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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 --THURSDAY, March 14, 1861.
OPEN SESSION.
Congress met pursuant to adjournment.
Prayer was offered by the Rev. Mr. Blue.
The Journal of yesterday was read and approved.
Mr. Ochiltree laid before Congress a communication from S. Sherman; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Clayton, from the Committee on Judiciary, reported
A bill to be entitled "An act to establish a court of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction in the State of Mississippi for the counties lying on the Mississippi River in said State;"
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which was ordered on the Calendar and to be printed.
The Chair laid before Congress estimates of the Secretary of the Treasury for the expenses of the Post-Office Department; which were referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. Waul presented a communication; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported the following resolution:
Resolved, That the communication of H. A. Gericke, of Louisiana, in relation to friction caps for firing cannon be referred to the Secretary of War with instructions to have the said caps tried and report thereon.
The resolution was adopted.
Mr. Conrad, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, reported sundry papers which had been referred to said committee with a view to having them deposited in the Navy Department. It was ordered that the same be delivered to the Secretary of the Navy.
The 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 12 o'clock to-morrow.
SECRET SESSION.
Congress being in secret session the following communication from the President was laid before Congress by the Chair and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs:
Executive Department, March 12, 1861.
Hon. Howell, Cobb,
President of the Congress.
Sir: To enable the Secretary of War most advantageously to perform the duties devolved upon him in relation to the Indian tribes by the second section of the act to establish the War Department of February 21, 1861, it is deemed desirable that there should be established a bureau of Indian affairs, and if the Congress concur in this view I have the honor respectfully to recommend that provision be made for the appointment of a commissioner of Indian affairs and for one clerk to aid him in the discharge of his official duties.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Mr. Wilson, from the Committee on Engrossment, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled
An act 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.
Mr. Perkins offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Provisional Government has no power or jurisdiction over the public lands, forts, arsenals, navy-yards, light-houses, and other public establishments within the limits of the several States. Congress, however, recommends to the said States that they should cede to the Confederate States so much of the lands reserved by the Government of the United States or other vacant public lands in their respective limits as may be necessary for timber or lumber for naval or other purposes of public concern.
Mr. Perkins demanded the question on agreeing to the resolution; which was seconded, and the vote thereon, being taken by States, is as follows:
Yea: Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina.
Nay: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas.
The motion was lost.
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Congress then resumed the consideration of the report of the judiciary on public lands; and after some discussion, on motion of Mr. Toombs, the same was recommitted to the Committee on the Judiciary, the States voting thereon as follows, viz:
Yea: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas.
Nay: Louisiana and South Carolina.
Mr. Toombs, from the Committee on Finance, reported
A bill to exempt from duty certain articles of merchandise therein named;
which was read the first and second times, put on the Calendar, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Chilton offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That Alexander B. Clitherall be, and is hereby, appointed one of the assistant secretaries of this body, and that his compensation shall date, as such, from the commencement of this session.
The resolution was agreed to.
Mr. Anderson reported
A bill supplementary to and amendatory of an act to establish a court of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction at Key West, in the State of Florida.
The bill was read the first and second times, reported by sections, engrossed, read the third time, and passed.
Mr. Miles reported
A bill to provide for the payment of light money in the Confederate States;
which was read the first and second times, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Clayton reported
A bill to authorize the President alone to make certain appointments; which was read the first and second times, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Congress took up the bill making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and judicial expenses of Government for the year ending February 4, 1862,
Mr. Toombs filing the estimates of the heads of Departments.
Mr. Toombs reported
A bill to appoint a second auditor for the Treasury Department; which was read the first and second times, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Lewis being absent on account of sickness when the Constitution of the Confederate States of America was adopted, asked and obtained leave to record his vote in favor of the adoption of the same.
A message was received from the President, through his Private Secretary, Mr. Josselyn, that he had approved and signed
An act 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; also
A resolution accepting certain funds tendered to the Confederate States by the State of Louisiana.
Mr. Ochiltree offered the following resolution; which was agreed to, viz:
Resolved, That the Secretary of State be requested to have five hundred copies of the titles of the acts and resolutions of this Congress from which the injunction of
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secrecy has been removed, printed for the use of the members and forwarded to their respective addresses.
Mr. Curry offered
A bill to define and fix the pay of the officers of the Congress of the Provisional Government;
which was taken up, read the first and second times, and the second section, defining and fixing the pay of engrossing and enrolling clerk at five dollars,
On motion of Mr. Curry, the same was amended by striking out "five" and inserting in lieu thereof the word "six."
The bill as amended was engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Chilton presented the accounts of Messrs. Davis and Blue, for stationery, etc., for former, and for clerical service for the latter; which were referred to the Committee on Accounts.
The Congress resumed the consideration of the bill vesting certain powers in the Postmaster-General.
On motion of Mr. Chilton, the same was amended by adding thereto two additional sections, to be numbered sections 5 and 6, respectively.
The bill was engrossed as amended, read a third time, and passed.
Congress took up for consideration the
Bill to authorize the purchase or construction of ten gunboats;
which was engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Rhett reported
A bill to authorize the appointment of commercial agents or consuls to foreign ports;
which was read the first and second times, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Clayton, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to which was recommitted the report on public lands, reported the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Congress do recommend to the respective States to cede the forts, arsenals, navy-yards, dockyards, and other public establishments within their respective limits to the Confederate States, and moreover, to cede so much of the lands reserved heretofore by the Government of the United States, or other public vacant lands in their respective limits as may be necessary for timber or lumber for naval or other purposes of public concern; and that the said States do also acknowledge their liability to indemnity the Confederate States for any amount which the Confederate States may by treaty undertake to account for to the United States, for or on account of the public lands received by each State, and that the President of Congress be requested to communicate this resolution and the accompanying report to the governors of the respective States;
which was taken up; and
Mr. Conrad moved to amend the resolution by striking out all after the words "for timber or lumber for naval or other purposes of public concern," and the vote thereon, being taken by States, is as follows:
Yea: Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas.
Nay: Alabama and Mississippi.
The motion prevailed.
Mr. Withers moved to amend the resolution by adding the following, to wit:
Resolved further, That in case of such cession, the President be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered to take charge of any such property ceded.
The motion prevailed.
And the resolution as amended reads as follows:
Resolved, That the Congress do recommend to the respective States to cede the forts, arsenals, navy-yards, dockyards, and other public establishments within their
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respective limits to the Confederate States, and moreover, to cede so much of the lands reserved heretofore by the Government of the United States, or other public vacant lands in their respective limits as may be necessary for timber or lumber for naval or other purposes of public concern.
Resolved further, That in case of such cession, the President be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered to take charge of any such property ceded.
Mr. Clayton reported from the Judiciary Committee
A bill to amend the laws relative to the compensation of the attorneys of the Confederate States;
which was read the first and second times, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
A message was received from the President, by his Secretary, Mr. Josselyn, that he had approved and signed
An act to regulate foreign coins in the Confederate States of America.
On motion of Mr. Toombs,
Congress adjourned until 12 m. to-morrow.
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