Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 14.djvu/58

 28 '.l`HIRTY—NINTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 31. 1866. District attor- Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the district attorneys, marshals, ¤<i7¤» &¤¤·» to i¤· and deputy marshals of the United States, the commxssnoners appointed by °m°t° PY°°°°d` the circuit and territorial courts of the United States, with powers of arresti’!¢fa*18°m¤F**“ .. U. h fh U Yds no tmgtlusmt. mg, 1mpr1s0nmg, or hailing offenders anamst the laws o the m e tates, the officers and agents of the Freedmen’s Bureau, and every other officer who may be specially empowered by the Premdent of the United States, shall be, and they are hereby, specially authorized  requared, at the expense of the United States, to institute proceedings agamst all and every person who shall violate the provisions of this act, and cause lnm or them to be arrested and imprisoned, or bailed, as the case may be, for trial before such court of the United States or territorial court as by this act has cognizance of the offence. And with a view to affording reasonable protection to all persons in their constitutional rights of equality before the law, without distinction of race or color, or previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude, except as s. punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, and to the prompt discharge of the duties of this act, it shall be the duty of the circuit courts of the United States and the superior courts of the Territories of the United States, from Number of time to time, to increase the number of commissioners, so as to afford a 23m;?;:;?;;':,? speedy and convenient means for the arrest and examination of persons cult and mime- charged with a violation of this act; and such commissioners are hereby fm °°¤"§ *° P° authorized and required to exercise and discharge all the powers and du-
 * 1m§]m°lr ties conferred on them by this act, and the same duties with regard to

oifences created by this act, as they are authorized by law to exercise with regard to other offences against the laws of the United States. Marshals, &c·, Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of all mar- °° °b°Y "u P"'. shals and deputy marshals to obey and execute all warrants and precepts cept: under thns, _ _ _ _ mt. xssued under the provisions of this act, when to them directed; and should mI:¤ggY f°¤‘¥°· any marshal or deputy marshal refuse to receive such warrant or other ’ ‘ process when tendered, or to use all proper means diligently to execute the same, he shall, on conviction thereof, be fined in the sum of one thousand dollars, to the use of the person upon whom the accused is alleged to have Cvmmi-1¤i¤¤¤¤ committed the offence. And the better to enable the said commissioners ggggfgfgk to execute their duties faithfully and efficiently, in conformity with the wamuu. Constitution of the United States and the requirements of this act, they are hereby authorized and empowered, within their counties respectively, to appoint, in writing, under their hands, any one or more suitable persons, from time to time, to execute all such warrants and other process as may be issued by them in the lawful performance of their respective duties; and the persons so appointed to execute any warrant or process as afore- -’=;¤¢l¤¤¤‘ify of said shall have authority to summon and call to their aid the bystanders °"° P°'°°°"°‘ or posse comitatus of the proper county, or such portion of the land or naval forces of the United States, or of the militia, as may be necessary to the performance of the duty with which they are charged, and to insure a faithful observance of the clause of the Constitution which prohibits slavmxV:Er:;1°¤ W ery, in conformity with the provisions of this act; and said warrants shall ‘ run and be executed by said officers anywhere in the State or Territory r within which they are issued. Penalty {0,-,,},. Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That any person who shall knowingm¤¤i2§ Pm2Q5B ly and wilfully obstruct, hinder, or prevent any officer, or other person `°r u M ’ charged with the execution of any warrant or process issued under the provisions of this act, or any person or persons lawfully assisting him or them, from arresting any person for whose apprehension such warrant or f°¥ ¤>$¢¤°»&¤·$ process may have been issued, or shall rescue or attempt to rescue such person from the custody of the ofllcer, other person or persons, or those hr aiding b lpwtullyassisting as aforesaid, when'so arrested pursuant to the authority swipe; Herein given and declared, or shall md, abet, or assist any person so arrestfot hmpbmn mas aforesaid, directly or ind1rect1y,.to escape from the custody of the sw, ab 0 cer or other person legally authorxzed as aforesaxd, or shall harbor or