posed, or the execution of any law of the state, or any lawful sentence of a court, or to effect the rescue of a prisoner legally arrested for any crime, the punishment for that offence shall be increased one half.

Art. 212. If a riot be committed for either of the purposes set forth in the last preceding article, the punishment herein before imposed for that offence shall be doubled.

Art. 213. If any person engaged in an unlawful assembly, before the unlawful object of such meeting, or any other offence except such unlawful meeting, has been committed by them, or those with whom they are combined, shall either voluntarily, or on being warned by a magistrate, retire therefrom, without the intent to return, he shall not be prosecuted for being concerned in the unlawful assembly, or for any riot or other offence of which any persons concerned in it may afterwards be guilty, provided he do not return to the said assembly.

Art. 214. Any one person concerned in an unlawful assembly, may be indicted and convicted before the others are arrested; but it is necessary to state in the indictment, and prove on the trial, that three or more persons were assembled; if known, they must be described or named; if unknown, it must be so alleged.

It is necessary to state, in an indictment for either of those offences, the illegal act which was the object of the meeting, or which they proceeded to do if the assembly was originally for a lawful purpose.

Art. 215. If three or more persons assemble for a lawful purpose, and they afterwards proceed to commit any act that would amount to a riot, if it had been the original purpose of the meeting, all those who do not retire when the change of purpose is known, are guilty of a riot.

Art. 216. If two or more persons engaged in an unlawful assembly or riot are ARMED, the punishment of the person so armed shall be doubled; and of those who assisted in such assembly, when part were armed, although they themselves were unarmed, shall be increased one half.

Art. 217. If any judge, military officer or executive officer, or officer of justice, shall be engaged in an unlawful assembly or riot, his punishment shall be doubled.

Art. 218. When proof shall be made to any magistrate, by the oath of two or more credible witnesses, of the existence of any unlawful assembly or riot, consisting of more than twenty persons, it shall be the duty of such magistrate to go to the place where the unlawful assembly is, and he shall there proclaim the office which he holds, and order such unlawful assembly to disperse; and that he may be the better known and distinguished, he shall display a white flag; and if the offenders shall, after being so warned, proceed to commit a riot, they shall be imprisoned at hard labour, not less than one, nor more than three years, in addition to the other punishment for any other offence of which they may be guilty by such riot or illegal assembly.

Art. 219. Any one being in the said assembly at the time such order was given, or having joined it afterwards, (provided this last have notice of such order), who shall be found therein after the expiration of half an hour, shall, if no other offence be committed, be imprisoned, in close custody, not less than one nor more than six months, or fined not less than fifty, nor more than three hundred dollars. And immediately after the expiration of the said half hour, or before, if any other illegal act be committed, it shall be lawful for any magistrate, or minister of justice, to arrest any of those composing the said assembly who shall

disobey such order, or to cause them to be arrested with or without warrant; and for that purpose, any magistrate may call for the assistance of any person who may be within three miles of the place where the said unlawful assembly shall be, to aid him in the arrest of the said offenders; and such arrest shall be made in the manner directed by the Code of Procedure, in the chapter relative to Arrests.

Art. 220. If any free, able-bodied male person, above eighteen years of age and under fifty, shall be called on to aid in arresting the offenders in the manner directed by the last preceding article, and shall refuse or neglect so to do, such person shall be fined fifty dollars.

Art. 221. Any assembly, for the purpose of witnessing a boxing match, is an unlawful assembly.

If any boxing match takes place at such assembly, it is a riot, for which the combatants, and each of those who lay a wager on the event of such combat, shall be fined not less than ten, nor more than one hundred dollars, or may be imprisoned not less than ten, nor more than twenty days, in close custody, or both; and those who are guilty of the riot, without laying a wager on the combat, shall be fined not less than five, nor more than fifty dollars; or may be imprisoned ten days in close custody.

CHAPTER II.

Of public disturbance.

Art. 222. Those are guilty of making a public disturbance, who, without any such intent as would give to a meeting the character of an unlawful assembly, shall, to the number of two or more, meet or assemble in a tumultuous manner, in a public place, and by vociferation, quarrelling, or fighting, disturb the inhabitants of the place in the prosecution of their lawful business, or in their necessary repose. Public disturbers shall be fined not exceeding twenty dollars, or imprisoned not exceeding ten days, or both.

Art. 223. All magistrates and officers of justice are required to arrest, or cause to be arrested, persons guilty of this offence, on their own view, or on complaint, with or without warrant.

Art. 224. No public meeting, for the purpose of exercising any political or private right; no assembly for the purpose of legal recreation, or the expression of dissatisfaction or approbation made in such assembly in the usual manner, although it may disturb those in the vicinity, is an offence under this chapter.

Art. 225. The police of places of public amusement continues under the superintendence of the mayors, or other first magistrates of cities and towns.

TITLE VII.

OF OFFENCES AGAINST THE RIGHT OF SUffrage.

CHAPTER 1.

Of bribery and undue influence.

Art. 226. Whoever shall offer or give a BRIBE to any elector, for the purpose of influencing his vote at any PUBLIC ELECTION, and any elector entitled to vote at such election who shall receive such bribe, shall be fined not less than one hundred, nor more than five hundred dollars, shall forfeit all his political rights, and be confined in close custody not less than six months, nor more than one year.

Art. 227. Whoever shall give or offer a bribe to any JUDGE or clerk of any public election, or any executive officer attending the same, as a consideration for some act done, or omitted to be done, or to be done or omitted contrary to his official duty in relation to such election, shall pay a fine not less than one hundred, nor more than five hundred dollars, shall forfeit all political rights, and shall be confined in close custody not less than one, nor more than two years.

Art. 228. If any one shall offer or give a reward to any person whatever, for the purpose of inducing him to persuade, or by any other means not amounting to bribery, to procure persons to vote at any PUBLIC ELECTION, for or against any person, the person so giving or offering, and he who shall receive such reward, shall forfeit not less than fifty, nor more than one hundred dollars.

Art. 229. Whoever shall procure or endeavour to procure the vote of any elector, or the influence of any person over other electors at any public election, for himself or any candidate, by means of VIOLENCE, threats of violence, or threats of withdrawing custom or dealing in business or trade, or of enforcing the payment of a debt, or bringing a suit or criminal prosecution, or any other threat of injury to be inflicted by him or by his means, the person so offending, shall forfeit not less than fifty, nor more than three hundred dollars, and be confined in close custody, not less than one, nor more than six months, and shall be suspended from the exercise of his political rights for four years.

CHAPTE
CHAPTER II.

Of offences committed by the judges or other officers of elections.

Art. 230. If any judge or clerk of any public election, or executive officer attending the same, shall knowingly make or consent to any

false entry on the list of voters; put into the ballot box, or permit to be so put in, any ballot not given by a voter; or take out of such box, or permit to be so taken out, any ballot deposited therein, except in the manner prescribed by law; or by any other act or omission, designedly destroy, or change the ballots given by the electors; the offender shall pay a fine of not less than five hundred, nor more than one thousand dollars, forfeit his political rights, and be imprisoned in close confinement, not less than six months, nor more than one year. «

Art. 231. Any such judge who shall proceed to any such election, without having the ballot box locked and secured in the manner directed by law; or who shall open and read, or consent to any other person opening and reading any ballot given to him to deposit in the box at such election, before it is put into the box, without the consent of the voter giving the same, shall be fined one hundred dollars.

Art. 232. Any judge of a public election, who before the votes are counted, shall dispose of, or deposit the ballot box, in a manner not authorized by law; or shall at any time after the election has begun, and before the ballots are counted, give the key of the ballot box with which he is intrusted to any other, the person so offending shall pay a fine of five hundred dollars.

Art. 233. When any one who offers to vote at any such election, shall be objected to by an elector, as a person unqualified to vote, if any judge of such election shall permit him to vote without producing proof of such qualification, in the manner directed by law; or if any such judge shall refuse the vote of any person, who shall comply with the requisites prescribed by law to prove his qualifications, knowing him to be entitled to vote, he shall forfeit for such offence, one hundred dollars, and if the offence be committed for the purpose of favouring or injuring the election of any candidate, shall moreover be suspended from the exercise of his political rights, for five years.

Art. 234. If any judge, or clerk, or executive officer, shall designedly omit to do any official act required by the law, or designedly do any illegal act, in relation to any public election, by which act or omission the votes taken at any such election in any city, parish or district, shall be lost, or the electors thereof shall be deprived of their suffrages at such election, or shall designedly do any act which shall render such election void, he shall be fined not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars, shall forfeit his political rights, and shall be confined in close custody not less than six months nor more than one year.

CHAPTER III.

Of violence and riots at elections, and of the protection of electors from arrest.

Art. 235. It shall not be lawful for any military officer, or other person, to order or bring, or keep any troops or armed men, at any place within a mile of the place where any public election is held, on any day during which the same shall be held, under the penalty of five hundred dollars; unless it be for the purpose of quelling a riot or insur

rection, in the manner provided by law, or for the purpose of defence in time of war, and if the offence shall be committed with intent to influence such election, he shall moreover be imprisoned not less than thirty nor more than sixty days in close custody, and shall forfeit his political rights. This article does not apply to troops of the United States, usually stationed within a mile of the place of election, and kept there during the same.

Art. 236. If any one shall, by illegal force, or threats of such force, prevent or endeavour to prevent any elector from giving his vote; or shall, at the place of election, commit any assault or battery on any elector, he shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than two hundred dollars, shall be imprisoned in close custody not less than thirty days nor more than six months, and shall be suspended from his right of suffrage for two years.

Art. 237. If any riot be committed at any place of any public election or within half a mile of such place, during the time that the polls are open, the offender shall, in addition to the punishment imposed by law for a riot, also suffer imprisonment, in close custody, for not less than thirty nor more than sixty days; and if the riot shall have been made for the purpose of influencing the election, shall be suspended from the right of suffrage for two years.

Art. 238. No elector shall be arrested at any civil suit, or on any warrant, except for a crime or a breach of the peace, or in order to obtain surety of the peace, during any day on which a public election is held, or while going to or returning from such election; and any executive officer of justice, or other person, making or causing such arrest, contrary to this article, knowing the person arrested to be an elector, shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than two hundred dollars.

TITLE VIII.

OF OFFENCES AGAINST THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS.

Art. 239. The constitution of this state having declared, that "printing presses shall be free to every person who undertakes to examine the proceedings of the legislature or any branch of the government," and that "the free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the invaluable rights of man," and that "every citizen may freely speak, write, and print, on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty," it is declared to be a misdemeanor for any one by violence, or threats of violence, or threats of any injury to person, property or credit, to prevent, or endeavour to prevent any person from exercising any of the rights asserted in the parts of the constitution above recited, and the offender shall pay a fine of not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars.

Art. 240. If any member of the general assembly, or any judge or judicial or executive officer, shall be guilty of the offences created by the last preceding article, in order to prevent an investigation of his official conduct, or that of the branch of the government to which he belongs: