Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-10-17

subject Of Section $500 of the Revised Stat,
utes, which the Attorney General claims is
applicable to acts Of intimidation or threats
against any person lawfully qualified to vote
for President or member of Congress
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
.-. s WASHINGTON, October 3, 1873. -
L. C. Northrop, Esq, U. S. Attorney, Charles
tom, s. c.:
information has been given me Of
certain outrages alleged to have been commit
ted and threatened to he committed in the Dis
trict of South Carolina, in connection with
the approaching Congressional election. This
information is of such a character that I
deem it proper to call your attention to the laws
of Congress intended to protect the freedom
and purity of such elections, in order that
proper steps may be taken to bring to justice
those who offend against them, and to secure
to all citizens, without distinction Of party,
while the election is pending, their just rights.
The statement of crimes against the elective
franchise is condensed in Chapter 7th, Title
10th of the Revised Statutes, and your atten-
tion is especially called to the Section, $3.50,
which enacts:
s'If two or more persons in any State or Ter
fitory conspire to prevent, by force, intimida-
tion or threat, any citizen who is lawfully
entitled to vote, from giving his support or
advocacy, in legal manner, toward, or in
favor, of the election of any lawfully qualified
person as an elector for President or Vice
President, or as a member Of the Congress Of
the United States, or to injure any citizen, per-
son or property on account of such support or
advocacy, each Of such persons shall be pun,
ished by fine Of not less than five hundred,
or more than five thousand dollars, or by i'm
prisonment, with or without hard labor, not
less than six months nor more than six years,
or by both such fine and imprisonment"
The enforcement of this provision is essen
tial to proper discussion of the merits of
citizens who come forward as candidates for
Congress.
When, therefore, it is invaded by combina-
tions or conspiracies, by force or intimidation,
or threats to prevent citizens from giving their
support in advocacy to any lawfully qualified
person as member of Congress Of the United
States, and sufficient evidence of this is
brought to your attention, you will act ener-
getically in bringing those entering into such
conspiracies to justice, BY causing warrants
to be issued against them by some firm, i'm
partial United States commissioner, and by
having such parties brought promptly before
him, to be dealt with according to law. m
Such warrants should be made returnable
where you or your assistant can attend at the
hearing, on account of the Importance of the
matter.
deem it proper also to add that in such ca
ses, you should endeavor to select those who
you are satisfied are the leaders of such con-
spiracies, rather than the mere followers.
In no case will you permit any warrants to
be wantonly or causelessly issued. The laws
are to be executed firmly, but always fairly
and impartially.
You will show this letter to the marshal, if
you should have occasion to place warrants
in his hands relating to this subject.
Very respectfully, reas
CHAs. DEvENs, Attorney General.