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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, March 6, 1861.
OPEN SESSION.
Congress met pursuant to adjournment.
Prayer was offered by the Rev. Mr. Rolls.
The Journal of yesterday was read and approved.
Mr. Curry offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire, into the expediency of prohibiting the importation of slaves from the United States into the Confederate States, except by persons emigrating thereto for purposes of actual settlement and residence;
which was adopted.
Congress proceeded to the consideration of the regular order, it being
A bill to establish and organize a bureau in connection with the Department of the Treasury, to be known as the light-house bureau.
The first section being reported, on motion of Mr. Curry the words "or commander" were inserted after the word "captain," where it first occurs.
On motion of Mr. Curry, the section was further amended by striking out the word "fifteen," where it occurs, and inserting in lieu thereof the word "twelve."
The first section, as amended, is as follows:
Mr. Curry moved that the following be added as the sixth and last section, to wit:
The bill, as amended, was then ordered to be engrossed for a third reading; which having been done, the bill was read a third time and passed.
Mr. Miles presented a memorial from the "Swedish Iron Manufacturing Company," of South Carolina; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
There being no further business on the Public Calendar, Congress went into secret session; and after spending some time therein, adjourned till 10 o'clock to-morrow.
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SECRET SESSION.
Congress having gone into secret session,
The Journal of yesterday was read and approved.
On motion of Mr. Kenner, it was agreed that Congress take a recess from 4 o'clock p. m. till 7.30 o'clock p. m.
Mr. Toombs, from the Committee on Finance, reported
A bill to authorize the issue of Treasury notes; which was read a first and second time and ordered to be placed on the Calendar and to be printed.
A message was received from the President that he had approved and signed
An act to provide for the registration of vessels owned in whole or in part by citizens of the Confederate States.
Mr. Shorter, from the Committee on Engrossment, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled
An act to establish and organize a bureau in connection with the Department of the Treasury, to be known as the light-house bureau;
An act to provide for the public defense; and
An act for the establishment and organization of the Army of the Confederate States of America.
A message was received from the President that he had also approved and signed
An act to provide for the public defense; and
An act to establish and organize a bureau in connection with the Department of the Treasury, to be known as the Light-House Bureau.
Mr. Stephens offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the standing committees of this body on Commercial Affairs, on the Judiciary, on Military Affairs, on Postal Affairs, on Naval Affairs, on Indian Affairs, and on Territories shall consist of six members, and the President be authorized to fill them to this number;
which was agreed to; and
In pursuance thereof the Chair made the following appointments:
On Commercial Affairs, Mr. Wahl; Judiciary, Mr. Oldham; Military Affairs, Mr. Gregg; Postal Affairs, Mr. Ochiltree; Naval Affairs, Mr. Oldham; Indian Affairs, Mr. Waul; and Territories, Mr. Ochiltree.
Mr. Marshall, from the Committee on Public Lands, made the following report,:
The Committee on Public Lands, to which was referred the resolution instructing it to inquire into the present condition of the public lands lying within the limits of the Confederate States, and also into the expediency of disclaiming, by the Confederate States, all title or right to the same in favor of the States, respectively, in which any public lands may be situated, beg leave to report:
That the public lands of the United States of America lying in the States of Louisiana and Mississippi have been vested in those States by ordinances passed by their respective State conventions; and that the Committee on Public Lands of the convention of Alabama have recommended to that body the passage of a like ordinance. From the best information they can obtain, the committee are of opinion that those lands are not very valuable, and that but little if any net revenue could be derived from the sale or disposition of them under the administration of this Confederacy, and they, therefore, recommend the adoption of the following resolution:
A resolution in relation to the public lands.
Resolved, That Congress disclaim and relinquish any right or title on the part of these Confederate States to the public lands lying in any of the States of this Confederacy.
On motion of Mr. Stephens, the resolution was ordered to be placed on the Calendar.
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Congress proceeded to the consideration of
A bill to create the clerical force of the several Executive Departments of the Confederate States of America, and for other purposes,
The first sentence of the fourth clause being as follows:
To the War Department there shall be a chief of the Bureau of War, at an annual salary of three thousand dollars, and five clerks, who shall each receive twelve hundred dollars per annum.
On motion of Mr. Memminger the same was amended by adding thereto the following:
and one of them may he appointed disbursing clerk, with an additional salary of six hundred dollars, who shall give bond with sureties, to be approved by the Secretary of War.
The following clause having been read, to wit:
To the Post-Office Department there shall be a chief clerk, at a salary of fifteen hundred dollars per annum, and ten other clerks, five of whom shall receive salaries each of twelve hundred dollars, and five shall receive salaries each of one thousand dollars per annum. And there shall be one messenger, at an annual salary of five hundred dollars.
On motion of Mr. Stephens, the same was amended by inserting after the words "there shall be," where they first occur, the words "an assistant postmaster-general, at a salary of three thousand dollars, and."
The clause following being read, to wit:
To the Department of Justice there shall be a chief clerk, at a salary of fifteen hundred dollars per annum, and three other clerks, whose annual salaries shall be each twelve hundred dollars, and also a messenger at a salary of five hundred dollars per annum.
Mr. Sparrow moved to amend the same by striking out the words "a chief clerk," where they first occur, and inserting in lieu thereof the words "an assistant attorney-general," and to strike out the words "fifteen hundred" and to insert in lieu thereof the words "three thousand," and to strike out the words "three other clerks" and to insert the words "one clerk," and to strike out the word "each."
Mr. Nisbet moved to amend the amendment of Mr. Sparrow by striking out the words "three thousand" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "two thousand;" which was lost.
Mr. Withers moved to strike out the words "three thousand" and to insert in lieu thereof the words "twenty-five hundred;" which was agreed to.
The amendment offered by Mr. Sparrow, as amended, was agreed to, and the clause as amended is as follows:
To the Department of Justice there shall be an assistant attorney-general, at a salary of twenty-five hundred dollars per annum, and one other clerk, whose annual salary shall be twelve hundred dollars, and also a messenger, at a salary of five hundred dollars per annum.
The second section being as follows:
Mr. Curry moved to amend by striking out the same and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
The annual salaries of the Assistant Secretary of State, the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, shall be each the sum of three thousand dollars; the Comptroller,
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the Auditor, the Register, and the Treasurer shall each be the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars per annum;
which motion was lost.
The third section being reported as follows:
The President of the Confederate States of America is hereby authorized to appoint or employ in his official household the following officers, to wit: One private secretary at an annual salary of twelve hundred dollars, and one messenger at an annual salary of five hundred dollars.
Mr. Withers moved to strike out the same; which was lost.
The bill as amended was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading; which having been done, the bill was read a third time and passed.
Mr. Cobb moved that Congress go into convention for the purpose of considering the Constitution of the Confederate States of America;
which was lost, the States voting as follows:
Yea: Alabama and Georgia.
Nay: Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas.
Florida divided.
Mr. Brooke moved that Congress proceed to the consideration of
A bill to be entitled "An act to establish a patent office and to provide for the granting and issuance of patents for new and useful discoveries, inventions, and improvements;"
which was lost.
On motion of Mr. Sparrow,
Congress adjourned till 10 o'clock to-morrow.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
The Congress having gone into executive session, the following communication was received from the President:
Executive Department, March 6, 1861.
Hon. HOWELL COBB,
President of the Congress.
Sir: I hereby transmit for the advice and consent of the Congress the nomination of Edward C. Elmore, of Alabama, to be Treasurer of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
And the question being,
Will Congress advise and consent to the said nomination?
It was unanimously decided in the affirmative.
So the Congress does advise and consent that Edward C. Elmore, of Alabama, be Treasurer of the Confederate States of America.
The following communication was also received from the President:
Executive Department, March 6, 1861.
Hon. Howell Cobb,
President of the Congress.
Sir: I hereby nominate for the advice and consent of the Congress, John H. Reagan, of Texas, to be Postmaster-General of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
And the question being,
Will Congress advise and consent to the said nomination?
It was unanimously decided in the affirmative.
So the Congress does advise and consent that John H. Reagan, of Texas, be Postmaster-General of the Confederate States of America.
There being no further executive business, Congress resumed the consideration of the business upon the Calendar.
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