New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-16
The Caucus Bill.

A special dispatch from Washington to
the St. Louis Democrat of the thirteenth
| gives the following particulars of the recent
caucus action of the Republicans in Con.
gress:
| A caucus of Republican members Of the
| House lasteduntil twelve O'Clock, and evoked
| considerable discussion over the bill with
reference to affairs in the Southern States,
reported last night. The first objection to
the bill interposed by moderate Republi-
cans was the last section, eclaring what
constituted invasion Of State, and giving
the President, under special emergencies,
| authority to suspend the writ of habeas
| corpus This led to an acrimonious debate,
| but it was finally carried by majority
| vote.
The third section also provoked a lengthy
| debate. This was to prohibit the Southern
States from fixing a poll tax at any higher
| rate of capita than was established at
| the time the several States were admitted
| into the Union under the reconstruction act
| bers to be unconstitutional and in conflict
with section two, article one, of the consti-
| tuition. which prescribes that the electors in
each State shall have the qualifications
requisite for electors of the most numerous
branch of the State Legislature. Attention
was called to the fact that many of the
New England States have a variable poll
tax. While a majority were in favor of re-
tanning the section it was finally yielded,
and the bill as whole was agreed to.
The following is an abstract of the bill,
as passed:
That if two or more persons, within the
authority of the United States, shall invade
any of tho United States of this Union, for
the purpose of forcibly overthrowing the
existing government Of said State, or any
constituted authority of the same, for the
purpose Of interfering in any unlawful
manner with the due execution of the laws
of said State, or of the United States, or if
they shall ccnspire with any person for
this purpose, they shall be deemed guilty
of felony, and, on conviction, fined not
exceeding $4,000, and confined at hard
labor not exceeding ten years, at the dis.
erection of the court.
Carrying firearms shall be taken as pre-.
sumptive evidence of an attempt to intimi
date, under this act. For this offense the
penalty ia not less than $500 and not more
than $4,000 fine, and imprisonment not less
than one year and not more than three
years.
Section four severely Furnishes registering
officers who shall wilfully or corruptly re-
vote full and safe opportunities to register
in the manner prescribed by law. The
penalties are not less than $500 nor more
than $1,000 fine, and imprisonment not less
than six months nor more than two years,
or both.
Section six Furnishes those who take away
ballot boxes from the legal polls of election
and from legal custody The penalty is a
$4,000, and imprisonment not less than two
years.
Section seven provides that if any of these |
riotOus actions cause murder, all engaged |
in these unlawful acts shall be deemed !
guilty of murder, and on conviction shall |
suffer the penalty of both fine and impris- |
onment.
Section eight gives the district courts of |
the United States concurrent Jurisdiction |
with circuit courts in all cases arising uader |
this act.
Section nine defines the powers and du-
ties of supervisors OF elections, and gives /
them extended powers.
In section ten the provisions OF existing |
laws as to the appointment and duties eff
special deputy marshals for cities and |
towns of 10000 inhabitants are extended
to the several counties, parishes and voting
precincts in such district, and such deputies
may ibe selected from any portion of such
districts.
Section eleven carefully guards the cleo
ton of members of Congress.
Section thirteen relates to the preserva- |
lion Of ballots and all other papers of cleo
tons.
Section fourteen relates to the suspension
Of the writ of habeas corpus. 1t provides
that whenever, ip any State or part of |
State, unlawful combinations, as set forth |
N sections fifty-two to ninety nine of the
Revised Statutes and in the first and second
sections of this act shall be organized and
armed and be SO numerous and powerful as |
% be able by violence to either overthrow
" set at defiance the constituted authorities
If the State or Of the United States within
aid State, or when States authorities are
n completely or shall connlve at un-
awful proceedings of such powerful armed
mbinations, and whenever, by reason
# either or all of these causes, the public
afety shall become endangered in such
district, in every case such combination
hall be deemed rebellion against the
government of the United States; and dur
ng the continuance of such rebellion, and
within the limits of the district which shall
70 under the sway thereof, such limits to be
prescribed by proclamation, it shall be law.
ul for the President of the United States,
vhen in his judgment the public safety
hall require it, to suspend the privileges Of
he writ Of habeas corpus, to the end that
UGH rebellion may be overthrown. 1t is
rovided that all the provisions relating to
he suspension Of the habeas corpus shall
pply in this case. =