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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, May 8, 1861.
OPEN SESSION.
Congress met pursuant to adjournment.
The Chair laid before Congress the following dispatch:
Little Rock, May 6, 1861.
To Hon. H. Cobb:
Through you? with pleasure announce to Congress that Arkansas has this day passed an unconditional ordinance of secession by a unanimous vote.
D. P. HILL,
Commissioner of Georgia.
Mr. Morton offered the following resolution; which was agreed to, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire into the propriety of appointing chaplains in the Navy of the Confederate States.
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Mr. Ochiltree introduced
A bill to provide a compensation for the disbursing officers of the several Executive Departments;
which was referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. Conrad moved that a standing committee be raised to be known as the Committee on Claims, to consist of six members.
The motion was agreed to, and the Chair appointed as said committee Messrs. Gregg, Hill, Marshall, Orr, Ward, and Jones.
Congress then went into secret session; and after remaining some time therein, adjourned until 12 o'clock to-morrow.
SECRET SESSION.
Congress being in secret session,
Mr. Shorter, from the Committee on Engrossment, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled
An act to raise an additional military force to serve during the war.
Mr. Hemphill reported
A bill to authorize the transfer of appropriations;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. De Clouet, from the Committee on Accounts, to whom was referred a resolution to fill a clerical vacancy in the office of Assistant Secretary of Congress and a resolution to appoint an engrossing clerk for the Congress, reported adversely to the passage of the same.
On motion of Mr. De Clouet, the report was agreed to and the resolutions laid on the table.
Congress then proceeded to the consideration of
A bill to make further provision for the public defense.
The following message was received from the President, through his Private Secretary, Mr. Josselyn:
Mr. President: The President on yesterday approved and signed
An act to admit the Commonwealth of Virginia as a member of the Confederate States of America.
I am instructed by the President to deliver to Congress a communication in writing.
On motion of Mr. Barnwell, the consideration of the bill was postponed for the present, and the message of the President was taken up and read, viz:
Gentlemen of the Congress: In the message addressed to you on the 29th ultimo, I referred to the course of conduct of the Government of the United States toward the commissioners of this Government sent to Washington for the purpose of effecting, if possible, a peaceful adjustment of the pending difficulties between the two Governments. I also made allusion to "an intermediary whose high position and character inspired the hope of success," but I was not then at liberty to make my communication on this subject as specific as was desirable for a full comprehension of the whole subject. It is now, however, in my power to place before you other papers which I herewith address to you. From them you will perceive that the intermediary referred to was the Hon. John A. Campbell, a judge of the Supreme Court of the United States, who made earnest effort to promote the successful issue of the mission intrusted to our commissioners, and by whom I was kept advised, in confidential communications, of the measures taken by him to secure so desirable a result. It is due to you, to him, and to history, that a narration of the occurrences with which he was connected should be made known, the more especially, as it will be seen by the letters hereto appended, that the correctness and accuracy of the recital have not been questioned by the Secretary of State of the United States, to whom it was addressed.
I avail myself of this opportunity to correct an error in one of the statements made in my message of the 29th April. It is there recited that I was prompted to call you
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together in extraordinary session by reason of the declarations contained in the proclamation of President Lincoln of the 15th April. My proclamation convoking you was issued on the 12th April, and was prompted by the declaration of hostile purposes contained in the message sent by President Lincoln to the governor of South Carolina on the 8th April. As the proclamation of President Lincoln of the 15th April repeated the same hostile intention in more specific terms and on a much more extensive scale, it created a stronger impression on my mind and led to the error above alluded to, and which, however unimportant, I desire to correct.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Montgomery, May 3, 1861.
On motion of Mr. Barnwell, the message, together with the accompanying documents, was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The Congress resumed the consideration of the bill to make further provision for the public defense.
Mr. Bartow moved to amend the same by striking out all after the enacting clause and substituting in lieu thereof the report of the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Barry moved to amend the amendment by striking out all after the enacting clause and substituting in lieu thereof the following, to wit:
Mr. Hale moved to amend the first section of the amendment of the Military Committee authorizing the President to receive into service such companies, battalions, or regiments tendering themselves as he may require without formal call on the States, to serve for such time as he may prescribe, by adding at the end thereof the words "not less than two years."
Mr. Withers demanded the question; which was seconded, and the vote being taken by States, is as follows:
Yea: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
Nay: Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Virginia.
So the motion was lost.
The question recurred on the motion of Mr. Barry to amend.
Mr. Withers demanded the question; which was seconded, and the motion was lost.
The question being on the motion of Mr. Bartow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to amend, Mr. Withers demanded the question; which was seconded, and the motion prevailed.
Mr. Cobb moved to amend the bill as amended by adding to the third section of the same; which is as follows:
The President shall be authorized to commission all officers entitled to commissions of such volunteer forces as may be received, under the provisions of this act,
By adding thereto the following words, viz:
and upon the request of the officer commanding such volunteer regiment, battalion, or company, the President may attach a supernumerary officer to each company detailed from the Regular Army for that purpose, and for such time as the President may direct;
which motion prevailed.
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On motion of Mr. Harris, the second section of the bill, which is as follows, viz:
Such volunteer forces who may be accepted under this act, except as herein differently provided, shall be organized in accordance with and subject to all the provisions of the act entitled "An act to provide for the public defense," and be entitled to all the allowances provided therein, and when mustered into service may be attached to such divisions, brigades, or regiments as the President may direct, or ordered upon such independent or detached service as the President may deem expedient,
was amended by adding thereto the following proviso:
Provided, however, That battalions and regiments may be enlisted from States not of this Confederacy, and the President may appoint all or any of the field officers thereof.
The bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed as amended.
Mr. Miles reported a resolution in regard to military expenditures made by the State of South Carolina; which was read the first and second times and made the special order of the day for to-morrow.
Congress proceeded to the consideration of
A bill to amend an act vesting certain powers in the Postmaster-General, approved March 15, 1861.
The bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
A communication was received from the Secretary of War relative to the manufacture of powder and arms; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Memminger introduced
A bill to suspend the operations of the mints; which was referred to the Committee on Finance.
On motion of Mr. Withers,
Congress adjourned until 12 o'clock to-morrow.
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