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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 6, 1862.
OPEN SESSION.
Mr. Barnwell, from the Committee on Finance, who were instructed by a resolution of the Senate to inquire into the subject, reported
A bill (S. 11) to regulate the compensation of members of Congress;
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which was read the first and second times and considered as in Committee of the Whole; and having been amended, it was reported to the Senate and the amendments concurred in.
Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read a third time.
The bill as amended was read the third time.
Resolved, That it pass, and that the title be as aforesaid.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein.
A message from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. Robert Josselyn, his Secretary:
Mr. President: I am directed by the President to present to the Senate two communications in writing.
Mr. Barnwell, from the Committee on Finance, who were instructed by a resolution of the Senate to inquire into the subject, reported
A bill (S. 12) to regulate the compensation of the officers of the Senate;
which was read the first and second times and considered as in Committee of the Whole; and the blanks in the bill having been filled, it was reported to the Senate.
Ordered, That it be engrossed and read a third time.
The bill was read the third time.
Resolved, That it pass, and that the title thereof be is aforesaid.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein.
On motion by Mr. Barnwell,
The Senate resolved into executive session.
The doors being opened,
On motion by Mr. Maxwell,
The Senate adjourned until to-morrow morning at 12 o'clock.
SECRET SESSION.
On motion by Mr. Hunter,
The Senate passed by the unfinished business of yesterday, being the bill (S. 7) to regulate the destruction of property under military necessity, and proceeded to the consideration of the bill (H. R. --) to create the office of commanding general of the armies of the Confederate States.
The bill having been considered as in Committee of the Whole, and no amendment being made, it was reported to the Senate.
Ordered, That it pass to a third reading.
The said bill was read the third time.
Resolved, That it pass.
Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives thereof.
The Senate proceeded to the consideration of the bill (S. 7) to regulate the destruction of property under military necessity, it being the unfinished business of yesterday; and the question being upon the motion to lay upon the table the substitute offered by Mr. Sparrow, together with the amendment thereto offered by Mr. Phelan, Mr. Hill withdrew the same.
On motion by Mr. Hill, to lay on the table the amendment offered by Mr. Phelan to the amendment offered by Mr. Sparrow, viz:
That the cotton and tobacco now within the limits of the Confederate States, and not in the possession or under the immediate control of the authorities of the United
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States, is hereby condemned and appropriated to the use of the said Confederate States; and the right of possession in and to control and dispose of the same, divesting all private title thereto, is hereby declared to exist only in the said Confederate States: Provided, That any citizen of said States may consume, sell, or purchase such portion of said articles as may be necessary for the use and consumption of him or herself, or of his or her family; or for the purpose of manufacture within the limits of said Confederate States: And provided further, That this act shall not interfere with any contract or obligation in regard to said articles now existing between any citizen of the Confederate States and any State included within the same: And provided further, That the President may make such special contracts in reference to the sale or other disposition of said articles during a recess of Congress as he may deem essential to the public welfare.
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said articles. Upon any such destruction the said commanders are required to adopt such measures as they may deem best, or as they may be directed by the President to pursue, in ascertaining and preserving the names of the owners, the number of pounds, and the quality of the staples so destroyed.
It was determined in the affirmative, and the amendment laid upon the table.
On motion by Mr. Hill, to lay on the table the amendment offered by Mr. Sparrow, viz:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
That the military authorities of the Confederacy be, and they are hereby, authorized and directed to destroy all cotton and tobacco, when such destruction is necessary to prevent the same from falling into the hands of the enemy.
On motion by Mr. Sparrow,
The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present,
Those who voted in the affirmative are,
Messrs. Barnwell, Baker, Burnett, Clay, Clark, Haynes, Hill, Hunter, Maxwell, Orr, Preston, and Wigfall.
Those who voted in the negative are,
Messrs. Dortch, Henry, Johnson, Mitchel, Oldham, Phelan, Peyton, Sparrow, Semmes, and Simms.
On motion by Mr. Johnson, to amend the bill by adding the following section:
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of the Provisional Congress, entitled "An act to perpetuate testimony in cases of slaves abducted or harbored by the enemy, and of other property seized, wasted, or destroyed by them," approved thirtieth August, eighteen hundred and sixty-one; and such owners and persons shall be entitled to indemnity out of the proceeds of property sequestered and confiscated under the laws of the Confederate States, in such manner as Congress may hereafter provide,
On motion by Mr. Orr,
The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present,
Those who voted in the affirmative are,
Messrs. Barnwell, Baker, Clay, Clark, Dortch, Haynes, Henry, Hill, Hunter, Johnson, Maxwell, Mitchel, Oldham, Phelan, Peyton, Sparrow, Semmes, Simms, and Wigfall.
Those who voted in the negative are,
Messrs. Burnett, Orr, and Preston.
The amendments having been agreed to, the bill was reported to the Senate and the amendments concurred in.
Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read a third time.
The said bill was read the third time, and the title was amended.
Resolved, That it pass, and that the title thereof be "An act to regulate the destruction of property under military necessity, and to provide for the indemnity thereof."
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to consider the joint resolution (H. R. --) to appoint a committee to act in conjunction with the President in relation to certain subjects therein named.
The resolution having been amended on motion by Mr. Burnett, by stoking out the wind States, in the tenth line, and inserting in lieu thereof the word "State" and by striking out the words "Kentucky and Missouri," in the eleventh line,
On motion by Mr. Haynes,
Ordered, That it lie upon the table.
Mr. Barnwell, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the joint resolution (H. R. --) relating to the manner of paying members of the Provisional Congress the arrearages of their pay and mileage, reported it without amendment.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of said resolution (H. R. --), and having been amended, on motion by Mr. Barnwell, by striking out the following words, viz:
Provided, That no member of the Provisional Congress who is a member of this Congress shall be entitled to constructive mileage,
The resolution was reported to the Senate and the amendment concurred in.
Ordered, That the resolution be read a third time.
The said resolution was read the third time.
Resolved, That it pass, with an amendment.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in the amendment.
On motion by Mr. Maxwell,
The Senate resolved into open legislative session.
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EXECUTIVE SESSION.
The President laid before the Senate the following communication from the President of the Confederate States:
Richmond, March 6, 1862.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
I nominate Sterling Price, of Missouri, to be a major-general, agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of War.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States of America, War Department,
Richmond, March 5, 1862.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the nomination of Sterling Price, of Missouri, to be a major-general in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America, to take rank from the date of confirmation.
I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. P. BENJAMIN,
Secretary of War.
To His Excellency Jefferson Davis,
President, etc.
The message was read.
The Senate proceeded to the consideration of the nomination of Sterling Price; when it was
Resolved, That the Senate advise and consent to his appointment as major-general, agreeably to the nomination of the President.
The President laid before the Senate the following communication from the President of the Confederate States:
Richmond, March 6, 1862.
To the Senate of the Confederate States of America:
I nominate the officers named in the annexed letter of the Secretary of the Navy, agreeably to his recommendation.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States, Navy Department,
Richmond, March 5, 1862.
To the President.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for appointment in the Navy and Marine Corps of the Confederate States:
With much respect, your obedient servant,
S. R. MALLORY,
Secretary of the Navy.
The message was read.
On motion by Mr. Sparrow,
Ordered, That the nominations be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.
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Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred (on the 5th instant) the nominations of Carter L. Stevenson, Danville Leadbetter, William W. Mackall, Charles S. Winder, Robert Ransom, jr., John B. Hood, Dan. M. Frost, W. S. Featherston, Thomas J. Churchill, William B. Taliaferro, Albert Rust, P. R. Cleburne, Sam. B. Maxey, and Hamilton P. Bee, as brigadier-generals; F. W. Desha, as lieutenant-colonel; J. N. Cypert, as major; D. S. Fraly, as assistant quartermaster, with the rank of captain, reported them back with the recommendation that they be confirmed with the exception of Dan. M. Frost.
Mr. Semmes moved to lay the nomination of Charles S. Winder on the table; which was agreed to.
After which it was
Resolved, That the Senate advise and consent to the foregoing appointments, with the exception of Charles S. Winder and Dan. Frost, agreeably to their nomination by the President.
On motion,
Ordered, That the nomination of Dan. M. Frost lie upon the table.
On motion by Mr. Hunter,
The Senate resolved into secret legislative session.
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