Year: 1871

An act to enforce the provisions Of the


Fourteemth amendment TO the Constitu-
o uon of the United States, and Other p,ty-


poses.


BE it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That any
person who, under color of any law, statute,
ordinance, regulation, custom or usage Of
any State, shall subject, or cause to be sub
jected any person within the jurisdiction of
the United States to the deprivations of any
rights, privileges or immunities, secured by
the Constitution Of the United States, shall,
any such law, statute, ordinance. regulation,
custom or usage Of the State to the contrary
Notwithstanding, be liable to the party in
jured in action, lawsuit, etc, in equity or
other proper proceedings for redress, such
proceeding to berprosecuted in the several
District or Circuit Courts of the United
States, with and subject to, the same rights
Of appeal, review unon error, and other rem
edies provided in like cases in such courts
under provision of the act of the 9th of
April, 1866, entitle "An act to protect all
persons in the United States in civil rights
and to furnish the means for their vindca-
ton and other remedial laws of the United
States which are in their nature applicable
to such cases..


Sec. .. That if two or more persons with.
in any State or territory of the United States
shall conspire together to overthrow or to
put down or destroy by force, the govern
ment of the United States or to levy war
against the United States, or to oppose by
| force the Government of the United States
| or by force, intimidation or threats, to pre-
vent hinder or delay the execution of any
law of the United States; or by force to
| seize, take or possess any property of the
| United States contrary to the authority
| thereof; or by force, intimidation or threat,
to prevent any person from holding any
! Office of trust or place of confidence under
the United States, or from discharging the
| duties thereof, or by force, intimidation or
threat to induce any officer of the United
States to leave any State, district or place
where his duties as an officer might la wfully
be performed; Or to injure him in bis per
son or property on account Of his lawful
discharge of the duties of his Office; or to
injure his person while engaged in the law
full discharge of the duties of his Office or
to injure his property so as to modest, hin
der, interfere with, or impede him in the
discharge of his official duty or by force,
intimidation or threat to deter any party or
witness in any cause Of the United States
from attending such court, or from testify
ing in any matter pending in such court,
fully and truthfully; or to injure any such
party or witness in his person or property,
on account Of his having so attended or teS-
titled or by force, intimidation or threat,
to influence the verdict, presentment or in
dictment of any juror or grand jury of any
court of the United States, or to iBjure such
juror in his person or property on account
of any verdict, presentment or indictment
lawfully assented to by him, on account OF
his being or having been such juror; or
shall conspire together or 60 in disguise up
on the public highways or premises of
another for the purpose, either directly or
luNlEGCLlJs OA uSpLElAEs oIIJ PCAoOA Va al =
class of persons of the equal protection ol
the laws, or equal privileges or immunities


under the laws, or for the purpose Of pre-
/; venting or hindering the constituted author
tiles of any State from giving or securing
to all persons in such State equal protection


in the laws for the purpose Of in any man


ner impeding, hindering, Obstructing or de


feating the due course Ofjustice in any State


or Territory with the intent to deny to any


citizen of the United States due and equa
protection of the laws or to injure any per


son in his person or his property for lawful


ly enforcing the right of any person or clas


of persons to the equal protection of the laws


or by force, intimidation or threat to pre-
. vent any citizen of the United States, law


fully entitled to vote, from giving his supper


or advocacy in q lawful manner toward 0


in favor of the election of any qualified pei


son as an electOr for President or Vic


President of the United States, or as a men


Der of Congress of the United States; or t