Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-06-24
BlOOdy.Shlrt Legislation in the Senate
The Enforcement Act A Rum
ming Debate Upon It's
Provisions.
Another Attempt to Turn the United
States Senate into Mandatory
OF Partisan Legislation
Strict Party Votes.
Ihs Civil Appropriation BIZ In the
heuse - Amendments Passed
The Naval Appropriation
Bin, Etc.
SENATE.


hnend the second, fourth snd fifta sec
aons of tne enforcement at Istely "a
ported from the Judiciary committee, {
meet Via objections to tbs law ezpfesss.
IL the recent decision Of the sisnrenlt
court. After discussion a vote ws
takeni which resulted in yeas %, nay
IA party vote
Senator Oglesby, from the committee
on Indian affairs, reported adversely OF
The senate bill to authorize the execu
ton OF the resolution of the nationa
council OF Osage Indians in relation to
the payment OF one hundred and eighty
thousand dollars for attorneys fees, and
ltsWas indefinitely postponed.
The consideration OF The ell 70 extend
tDe enforcement acs was then proceedeC
with and several proposed amendment
10 the hrst section agreed to. The sec-
ond section, which provides that If any
| person exercising the power or authority
| under the United atates, or under any
State, shall deny or abridge TO any citi.
zen OF the United States the right aud
/ opportunity to vote by reason OF race,
color, orprevious condition Of servitude'
etc., shalt be punished by fine not ex.
cseding ten thousand dollars and be in-
! prlsoned not exceeding two years,
| Senator Thurman moved to strike out
the words "peTson or at0 in the Fl rst
| line, so that it should read: THAT OF
| any officer Of the United States, officer
| OF any State" etc. He argued that the
| word person was too broad in its mean
ing, and that only persons in authority
could be pSnished, and not private citf-
gems.
Senator Edmunds said that the right
OF suffrage to every citiz IN was universal
and sacred, and this bill proposed to pun,
1sh any person who invaded that right;
whoever, about the polls or elsewhere,
endeavored TO prevent citizen from
voting, should be punished.
Senator Thurman asked how could 8
mere private citizen, holding no official
authority deny to another his right to
vote. The fourth and fifth sections of
the bill provided for the punishment OF
persons interfering with the rights of
persons to vote, and this section should
have nothing to do with private indi-
viduals.
Senator White said that a more COM
piete trap FOR individuals could not be
laid than this; any private citizen who
neglected to assist negro man, could
be punished uEder this bilI by fine aud
imprisonment. Could it be p, ible .ha5
apropOsi,ion should go forth from the
senate OF the United Slater. Must a cit
1zsn be fined because he will not extend
his arm to cOlOred citizen and lead
him to the ball0t-box? This bill would
make every man conductor Of col0Tsd
voters.
Senator E6munds said the law slready
on the statute books had fallen, through
the wishes Of the supreme court, on ac-
count Of the want of word, and the
COMMITTEES on the Judiciary, 80 far ss
they had any responsibility about it, did
not intend that the supplementary act
should meet the fate of its predecessor.
After further debate, the amendment
OF Senator Thurmsn to strike cut the
words "person or" was rejscted-yeas
Is, nays pa strict party vote.
Senator White moved to amead the
second section by striking out the word
"fsil," and inserting in lieu thereof the
word 'refuse,n SO as to provide that any
person who shall refuse to allow and fUI.
nish to any citizen faithfully an impair
tial and equal opportunity to vote shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemesnOr, and
on conviction be punished by fine not
exceeding one thousand dollars, and De
imprisoned not exceeding two years.
Senator Edmunds said the amend
ment was only calcuisted-he would
not ssy designed-to emasculste the
force of the bill.
The amendment wss rejeeted-yeas
Is, nays q.
Senator Norwood moved to amend
the second section by striking cut the
words ''and furnish" so as TO provide
that "aDy person who shall refuse to al
low TO any citizen full, fair, impartial
snd general opportunity" etc. r jact.
ed-yeas Is, nays 10.
Senator Christiancy moved to amend
the section by striking out the words
"nersOn orr in the first line, and insert.
ing at the end of the third line the words
"or pretending to be such Cffi9er, or as
sumipg to exercise such authority so
as to read, "that of any off Ger of the
United States, or officer OF any State,
or any person exercising power or su-
tbority under the United States or any
State, or pretending to be such officer,
or pTesuming to exercise such authority,
shall deny or abridge 10 any citizen OF
the United States the right to vote etc.
The presiding officer Senator Mitch
ell ruled the amendment cut of order,
the first part having already bsen vote d
upon by the senate.
Senator Thurman argued that senR-
tor had the right to move TO strike out
certain words and insert Others in an.
other part of the section, He appealed
from the decision of the chair.
After come discussion Senator Thur
man withdrew the appeal, and Senator
ChristiaDcy modified his amendment so
as to come within the ruling Of the
chair, and it was rejected-yeas Is,
nays 26.
The second section OF the bill, as re-
ported by the committee, was then
sgTeed to.
The committee reported a third rec
ton Of the bill, as follows:
"That wherever, by or under the au-
thority Of the constitution or laws Of any
State, or laws of any Territory, or the
laws OF the United States, any acts shall
be required to be done by any citizen ss
g prerequisite to qualify or entitle him
to vote, the offer Of any such citizen TO
perform the act required to be
done as aforesaid shall, il it fsil to be
carried into execution by reason OF any
wrongful act or omission Of the person or
officer charged with the duty Of receiv.
ing or permitting such performance, or
otter to perform, or acting there, or pro-
ceeding from race, color or previous con-
dition Of servitude Of such citizens be
deemed or held So performances In law
Of such act of due performance by such
person or officer Of his duty In the prem
ises; and any person 80 offering and fail
ing as aforesaid, and being otherwise
qualified, shall be entitled to vote in the
same manner and to the same extent as
IL he had failed to perform such
act, and as IL such person or
officer had done his duty ia the premi-
ses; and any judge, Inspector or other
officer Of election whose duty it is OF
shall be to receive, count, certify, regis-
ter, report or give effect to the lawful
vote Of any citizen, or who ebali wrong
fully refuse or omit 10 receive. count,
certify, register, report or give effect to
the vote of such citizen so having offered,
and failed 70 perform as Aforesaid. upon
presentation by him OF his affidavit
stating that he had right 10 qualify as
voter, and such offer st the time and
place thereof, and the name of the officer
or peis Do whose duty 1t was to act there.
on, and that be was wrongfully prevented