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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 --SEVENTEENTH DAY--THURSDAY, August 8, 1861.
OPEN SESSION.
Congress met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Woodbridge.
Congress then resolved itself into secret session.
SECRET SESSION.
Congress being in secret session,
Mr. Miles, by unanimous consent, moved to amend the Journal of yesterday by striking therefrom the motion made by himself from the Committee on Military Affairs, to reconsider the vote on the engrossment and passage of
An act to amend an act further to provide for the public defense, etc.
The motion was agreed to.
Congress then took up the special order of the day, which was the consideration of a bill from the Finance Committee, to be entitled
An act to authorize the issue of Treasury notes, and to provide a war tax for their redemption.
Mr. Barnwell moved to postpone the special order for the purpose of considering
A resolution touching points of maritime law decided by the Congress of Paris of 1856.
The motion was agreed to, and the resolution was taken up, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
The second section of the bill, which was the special order, being under consideration; which is as follows, to wit:
Mr. Toombs moved to amend the same by inserting after the word "shall," on the fifteenth line, the words "have power to."
Mr. Waul moved to amend the amendment offered by Mr. Toombs by adding thereto the words "if required by the subscribers."
Pending which, Mr. Shorter, from the Committee on Engrossment, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled
An act respecting alien enemies; and
An act further to provide for the public defense.
Mr. Hill called for the question, which was upon agreeing to the amendment offered by Mr. Waul; which being seconded, Mr. Conrad
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demanded that the vote be taken by States; and the question being put, resulted as follows, to wit:
Yea: Florida and Texas, 2.
Nay: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, 8.
So the amendment was lost.
A message was received from the President by the hands of his Private Secretary, Mr. Josselyn.
Mr. Hill demanded the question, which was upon agreeing to the amendment offered by Mr. Toombs; and the call for the question being seconded, the vote was taken, and the amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Toombs moved to further amend by striking out in the fifteenth line the words "after the raising of the blockade," and the vote having been taken thereon by States, resulted as follows, to wit:
Yea: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia, 9.
Divided: Louisiana, 1.
So the amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Perkins moved to amend by inserting on the twelfth line, after the word "military," the words "and naval."
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Perkins moved further to amend by inserting after the word "stores," on the twelfth line, the words "cotton and tobacco," and after the word "of," on the twelfth line, the words "the same and of other."
The message from the President was then read as follows, informing Congress that he had this day approved and signed
An act to authorize the President of the Confederate States to grant commissions to raise volunteer regiments and battalions, composed of persons who are or have been residents of the States of Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland, and Delaware;
An act respecting alien enemies; and
An act further to provide for the public defense.
Mr. Shorter, from the Committee on Engrossment, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled
A resolution touching points of maritime law decided by the Congress of Paris of 1856.
The Chair presented the following communication from the President; which was read and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs:
Executive Department,
Richmond, August 8, 1861.
Hon. Howell Cobb,
President of the Congress.
Sir: I herewith transmit to the Congress the inclosed communication from the Hon. Secretary of War, recommending certain appropriations therein mentioned.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The Chair presented a communication from the governor of Virginia; which was taken up and read and ordered to lie on the table and be printed, to wit:
Executive Department, August 8, 1861.
Hon. Howell Cobb,
President of the Congress:
I have had the honor to receive a copy of the resolutions adopted by your honorable body on the 1st day of this month.
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In response to your resolution I communicate herewith a report from Charles Dimmock, my colonel of ordnance, which, with the accompanying documents, will place Congress in possession of the information desired, so far as small arms are concerned.
I am unable to state what "number of regiments" are formed or in process of formation but not yet received into the service of the Confederate States. Companies are being organized rapidly in eastern Virginia, the valley, and southwestern Virginia, and we will in the course of the next two weeks have as many companies in the several camps as can be armed from the limited supply of arms which I have now at command.
JOHN LETCHER.
Mr. Miles presented the memorial of James G. Holmes, of Charleston; which was referred to the Committee on Patents, without being read.
Mr. Waul moved that Congress do now adjourn.
Mr. Thomason, at the instance of the State of Arkansas, demanded that the yeas and nays of the whole body be recorded; the vote being taken, resulted as follows, to wit:
Yea: Louisiana, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia, 4.
Nay: Arkansas, Florida, and Georgia, 3.
Divided: Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina, 3.
Mr. Curry demanded the question, which was upon agreeing to the amendment offered by Mr. Perkins; the demand being seconded, and the vote having been taken by States, resulted as follows, to wit:
Yea: Florida, 1.
Nay: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia, 8.
Divided: Louisiana, 1.
So the amendment was not agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Brooke,
Congress then adjourned until 11 o'clock to-morrow morning.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
Congress being in executive session,
The Chair presented to Congress a communication from the President, transmitting the nomination of Edward J. Harden, of Georgia,
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to be judge of the district court for the district of Georgia, vice Henry R. Jackson, resigned.
The communication was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Congress resumed legislative session.
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