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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 --WEDNESDAY, February 27, 1861.
OPEN SESSION.
Congress met pursuant to adjournment.
Prayer was offered up by the Rev. Dr. Capers.
The Journal of yesterday was read and approved.
Mr. Wright presented to Congress a model for a flag; which was referred to the Committee on Flag and Seal.
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Mr. Wright offered the following resolution:
Resolved by the Confederate States in Congress assembled, That whenever the Congress may enter upon the consideration of the permanent Constitution it shall be done in open session;
which was ordered to be placed on the Calendar.
Mr. Chilton offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire into the propriety of constructing by this Government of two iron-plated frigates and such iron-plated gunboats as may be necessary to protect the commerce and provide for the safety of this Confederacy;
which was read three times and adopted.
Mr. Conrad presented a memorial; which was referred, without being read, to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. Chesnut laid before Congress a communication on the subject of an armory; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Withers laid before Congress a communication from J. M. Pitts relative to patents; which was referred to the Committee on Patents.
Mr. Waul laid before Congress a communication from James E. Harrison relative to the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Creek Indian tribes; which was referred to the Committee on indian Affairs.
Mr. Wilson, from the Committee on Engrossment, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled
An act in relation to public printing.
Mr. Miles presented to Congress a model for a flag; which was referred to the appropriate Committee on Flag and Seal.
On motion of Mr. Chesnut,
Congress went into secret session; and after spending some time therein, adjourned till 11 o'clock to-morrow.
SECRET SESSION.
Congress having resolved itself into secret session,
The Journal of yesterday was read and approved.
On motion of Mr. Chilton, the regular business of Congress was suspended for the time and
Mr. Chilton introduced
A bill to authorize the collection of postages on mail matter carried in steamships between any port or ports in Europe and any port or ports in the Confederate States of America;
which was read two times, and on motion of Mr. Rhett was referred to the Committee on Postal Affairs.
Mr. Chesnut moved to reconsider the vote by which the motion to strike out the fifth section of
A bill to raise money for the support of the Government and to provide for the defense of the Confederate States of America.
After some discussion thereon, Mr. Stephens demanded the question; which was seconded, and the motion to reconsider was lost, the States voting as follows:
Yea: Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.
Nay: Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
Congress took up the unfinished business of the day previous.
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Pending the discussion on the amendment of Mr. Withers, offered by him as a substitute for the fifth section, Mr. Stephens demanded the question.
On the question to second the demand the same was lost, the States voting as follows:
Yea: Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi, 3.
Nay: Alabama and Louisiana, 2.
South Carolina being divided.
After further discussion Mr. Stephens again demanded the question; which was seconded, and the motion to substitute was lost.
Mr. Hale moved to amend the fifth section by striking out, where they first occur, the words "a duty of one-eighth of one cent per pound on all cotton in the raw state exported from the Confederate States," and to insert in lieu thereof the following:
an ad valorem duty of one per cent upon all cotton, rice, sugar, molasses, syrup, tobacco, lumber, tar, pitch, turpentine, and rosin exported from this Confederacy, the value thereof to be estimated at the port from which the same is exported;
which amendment was lost, the States voting as follows:
Yea: Alabama and Florida.
Nay: Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
Georgia being divided.
Mr. Marshall, at the instance of Louisiana, demanded the yeas and nays of the entire body; which were taken and recorded as follows:
Mr. Sparrow offered the following as a substitute for the fifth section, viz:
That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, instructed to call upon the several States of the Confederacy requesting them to guarantee, each in proportion to its representative population, so much of the loan authorized to be made by this act as he may find the public wants require.
The amendment was lost, the States voting as follows:
Yea: Alabama and Florida, 2. Nay: Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina, 4.
Mr. Harris then offered the substitute offered by Mr. Sparrow as an additional section to the bill; which was lost.
Mr. Rhett offered the following as an additional section:
Mr. Harris offered the following as a substitute for the bill, to wit:
The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That there shall be collected at the several ports of the Confederacy an export duty ofon all exports.
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And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to issue Treasury warrants in such sums not less thanto an amount not exceeding, which warrants shall be receivable in payment of the said duty;
which was lost.
The bill was then ordered to be engrossed for a third reading; which having been done and the bill read a third time, was passed, the States voting on the passage of the bill as follows:
Yea: Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina, 4.
Nay: Alabama and Florida, 2.
Mr. Shorter, at the instance of Alabama, called for the yeas and nays of the entire body; which were recorded as follows:
Mr. Bartow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported the following bill:
A bill to be entitled "An act to raise provisional forces for the Confederate States of America, and for other purposes;" which having been read the first and second times was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.
The bill was then read a third time and passed.
Mr. Kenner offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That hereafter the Congress will meet at eleven o'clock a. m.;
which was adopted.
Mr. Kenner also offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the permanent Constitution shall be the special order for each day hereafter as soon as Congress goes into secret session, and shall so continue until final action is had thereon.
Mr. Rhett moved to amend the same by striking out the word "hereafter" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "after Saturday next;" which motion to amend was lost, the vote being taken by States, as follows:
Nay: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
South Carolina being divided.
The resolution was then adopted.
Mr. Rhett offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the President of the Congress be authorized to employ two competent stenographers, who, under the injunction of secrecy, shall take down and write out the debates and action had upon the permanent Constitution;
which was lost.
Mr. Clayton offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That in the consideration of the permanent Constitution the Delegated from Texas be in all respects recognized as members of this body, with full power to discuss and vote upon the same;
which was agreed to.
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On motion of Mr. Bartow, the injunction of secrecy was removed from the act to raise provisional forces for the Confederate States of America, and for other purposes.
On motion of Mr. Barnwell, the injunction of secrecy was also removed from the
Act to raise money for the support of the Government and to provide for the defense of the Confederate States of America.
A message was received from the President to the effect that he had approved and signed
An act in relation to public printing;
An act to authorize the Secretary of State to appoint an assistant; and
An act to provide the compensation for the commissioners to European powers.
On motion of Mr. Brooke,
Congress adjourned until 11 o'clock to-morrow
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
The Congress having gone into executive session,
Mr. Rhett, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, made the following report:
The report was unanimously concurred in.
So the Congress do advise and consent that William L. Yancey, of Alabama, and P. A. Rost, of Louisiana, be commissioners to the European powers under the resolution of the Congress passed February 13, 1861.
There being no further executive business, the Congress resumed the consideration of the Calendar.
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