New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-05

to vote at each election, or in any
way hinder or obstruct them in the
free exercise of their several respective
right of free and uninfluenced franchise, or
from causing themselves to be duly regis
tered SO as to he entitled to vote at such
election, or in taking any step and pro-
ceding necessary 10 be by them
taken or had as s: condition precedent to
80 ing at such election or in tha free, un-
embarrassed and unnt1uenced right to vose
for any peraon or parsons, candidate or can
didates of any political party or political
faith, race or color. unaffected and unIhu-
enced by fears OF present or future hard
ship or wrong of any character
Whatsoever to result to or be inflicted upon
or to be suffered by them or any Of them
by reason of and from the fact that they at
such election exercised or attempted to ex-
ercise their own tree chcicb and selection in
determining tia person or persons, candl-
date or candidates, TOR Office at sioh elec-
tons tor whom they gave Or cast fhsir vote
or deposi,ed their ballot at euche lection,
or if it shall be ea made to appear that
within the liluit OF the time atcre-aii there
shall exist or have existed in any such
place or locality suy open or secretly organ
lied plan or systfln ut fraud or iaiiM:Ga
ton among tha members or adtAreuts OF
any political party CT rArtirs, or ary other
persons Whatsuever, IG- tho purpose OF
or voters an impression that IL the event of
a fres exercise of their right, will and
choice in castiHy their votes al euch cleo
ul0n they or any Of shsm 80 voting will be-
come liable 70 be subject to or victims of
violence. injury, or -rong, either in tic
present or IL fhs future, either III their
persons or in their property: or if It eAali
ba so made 10 appear that during
any portion OF tEe time and period
a.orasaid, between tho com,nenc ament OF
registration and tho Ciuso of the election,
efforts to lntiinitate any voter or yoers
! have been mace by eny person or persons i'll
| any such LEGALITY by means Of threats OF
| yiolence, ether against individual voters or
| tie voters belonging to any race, class, Or
| POI icsi party CT faith, By meaas OF any
! auch threats o: violence, made publicly or
| by posting written CT printed threats of
| violence, or any legend, sentence, eugrav-
| ing, uevlce or picture frCm which intended
| violence can be reasonably inferred,
! Whether the same be written or printed in
any torM, in any EeIfpa aper, fly sheet, or
| circular. or posted on or near any yelling
| house occupied by any Voter or yo.eTs. OF
! scattered aua distributed on or along any
b gnway OR public place, or dispatched by
| telegraph or sent through the public mail
! or by private hands.
| Or if is shall SO appear that within the
| period of time aforesaid any considerable
number or bodies OF persons, armed or
| otherwise. shall march about, parade and
exhibit Themselves together tor the purpose
! OF conveying an impression of contemplated
| violence against any class of persons en-.
. titled 10 voGe, OF if they ehall resort to dis
! guise for any such purpose, or exhibit arms.
| o. shall go about firing or C,scharging either
| small arms or artillery, or shall take any
| person etitled to vote at any election from
| mis- house or premises, either in the night or
! in the day tiae, and slbiest such voter t.
! great bodily fear and apprehension nr shall
| destroy the life of such voter, win intent
! heteby TO in imiaate other voters in order
to prevent them or any of them from at
! tempting TO be registered as voter or voters
! at such election, or voting at such
election Or if such act Of violence shall be
found 10 have had such effect in such loca,
ity, or it shall be so made to appear that at
| any time between the said commencement
of registration or the revision thereof pre-
! ceding any election as aforesaid and the
! close OF the day or shid election. and the
| counting OF the Votes cast thereat and
| making statements thereof required by
| law, that any uu;nher of white persons
shall lave combined aud c0nspired to-
| gether, or shall in concert or in apparent
| concert act together to influence and in
F.; tiysidate any citizen OF The State haVing
! the right TO vote at elections, being persons
of color other than white, or Of African
| descent or race TO influence them or any of
| Of them, by fear or menace of any char
! acter, or III any other manner, IN their
| FREQ exercise OF tneir respective rights Of
| franchise, or 10 influence or coerce any such
! person or per6oue II the choice and selection
| OF the person or peEeons candidate or candl-
! dates. tnr whom they shall cast their votes,
| or shall can nr sndaavor to cause such
voter or voters t. vote for persons 70: whom
| they would not o: their free will aud choice
, have cast their y>tes, or influence them or
| any of them to sbs,ain from voting at any
| such election by creating in the minds OF
| any such person or persons tear and appre
! hension OF danger. wrong. injury or haId-
| ship to which they OF any Ot them may or
might be subjected or become liable in the
! event that they had exercised their own
| free will or choice in casting their SAID
| votes, on account OF the race and color
of said voters. or il it appears that for the
| purpose of 81 influencing such voters in
| casting their votes. threats OF withholding
| from such persons future employment, or of
| discharge from present employment. or
! general threats against the race to which
| such voters belong; Or II it shal! be made so
! to appear that auy number of persons of
| African descent or cclor osher than white
| ehau have combined and conspired tos.eth-
| CT, acted in concert or apparent concert,
! with Intent in the manner, or by any of the
| means aforesaid tn influence and intimiGate
| apy class of citizens of the State of any
| race or color other than the race or class 10
| which they belong. and thereby hinder and
prevent them from the free exercise of their
| right Of franchise, it is hereby made
! tee duty of the returning officers in such
| case to examine into the truth OF the mat
ter 40 shown, to hear proof and take testi-
| nony. and III all things examine aud iuves-
! tigate the manner i'll which the registratiou
/ ~ Sad H.,
J locality, precipct, ward or parish, and de-
! terminc whether, by any of the means or
| instrumentalities set forth in this section.
| there was not fair, free and peaceable
| registration and election. fair count, state
ment of votes, and return of the came to
| the State Registrar of Voters, and for that
| purpose they ehalll have power to send for
persons and papers and compel the attend
ance of witnesses anl administer Oaths,
and if after inquiry and examination tho
ssid returning officers. or a majority
! thereof, shall find and Determine tnat
| there was not g full, fair and free election
in any such locality, poll, ward, precinct, or
parish tor any Of the Reasons or from any of
the causes stated in this section, and that
the result OF the vote or el 'ctiOn in any
| such locality was materially affected there
by, then and in that case they shall not
count, compile, or give any effect to any
| vote or votes cast at any such locality, poll,
ward, precinct Or parish. but shall discard
! and disregard tho saf:le in the CANVASS and
! compilation OF the votes cast at said elec-
ton.
| SEC. II. Be it further enacted, etc, Thst
! the canvass and compilation of the votes
| and result of such election by said return
ing officers shall bs conducted in the follow
Ing order
They shall frs. proceed to inquire into,
decide and determine the truth OF any