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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journal of the Confederate Congress --EIGHTEENTH DAY--TUESDAY, December 10, 1861.
OPEN SESSION.
Congress met pursuant to adjournment and, in the absence of the Vice-President, was called to order by Mr. Crawford, who offered the following resolution; which was read and agreed to, to wit:
Whereas the presiding officer of this body is unavoidably detained from the sessions of the Congress by indisposition:
Be it therefore resolved, That the Honorable Thomas S. Bocock, a Delegate from the State of Virginia, be, and he is hereby, chosen the President of the Congress pro tempore.
Mr. Bocock having taken the chair, prayer was offered by the Rev. Dr. Hoge;
When,
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Mr. Rhett offered the following resolution; which was read and agreed to, to wit:
Resolved, That the President pro tempore, Thomas S. Bocock, be authorized to sign all bills and resolutions passed by the Congress.
Congress then resolved itself in secret session.
SECRET SESSION.
Congress being in secret session,
Mr. Kenan moved to reconsider the vote on the passage of the bill to authorize the appointment of two clerks and a draftsman in the Navy Department; the consideration of which, on motion of Mr. Sparrow, was postponed for the present.
Mr. Orr, from the Committee on Engrossment, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled
An act for the admission of the State of Kentucky into the Confederate States, as a member thereof;
An act to authorize the Secretary of War to appoint an assistant;
An act to authorize the appointment of chief buglers and principal musicians to regiments in the Provisional Army;
An act to authorize the appointment of two additional clerks and a draftsman in the Navy Department; and
An act to authorize the enlistment of additional seamen.
Mr. Miles, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred a portion of the report of the Secretary of War and accompanying letters, in response to a resolution of inquiry of Congress concerning restrictions placed upon vessels sailing from the ports of the Confederate States, reported same back, asked to be discharged from its further consideration, and that the report and letters lie on the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Kenan, from the same committee, to whom was referred a resolution instructing said committee to report
A bill providing for the giving of bonuses for the manufacture of saltpeter, small arms, gunpowder, etc.,
reported back, with dissent of the committee,
A bill to encourage the manufacture of small arms, of saltpeter, and of gunpowder within the Confederate States;
which was read first and second times and, on motion of Mr. Smith of Alabama, was placed on the Calendar, ordered to be printed, and made the special order for 1 o'clock p. m. on Friday next.
Mr. Avery, from the same committee, reported back and recommended the passage of
A bill to amend an act to authorize the President to confer temporary rank and command, for service with volunteer troops, on officers of the Confederate Army, approved May 21, 1861.
The bill was read first and second times and, on motion of Mr. Crawford, was placed on the Calendar and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Brooke, from the Committee on Patents, reported
A bill to amend an act to establish a patent office, and to provide for the granting and issue of patents for new and useful discoveries, inventions, improvements, and designs, approved May 21, 1861.
The bill was read first and second times and, on motion of Mr. Smith of Alabama, was placed on the Calendar and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Brooke, from the same committee, to whom was referred a
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number of memorials upon the subject of patents, reported the same back, asked to be discharged from their further consideration, and that the memorials lie on the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Campbell, from the Committee on Territories, reported back
A bill to organize the Territory of Arizona, and to create the office of surveyor-general therein;
which was, on his own motion, placed on the Calendar, ordered to be printed, and made the special order of Saturday next at 1 o'clock p. m.
Mr. Campbell also moved that when the bill should be taken up for consideration the Delegate-elect from Arizona, Mr. Oury, be invited to communicate with the Congress personally; which was agreed to.
Mr. De Clouet, from the Committee on Accounts, to whom was referred the estimates of the Secretary of Congress for the fourth session of Congress, reported the same back approved by the committee, with the exception of $500 for the use of the Permanent Congress and $600 for stationery already provided for by Congress, asked to be discharged from their consideration, and that they lie on the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. De Clouet, from the same committee, to whom was referred the report of the Secretary of Congress relative to the sale of certain furniture, reported the same back, with the approval of the committee, asked to be discharged from its further consideration, and that the report lie on the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. De Clouet, from the same committee, to whom was referred [a resolution] of inquiry as to the necessity of allowing the Secretary of Congress another assistant, reported the same back, with the opinion of the committee [that] the present clerical force of Congress is sufficient, asked to be discharged from its further consideration, and that the resolution lie on the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. De Clouet, from the same committee, reported the following resolution; which was read and agreed to, to wit:
Resolved, That the Doorkeeper be allowed to keep one white assistant within the Congress during the secret sessions, upon said assistant being sworn; the said assistant having been allowed one dollar per day as one of the servants of the Congress.
The Chair presented a letter of resignation from Hon. E. A. Nisbet, late a Delegate from the State of Georgia; which was read and laid on the table.
The hour of 1 o'clock p. m. having arrived,
Congress proceeded to the consideration of the special order of the day, which was the consideration of the bill providing for the granting of bounty and furloughs to privates and noncommissioned officers in the Provisional Army.
And the first section of the same being under consideration; which is as follows, to wit:
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Mr. Campbell moved to amend the same by striking out therefrom the following words, to wit:
To all now in the service for three years or for the war, to be paid at the expiration of their first year's service.
Mr. Atkins called the question; which was seconded, and the vote having been taken thereon, the amendment was not agreed to.
The second section of the bill being under consideration; which is as follows, to wit:
Mr. Clark moved to amend the same by striking out therefrom the following words, to wit:
And inserting in lieu thereof the following words, to wit:
That furloughs, not exceeding sixty days, with transportation home and back, shall be granted to all men now in service who shall, prior to the expiration of their present term of service, volunteer or enlist for the war or for three years or for a period which, added to their original term of enlistment, will make a service of not less than three years.
The amendment was not agreed to.
Mr. Jones moved to amend by inserting after the word "days" the following words, to wit: "and not less than thirty days."
The amendment was not agreed to.
Mr. Foreman moved to amend by striking out the whole of the second section.
Mr. Thomason moved to amend by inserting after the word "war" the following words, to wit:
and to all those who now are in the service for three years or for the war, or who may hereafter enter the service for such time, and who shall have served for the period of one year.
Upon which motion, Mr. Campbell, at the instance of the State of Mississippi, demanded that the yeas and nays of the whole body be recorded; which are as follows, to wit:
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So the amendment was not agreed to.
Mr. Hill moved to amend the bill by striking out the first and second sections of the same and inserting in lieu thereof the following, to wit:
Mr. Atkins called the question; which was seconded, and Mr. De Witt, at the instance of the State of Tennessee, demanded that the yeas and nays of the whole body be recorded thereon; which are as follows, to wit:
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Yea: Florida, 1.
Nay: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, 10.
Divided: Georgia, 1.
So the amendment was not agreed to.
Executive Department,
Richmond, December 10, 1861.
Mr. President: The President has this day approved and signed
An act for the admission of the State of Kentucky into the Confederate States of America, as a member thereof;
An act to authorize the Secretary of War to appoint an assistant;
An act to authorize the appointment of chief buglers and principal musicians to regiments in the Provisional Army; and
An act to authorize the enlistment of additional seamen.
ROBERT JOSSELYN,
Private Secretary.
Mr. Johnson of Arkansas moved that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the vote on the passage of the bill to admit Kentucky, and from the message of the President and the governor of Kentucky relating thereto.
The motion was agreed to.
The question then recurring upon the motion of Mr. Foreman to strike out the second section of the bill, the question was put, and the vote having been taken thereon,
The motion was not agreed to.
Mr. Foreman then moved to amend by striking out the first and second sections of the bill and inserting in lieu thereof the following, to wit:
The Congress of the Confederate States do enact, That in all regiments and battalions to which the President originally appointed field officers, under existing laws, any vacancy that may occur in the offices of colonel or lieutenant-colonel shall be filled by promotion, and any vacancy in the office of major shall be filled by appointment by the President, by and with the advice and consent of Congress.
When Mr. Ochiltree called the question; which was seconded, and Mr. Foreman, at the instance of the State of Georgia, demanded that the yeas and nays of the whole body be recorded thereon; which are as follows, to wit:
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Yea: Georgia, 1.
Nay: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, 10.
Not voting: Florida, 1.
Mr. Harris moved that Congress do now adjourn.
The motion did not prevail.
The third section of the bill being under consideration; which is as follows, to wit:
And there being no amendments to the same,
Congress proceeded to the consideration of the fourth section; which is as follows, to wit:
Mr. Harris of Missouri moved to amend the same by striking out therefrom the word "said" and inserting the following words, to wit: "the commissioned officers of."
Mr. Atkins called the question; which was seconded, and the vote having been taken thereon,
The amendment was not agreed to.
Mr. Foreman moved to strike out the fourth section.
The motion did not prevail.
Mr. Curry moved to amend by striking out the first section of the bill and substituting in lieu of the original bill the second, third, and fourth sections, upon which he called the question; and the call being seconded, the question was put, and the amendment was not agreed to.
Mr. Thomason moved as an additional section to the bill the following, to wit:
That furloughs of not less than thirty or more than sixty days, with transportation home and back, shall he granted to all troops who have heretofore volunteered or who may hereafter volunteer for three years or for the war, once during each twelve months of their service, at such times and in such numbers as in the opinion of the Secretary of War will best comport with the safety of the country and the best interests of the public service.
And, at the instance of the State of Arkansas, demanded that the yeas and nays of the whole body be recorded thereon; which are as follows, to wit:
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Yea: Missouri, 1.
Nay: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, 10.
Not voting: Florida, 1.
So the amendment was not agreed to.
Mr. Atkins called the question, which was upon ordering the bill to be engrossed for a third reading; and the call being sustained,
The bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
The Chair, under authority of a resolution of the Congress, appointed Mr. Currin of Tennessee an additional member of the Committee on Naval Affairs.
On motion of Mr. Sparrow,
Congress then adjourned until 12 o'clock m. to-morrow.
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