| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journal of the Confederate Congress --SATURDAY, March 9, 1861.
OPEN SESSION.
Congress met pursuant to adjournment.
Prayer being offered by Rev. Dr. Petrie,
The Journal of yesterday was read and approved.
Mr. Morton laid before Congress the following resolution adopted by the convention of Florida:
Resolved by the people of Florida in convention assembled, That our delegation to the Southern Congress be, and they are hereby, requested to bring the subject of the maintenance of marine hospitals, light-houses, etc., within the State of Florida to the attention of said Congress and urge an immediate provision for the same.
Done in open convention March 1, 1861.
WILLIAM S. HARRIS,
Secretary of the Convention.
(Signed)JOHN C. McGEHEE,
President of Convention.
which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Page 119 | Page image
Congress proceeded to the consideration of
A bill to be entitled "An act to establish a court of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction at Key West, in the State of Florida."
The first section thereof being as follows, to wit:
The Congress of the Confederate States do enact, That a court of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction at Key West, in the State of Florida, shall be, and is hereby, created, which shall have cognizance of all civil causes of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, including all seizures under the revenue laws or laws of navigation and trade of the Confederate States, when the seizures are made or cause of complaint arises on waters which are navigable from the sea by vessels of ten or more tons burden, as well as upon the high seas, saving to suitors in all cases the right of a common-law remedy, where the remedy at common law is ample and complete. The limits or bounds of said court shall be all that part of the State of Florida which lies south of a line drawn due east and west from the northern point of Charlotte Harbor, including the islands, keys, reefs, shoals, harbors, bays, and inlets south of said line.
Mr. Withers moved to amend the same by striking therefrom the words "limits or bounds of said court shall be," as they occur, and inserting in lieu thereof the words "said court shall exercise jurisdiction in;" which was agreed to.
The last sentence of the section as amended reads as follows, to wit:
The said court shall exercise jurisdiction in all that part of the State of Florida which lies south of a line drawn due east and west from the northern point of Charlotte Harbor, including the islands, keys, reefs, shoals, harbors, bays, and inlets south of said line.
The third section thereof being as follows:
Mr. Anderson moved to fill the blank with the words "thirty-five hundred."
Mr. Clayton moved to insert "three thousand."
The question being on the largest amount, the motion of Mr. Anderson prevailed, the States voting as follows:
Yea: Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina.
Nay: Alabama and Mississippi.
Divided: Texas.
The seventh section being as follows:
Mr. Clayton moved to fill the blank with the words "two hundred [dollars]:" which was agreed to.
Mr. Clayton offered the following as an additional section, to be section 10, to wit:
All writs and processes, either mesne or final, which shall issue from said court, shall bear teste of the judge of said court, and shall be under the seal and signed by the clerk thereof;
which was adopted.
Page 120 | Page image
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.
The other regular orders on the Public Calendar were postponed for the time and Congress went into secret session; and after remaining some time therein, adjourned till 10 o'clock Monday next.
SECRET SESSION.
Congress having gone into secret session,
Mr. Toombs, from the Committee on Finance, to which committee was referred
A bill to be entitled "An act further to provide for the organization of the Post-Office Department,"
reported the same back with a recommendation that it pass.
Congress proceeded to its consideration.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading; which having been done and the bill read a third time, was passed.
Mr. Toombs, from the Committee on Finance, to which committee was referred
A bill to be entitled "An act making appropriations for the support of three thousand men for twelve months, to be called into service at Charleston, South Carolina, under the third and fourth sections of an act of the Congress 'to raise provisional forces for the Confederate States of America, and for other purposes,'"
reported the same back without amendment, with a recommendation that it pass.
Congress having proceeded to its consideration, the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading; which having been done, the bill was read a third time and passed.
Mr. Toombs, from the Committee on Finance, to which committee was referred
A bill to be entitled "An act making appropriations for the support of the Regular Army of the Confederate States of America for twelve months, and for other purposes,"
reported the same back without amendment and recommended that it pass.
Congress having proceeded to its consideration, the bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Barnwell, from the Committee on Finance, reported
A bill to be entitled "An act to provide revenue, from commodities imported from foreign countries;"
which was read a first and second time, ordered to be placed on the Calendar, and to be printed.
It was further ordered that, when printed, the injunction of secrecy thereon be removed.
Mr. Shorter, from the Committee on Engrossment, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled
An act to provide for an assistant treasurer of the Confederate States of America, and a treasurer for the mint in the city of New Orleans;
An act to authorize the issue of Treasury notes, and to prescribe the punishment for forging the same and for forging certificates of stock, bonds, or coupons;
Page 121 | Page image
An act to admit certain materials free of duty, for the construction of telegraphic lines from Savannah, in the State of Georgia, to Fort Pulaski, and from Mobile in the State of Alabama, to FortMorgan; and
An act further to provide for the organization of the Post-Office Department.
A message was received from the President that he had approved and signed
An act to admit certain materials free of duty, for the construction of telegraphic lines from Savannah, in the State of Georgia, to Fort Pulaski, and from Mobile, in the State of Alabama, to Fort Morgan;
An act to authorize the issue of Treasury notes, and to prescribe the punishment for forging the same and for forging certificates of stock, bonds, or coupons;
An act to provide for an assistant treasurer of the Confederate States of America, and a treasurer for the mint in the city of New Orleans;
A resolution to continue the mints at New Orleans and Dahlonega; also
An act further to provide for the organization of the Post-Office Department;
the secrecy on which last-named act was ordered to be removed.
The Chair laid before Congress two communications, one of which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs and the other to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. Shorter, from the Committee on Engrossment, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled
An act making appropriations for the support of 3,000 men for twelve months, to be called into service at Charleston, S. C., under the third and fourth sections of an act to raise provisional forces for the Confederate States of America, and for other purposes; also
An act to fix the pay of the members of the Congress of the Confederate States of America.
Mr. Cobb introduced the following bill:
A bill in relation to Sunday mail service.
Mr. Withers moved to refer the bill to the Committee on Postal Affairs, and, at the instance of South Carolina, the yeas and nays thereon were taken and recorded, as follows:
Page 122 | Page image
Yea: Alabama and Texas, 2.
Nay: Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi, 3.
Divided: Louisiana and South Carolina, 2.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Kenner offered the following amendment, to wit:
Provided, That inasmuch as the people of the States of Louisiana and Texas recognize perfect freedom of conscience and freedom of religious action to worship their Maker at such times and on such days as they think proper, the contracts for carrying the mails in those States be exempted from the provisions of this act.
Mr. Conrad moved to lay the bill and amendment on the table.
Mr. Nisbet called the question; which was seconded, and the motion to lay on the table was lost.
The yeas and nays of the entire body were ordered to be taken, and are as follows:
Yea: Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, 3.
Nay: Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, 3.
Divided: South Carolina, 1.
On motion of Mr. Cobb, the bill and amendment were then referred to the Committee on Postal Affairs.
Mr. Bartow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported
A bill amendatory of an act for the organization of the staff departments of the Army, and an act for the establishment and organization of the Army of the Confederate States of America;
which was read a first and second time and ordered to be placed on the Calendar and to be printed.
Mr. Bartow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, also reported
A bill making appropriations to carry out the provisions of an act to provide for the public defense;
which was referred to the Committee on Finance.
On motion of Mr. Withers,
Congress adjourned till 10 o'clock Monday next.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |