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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 --THIRD DAY--TUESDAY, July 23, 1861.
OPEN SESSION.
Congress met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Hoge.
A quorum being present, the Journal of yesterday was read.
Mr. Hunter of Virginia announced the presence of Thomas S. Bocock, a Delegate from the State of Virginia, who appeared, was qualified, and took his seat.
Mr. Davidson of North Carolina announced the presence of Mr. Burton Craige, a Delegate from the State of North Carolina, who appeared, was qualified, and took his seat.
Mr. Perkins of Louisiana offered the following preamble and resolution; which were read, and, on his motion, referred to Committee on Finance:
Whereas the Government of the United States is exerting all its energies and employing its Army and Navy and every agency within its power to prevent the exportation of our great staples--cotton and tobacco--to any other country except
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through its ports, or by its permission, thereby securing the complete commercial subjection of the Confederate States and causing the industrial and manufacturing interests of all other countries sustained by these products to be dependent upon them for their supply: Therefore, be it.
Resolved, That the Committee on Finance be instructed to inquire into the expediency of this Congress conferring upon the Government of the Confederate States the power to control the cotton and tobacco crops of the country by receiving subscriptions in kind, or by purchase from individuals at a price fixed, or by such an advance upon their value in Treasury notes or Confederate bonds as will enable the Government to make their possession the basis of credit and negotiation abroad.
Mr. Perkins of Louisiana presented a memorial containing suggestions as to the financial resources of the Confederate States; which, upon his motion, was referred to Committee on Finance.
Mr. Harris of Mississippi presented a memorial touching the public service; which, upon his motion, was referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. Ochiltree of Texas offered the following resolution; which was agreed to, viz:
That the Committee on Finance be instructed to inquire into the expediency of suspending the collection of all duties imposed by the laws now in force on goods, wares, merchandise, and commodities of every description whatsoever imported into these Confederate States during the existence of the present war, and that they report at an early day by bill or otherwise.
Mr. Rives of Virginia presented the memorial of Samuel Jones, late captain in United States Army, now lieutenant-colonel in Provisional Army, praying payment of moneys due him for services by United States Government, out of funds taken in custom-house at Richmond, upon secession of State of Virginia; which was, on motion of Mr. Rives, referred to Committee on Military Affairs.
Congress then went into secret session.
SECRET SESSION.
Congress having gone into secret session, two reports on unadjusted accounts of the last session and sale of furniture were received from J. J. Hooper, Secretary, and referred to the Committee on Accounts.
Mr. Kenner of Louisiana offered the following resolution; which was taken up, read, and agreed to, to wit:
Resolved by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, That the Secretary of Congress be authorized to purchase five hundred dollars' worth of stationery for the Congress, inclusive of the amount already purchased by him for the present session of the Congress.
Mr. Staples of Virginia offered the following resolution; which was taken up, read, and agreed to, to wit:
Resolved, That the Committee on Postal Affairs inquire into the expediency of providing by law for the transmission of packages and letters to and from the officers, musicians, and privates in the service of the Confederate States free of postage.
On motion of Mr. Cobb of Georgia all bills on the Calendar were ordered to be printed for the use of Congress in secret session.
Mr. Stephens of Georgia offered the following resolution; which was taken up, read, and agreed to, to wit:
Resolved, That the members of the standing committees of Congress be raised to nine, and that the Chair fill them up at his leisure.
The Chair presented the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, with accompanying schedules; which were read and referred to the
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Committee on Finance, with instructions to have such portions of the same printed as said committee might deem necessary for the use of Congress.
The Chair presented the memorial of Dickinson, inventor of a steam gun; which, on motion, was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.
Mr. Waul, at the instance of the State of Texas, moved to reconsider the motion passed to refer the report of the Secretary of the Treasury to the Committee on Finance, with power to print such portions of same as might be necessary for the use of Congress.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Shorter of Alabama, at the instance of the State of Alabama, moved to reconsider the motion referring the report of the Secretary of the Treasury to the Committee on Finance, with power to print such portions of same as might be necessary for the use of Congress, and demanded the vote by States; which was taken, and resulted as follows, to wit: Yeas 4, nays 5.
The States voting in the affirmative are: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Texas.
Those voting in the negative are: Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
The vote of Louisiana was divided.
So the motion to reconsider was lost.
Mr. Cobb, chairman of the Committee on Printing, made the following report; which was received, to wit:
The committee find, upon investigation, that the resolution of Congress appointing a printer extended only to the time the Congress should sit at Montgomery, Ala.
Further, that the printer of the last session has made no arrangements for the printing of the present session. They therefore recommend that Congress do now proceed to elect a printer.
Mr. Conrad moved to amend by inserting in lieu of the words "do now proceed to elect a printer" "that the election of printer be made the special order for 1 o'clock to-morrow;" which was lost.
The original question, to wit, that Congress do now proceed to elect a printer, was put and carried.
Upon a vote by States ten States voted as follows, to wit:
The vote of the State of Louisiana was divided.
Whereupon, John M. Daniel, having received a majority of the votes cast, was declared by the Chair duly elected printer to the Congress.
Mr. Conrad of Louisiana offered a resolution to appoint a committee to inquire into the number of arms and munitions of war distributed to the Army and now in possession of the Government; which was read and placed on the Calendar.
On motion of Mr. Rhett of South Carolina,
Congress then adjourned until 12 o'clock to-morrow.
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