Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-03-12
TRRE EHasKCE BILL.

TINE EORCE BILL.
| In order that our readers may see
the great troubles from which they Sc
happily escaped by the failure of Con-
gress to pass the Force Bill, we pub
lish the following synopsis of it's pro
visions. The bill is entitled "An act
to protect electors and to prevent fraud
at elections:"
Section l. That if two or more per-
sons within the Jurisdiction of the
United States or of any Of the States
of the Union shall forcibiy overthrow
State government, or any of the con-
stltuted authorities of the same, or IN
terfere III any forcible or unlaN 4
manner with the due execution of ;
laws of a State. or of the United Stat
or conspire for such pui Jose with the
intent to commit a CRIME, the person
so offending eball be deemed guilty OF
# lony a4d punished with fine nor
exceeding ten thousand dollars and
imprisoned at hard labor not exceed
ing ten years.
Section 2. If two or more persons
shall conspire 10 usurp hv force any
thereof, or shall at. rop5 to subvert or
usUrp such State government, or saali
actually overthrow the government If
any State, such person, upon convic
ton, shall be deemed guilty of u cr1nle,
and fined not less than FIVE thousand
dollars and imprisoned not exceeding
two years.
Section B. No citizen Of the United
a tn Gt al.
for repre- enta i've III Congress, under
the Constitution of the United State
or under the fundamental conditions
prescribed III any Of the acts OF Con
gress admitting any of the States lately
i'll rebellion, shall be deprived Of euch
right to vote by any action Of such
States, whether by act of the LceisIa-
ture or amendments to tue several
State Constitutions. Ii any officer
charged with conducting such election
shall refuse at any elections Tor Con
gress to receive the vote of any such
actions, he shall be guilty of !, mis-
demeanor, aud upon conviction he
fined from five hundred to one tnoutS-
and dollars, and imprisonment Lot tx
ceedlDg one year.
Section 4. Any person using fire
any person at any place Oh the day o;
registration for the Congressional
election for the purpose of intlmidat-
ing or lnJurlng such person while such
election is III progress, and who shai!
do the same before any election, shall
be guilty of or me; penalty fiv. hun
dred to two thousand dollars; impris-
onment not exceeding three years:
TrociGl d, That il any person shaiI
carry concealed fire arms or deadly
wear ons at such elections or place Of
registration, this shall be taken rs
presnmptlye evidence of the intent 20
intimidate under this act.
Section 5 provides that any regis
tratiOn officer Or supervisor appointed
under the laws OF any State WHO shall
refuse to permit citizens to vote or 10
register, or to allow them sufficient
opportunities TO register or TO obtain
proper inIurmatlou- shall also be
deemed guilty of n crime; penalty five
hundred 20 one thousand dollars, I'M
prIsonment, SIX months to two years.
Section 6 relates TO ballot boxes,
poll lists anc Other papers connected
with elections. 1t declares tue ab
ductiOn OF fputllation OF any OF these
papers crime, punishable by a fine
of five hundred TO three thousand dol
lars and imprisonment two to tive
years.
Section 7 provides that if any per
son sLalt be killed while acting under
the law, such killing shall be murder,
punishable with the death peuaity.
Section 8 cOnicrs civil and criminal
jurIa flction uuda~ tbs act on United
States courts.
Section 8 provides for the appoint
mems of general supervisors OF cleo
ton in all congressional districts III
tae same manner as IS now provided
III any town from tn TO twenty thou
8 nd lnhaitauts. The supervisors may
oe appointed from any part OF the dis
tcict, and are to be appointed by the
judges OF the United States circuit
courts thirty days before registration.
There Is to be d chief supervisor il.
every district.
Section 10 provides for the exten-
sion of the existing law AS IL deputy
United States marshais, so shat mar
shais may be appointed in every
county and parish III every congres
81 nal district
Section IL prescrbes the duties of
the officers il charge of the ballot
boxes on the day OF election; makes It
their duty to count the votes befor"
leaving the ballot boxes IN the pres
ence of the supervisors of election or
deputy mar hai, and TO lmnIe dIately
send ii certified copy OF the returns to
the chief supervisor Of the district.
and to the Clerk OF the +tational
House Of Representatives
Section II provides that no officer
acting under this act shall receive
compensation, and that the ballot
boxes, papers, etc, shall be retained
by the custodian until the clio, of the
first Congress to which they relate;
also prescrlbes Dleans whereby cor
testant in Congress may obtain certi-
fed copies of the ballot.
SectIou 13 Provides that whenever
any such unlawful combinations, as
defined in the revised statutes aud
under this act. shall be organized or
atte mpted, anu SO nun erOus and pow
erful AS TO be able, Dy violence, to set
ct defiance and Over,afn any State an
thOrItIes, III al! such cases such cOmbl-
nations shall be deemed a rebellion
against thu United States, and during
the cOntI1 uance of such rebellion
within the limits which shah be PIE
scribed oy the proclamation of the
President Of the Uuited States. it may
be lawful for the PresidenS Of th,-
United States, n his discretion, to
suspend the privileges Of the writ of
ho6cas corpus; ana it is provided also
that ali the provisions of the section
of the act of March 3, 1865, relating
to habeas corpus, are hereby received
in full powers.
The State Orange.