful combinations, as defined
in the revised statutes and under this
act, shall be organized or attempted
and SO numerous and powerful as to be
able, by violence, to set at defiance and