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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 --FIFTY-SEVENTH DAY--THURSDAY, January 30, 1862.
OPEN SESSION.
Congress met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Butler.
Congress then resolved itself into secret session.
SECRET SESSION.
Congress being in secret session,
Mr. Johnson of Arkansas presented a communication on the subject of a flag; which was referred to the Committee on the Flag and Seal of the Confederacy, without being read.
Mr. Garland introduced
A bill supplementary to an act to fix the pay of members of Congress of the Confederate States of America;
which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Pay and Mileage.
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Mr. Howell Cobb offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Printing be instructed to prepare and report a bill providing for, at an early day as practicable, the publication of the journal of the convention that adopted the provisional and permanent Constitutions of the Confederate States of America.
Mr. Perkins moved to amend by striking out "at an early day as practicable" and inserting in lieu thereof "for future publication."
Mr. Hill moved to lay the resolution and amendment on the table;
When,
Mr. Howell Cobb, 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:
Yea: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina, 5.
Nay: Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Texas, 6.
Divided: Missouri and Virginia, 2.
So the motion to lay on the table did not prevail.
Executive Department,
Richmond, January 30, 1862.
Mr. President: The President on yesterday approved and signed
An act to amend an act supplemental to an act to establish the judicial courts of the Confederate States of America, approved May 21, 1861;
An act to amend an act entitled "An act to provide for the public defense," approved March 6, 1861; also
An act to aid the State of Kentucky, and for other purposes.
ROBERT JOSSELYN,
Private Secretary.
Mr. Orr, from the Committee on Engrossment, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled
An act to explain an act entitled "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to establish a patent office, and to provide for the granting and issue of patents for new and useful discoveries, inventions,
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improvements, and designs,' approved May twenty-first, eighteen hundred and sixty-one;"
An act to transfer funds from the Quartermaster's to the Ordinance Department; and
An act to repeal so much of the laws of the United States adopted by the Congress of the Confederate States as authorize the naturalization of aliens.
And the question being upon agreeing to the amendment of Mr. Perkins,
Mr. Howell Cobb, at the instance of the State of Georgia, demanded that the yeas and nays of the whole body be recorded thereon, and pending the vote on which, the morning hour having expired,
Mr. Russell, by general consent, was allowed to introduce
A bill to amend an act to provide for local defense and special service;
which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Ward, by general consent, offered a communication in relation to the completion of a railroad in the State of Florida for military purposes; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, without being read.
Mr. Hale, from the Committee on Military Affairs, moved to postpone the special order of the day, for the purpose of taking up
A bill to provide for connecting the Richmond and Danville and the North Carolina Railroads, for military purposes.
The motion was agreed to, and Congress proceeded to the consideration of the bill.
And the first section of the same being under consideration; which is as follows, to wit:
Whereas the President in his message to Congress on the nineteenth day of November, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, has expressed the opinion that the construction of a railroad between the Richmond and Danville Railroad at or near Danville, in the State of Virginia, and the North Carolina Railroad at or near Greensborough, in the State of North Carolina, so as to connect the said roads, is indispensable for the most successful prosecution of the war, in which opinion Congress fully concurs: Now, therefore,
It is enacted by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered to contract, upon such terms and conditions as he may think proper, with any company or companies which have been or may be organized for the purpose of building a railroad so as to connect the said Richmond and Danville Railroad with the North Carolina Railroad at such points as he may deem most advantageous to the Government, or to adopt such other course for building or having the said road built, so as to effect the said connection in the manner he may think will best promote the public interest.
Mr. Davis moved to amend by striking out the word "said" where it occurs before the word "Richmond."
The amendment was agreed to.
And the second section of the bill being under consideration; which is as follows, to wit:
Mr. Hale moved to fill the blank in the same with the words "one million of dollars in bonds of the Confederate States."
The amendment was agreed to.
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Mr. Hale moved further to amend by striking out the words "out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be drawn for by" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "to be issued and applied by order of the."
The amendment was agreed to.
And the section as amended reads as follows, to wit:
Congress then recurred to the first section of the bill, when Mr. Venable moved to amend by inserting after the word "with" the words "of any."
The amendment was not agreed to.
Mr. Foreman moved to lay the whole subject on the table, when Mr. Hale called the question; which was seconded, and the vote having been taken, the motion did not prevail.
Mr. Johnston of Virginia moved to amend as follows, to wit:
To insert after the word "be" the words "incorporated and," and to insert after the word "building" the words "and working," and to insert after the word "rail road" the words "and railroads," and to insert after the word "building," when it occurs again, the words "and working," and to insert after the word "built" the words "and worked."
The amendments were agreed to, and the section as amended reads as follows, to wit:
It is enacted by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered to contract, upon such terms and conditions as he may think proper, with any company or companies which have been or may be incorporated and organized for the purpose of building and working a railroad or railroads, so as to connect the said Richmond and Danville Railroad with the North Carolina Railroad at such points as he may deem most advantageous to the Government, or to adopt such other course for building and working or having the said road built and worked, so as to effect the said connection in the manner he may think will best promote the public interest.
Mr. Campbell moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution offered by Mr. Perkins was passed, appointing Capt. Matthew F. Maury and Profs. A. T. Bledsoe and F. Smith, of the University of Virginia, to draw up a system of weights and measures and coins, etc.
Mr. Puryear moved to reconsider the vote by which the amendment of Mr. Venable to the first section was lost, and upon which, at the instance of the State of North Carolina, he demanded that the yeas and nays of the whole body be recorded; which are as follows, to wit:
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Yea: Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas, 5.
Nay: Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee, 4.
Divided: Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Virginia, 4.
So the motion to reconsider did not prevail.
The preamble of the bill being under consideration; which is as follows, to wit:
Whereas the President in his message to Congress on the nineteenth day of November, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, has expressed the opinion that the construction of a railroad between the Richmond and Danville Railroad at or near Danville, in the State of Virginia, and the North Carolina Railroad at or near Greensborough, in the State of North Carolina, so as to connect the said roads, is indispensable for the most successful prosecution of the war, in which opinion Congress fully concurs: Now, therefore.
Mr. Davis moved to strike out the same, and upon which motion, at the instance of the State of North Carolina, he demanded that the yeas and nays of the whole body be recorded; which are as follows, to wit:
Yea: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas, 7.
Nay: Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Virginia, 4.
Divided: Louisiana and North Carolina, 2.
So the, motion to strike out prevailed.
Mr. Garland moved that Congress do now adjourn.
The motion was lost.
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And the question being upon ordering the bill to be engrossed for a third reading,
Mr. Toombs, 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:
Yea: Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia, 6.
Nay: Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, 3.
Divided: Arkanses, Kentucky, Mississippi, and South Carolina, 4.
So the Congress refused to order the bill to be engrossed for a third reading.
On motion of Mr. Rhett,
Congress adjourned until 12 o'clock m. to-morrow.
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