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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 --MONDAY, April 7, 1862.
OPEN SESSION.
The Senate convened at 12 o'clock m., in the chamber of the senate of Virginia, agreeably to their adjournment on Saturday.
The Secretary of the Senate this day presented to the President of the Confederate States, for his approval, the following bills:
Mr. Hill presented the credentials of the Hon. John W. Lewis, appointed a Senator by the executive of the State of Georgia, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the nonacceptance of the Hon. Robert Toombs; which were read, and the oath prescribed by law was administered to Mr. Lewis, and he took his seat in the Senate.
Mr. Semmes presented a communication from the Committee of Public Safety of New Orleans in relation to the appointment, in Congress, of a committee on the conduct of the war; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Phelan (by leave) introduced
A bill (S. 38) authorizing the issuance of Treasury notes under the denomination of five dollars;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. --) for the organization of a corps of officers for the working of niter caves and establishing niter beds, reported it without amendment.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. --) to promote the efficiency of the Medical Department of the Army, reported it with an amendment.
Mr. Hill, from the Committee on the Judiciary, reported
A bill (S. 39) to regulate the salaries of the district judges of the Confederate States of America;
which was read the first and second times and ordered to be placed upon the Calendar and printed.
A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Dixon, their Clerk:
Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed sundry resolutions in relation to the recent victory of our arms in Tennessee, and the death of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston; in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of the Senate. [In margin, "No message accompanied the resolutions. C. T. B."]
On motion by Mr. Davis, that the Senate take up and consider the resolutions this day communicated from the House of Representatives for concurrence,
It was determined in the negative.
Mr. Barnwell, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. --) to authorize the employment of clerks at the offices of the Treasurer and assistant treasurers, reported it without amendment.
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On motion by Mr. Oldham,
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the bill (H. R. --) to authorize the Secretary of War to receive into the service of the Confederate States a regiment of volunteers for the protection of the frontier of Texas; and
After debate,
On motion by Mr. Johnson,
Ordered, That it be recommitted to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Henry (by leave) introduced
A bill (S. 40) to increase the production of pig metal, iron plates for gunboats, foundries, armories, railroad iron, and saltpeter;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
On motion by Mr. Semmes, that the bill (H. R. --) to admit imports duty free, except such as may be imported from the United States of America, be made the special order for Thursday next at 1 o'clock,
On motion by Mr. Semmes,
The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present,
Those who voted in the affirmative are,
Messrs. Baker, Dortch, Oldham, Phelan, Peyton, Preston, Sparrow, and Semmes.
Those who voted in the negative are,
Messrs. Barnwell, Burnett, Clay, Clark, Davis, Haynes, Henry, Hill, Hunter, Lewis, Maxwell, Mitchel, Orr, Simms, and Yancey.
So the motion was rejected.
On motion by Mr. Clay,
The Senate resolved into secret legislative session.
The doors being opened,
On motion by Mr. Johnson,
The Senate adjourned until to-morrow morning at 12 o'clock.
SECRET SESSION.
Mr. Clay submitted the following resolution for consideration:
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy be requested to inform the Senate, at the earliest practicable moment, whether the necessary work upon the Virginia has been completed; whether she is now ready to go into service; whether her water line, her stern, and her rudder have been sheathed with iron, and if not, what has caused the delay in this work; whether it is proposed to send her into service without sheathing her entire water line, stern, and rudder with iron and putting on her shutters; and that he also inform the Senate what number of daily operatives have been employed and are now engaged in working upon said vessel.
Mr. Henry, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 40) to increase the production of pig metal, iron plates for gunboats, foundries, armories, railroad iron, and saltpeter, reported it without amendment.
Ordered, That it be printed.
The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (S. 32) to raise an army for the Confederate States of America, and to make rules for the government and regulation thereof.
On the question to agree to the amendment proposed by Mr. Oldham,
Mr. Haynes moved to amend the amendment by striking out the
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words "the war," in the fifth line, and inserting in lieu thereof the words "three years, unless the war shall have been sooner ended;"
When,
After debate,
On motion by Mr. Johnson,
The Senate resolved into open legislative session.
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