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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, December 23, 1863.

Journal of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861-1865 [Volume 3]
WEDNESDAY, December 23, 1863.

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OPEN SESSION.

Mr. Orr presented the petition of Alexander M. Moffett, praying the passage of an act refunding certain moneys expended by him on behalf of the Government; which was referred to the Committee on Claims.

Mr. Oldham submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

Resolved, That the Committee on Finance be instructed to inquire into the expediency of so amending the act of Congress entitled "An act to lay taxes for the common defense and carry on the Government of the Confederate States," approved April twenty-fourth, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, as to provide for laying and collecting taxes for the year eighteen hundred and sixty-four to the amount of millions of dollars, to be levied upon the subjects of taxation as follows, to wit:

• 1. Upon all Treasury notes, designated by the Secretary of the Treasury as "general currency," outstanding on the first day of January, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, fifty per cent.
• 2. Upon all other Treasury notes and call certificates, twenty-five per cent.
• 3. Upon all eight per cent Confederate bonds, twenty per cent; upon seven per cent bonds, fifteen per cent; upon six per cent bonds, ten per cent; and upon all other bonds, five per cent.
• 4. And upon all other subjects of taxation specified in said act as will be sufficient to raise the aforesaid sum of ... millions, grading the same in proportion to the ability of the classes taxed to pay their assessment.

And as a means of sustaining any new issue of Treasury notes which may be made hereafter, the propriety of inserting the following stipulation in said notes: "That the same shall be receivable in payment of taxes and other public dues, at their current value, and that the same shall be funded by the holder in the six per cent bonds of the Government, after publication of notice by the Secretary of the Treasury."

On motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas,

Ordered, That the resolution be printed.

Mr. Semmes, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 74) to amend so much of section 11 of the tax law as requires one-tenth of the sweet potatoes produced this year to be paid to the Government, reported it without amendment.

The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the bill last mentioned; and no amendment being proposed, 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 inform the House of Representatives thereof.

Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 161) to repeal an act entitled "An act to regulate the destruction of property under military necessity, and to provide for the indemnity thereof," reported it with the recommendation that it ought not to pass.

The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:

Richmond, Va., December 21, 1863.

To the Senate of the Confederate States:

In response to your resolution of the 10th instant, I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War relative to the Quartermaster-General.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

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The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:

Richmond, Va., December 19, 1863.

To the Senate of the Confederate States:

I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, covering copies of several reports of military operations.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Sparrow submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of extending the operation of the act entitled "An act to provide for the compensation of certain persons therein named," beyond the first, day of January next.

On motion by Mr. Hill,

The Senate resolved into secret legislative session.

The doors having been opened,

On motion by Mr. Davis,

The Senate adjourned.

SECRET SESSION.

Mr. Hill, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the joint resolution (S. 18) explanatory of a joint resolution on the subject of retaliation, approved May 1, 1863, reported it without amendment.

The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the joint resolution last mentioned; and

On motion by Mr. Clark, that the resolution lie upon the table,

After debate,

Mr. Hill demanded the question; which was seconded, and

The question being put,

It was determined in the negative.

So the Senate refused to lay the resolution on the table; and

No amendment being proposed, it was reported to the Senate.

Ordered, That it be engrossed and read a third time.

The said resolution was read the third time.

Resolved, That it pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid.

Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein.

On motion by Mr. Sparrow,

The Senate resolved into executive session.

EXECUTIVE SESSION.

The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. Harrison, his Secretary:

Richmond, December 17, 1863.

To the Senate:

Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy, I hereby nominate the persons named upon the annexed list to the offices designated.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

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Navy Department, Richmond, December 7, 1863.

The President.

Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following promotions and appointments in the Navy:

Second lieutenants.
• Masters, in the line of promotion, Francis T. Chew, of Missouri; A. Macomb Mason, of District of Columbia; Thomas L. Moore, of North Carolina, and Ivey Foreman, of North Carolina, vice Second Lieuts. George A. Borchert, Hilary Cenas, Arthur D. Wharton, of Tennessee, and Thomas L. Dornin, promoted, to rank from the 29th day of April, 1863.
• Master, in the line of promotion, Hardin B. Littlepage, of Virginia, vice Second Lieut. Thomas L. Harrison, promoted, to rank from the 25th June, 1863.
• Master, in the line of promotion, Robert C. Foute, of Tennessee, vice Second Lieut. James L. Hoole, promoted, to rank from the 5th day August, 1863.
• Acting Midshipman Francis M. Roby, of Mississippi, vice Second Lieut. Francis L. Hoge, promoted, for gallant conduct, to rank from 23d day August, 1863.
• Master, in the line of promotion, Henry H. Marmaduke, of Missouri, vice Second Lieut. Edmund G. Read, promoted, to rank from 24th day August, 1863.

Paymaster.
• Asst. Paymaster Richard Taylor, of Virginia, vice Paymaster George W. Clarke, resigned, to rank from the 25th October, 1863.

Assistant paymasters.
• William E. Deacon, of Louisiana, vice Junius J. Lynch, deceased; T. G. Ridgely, of Missouri, vice Richard L. Mackall, deceased; John M. Pearl, of Tennessee, vice J. W. Beasly, resigned; Levi M. Tucker, of Kentucky, vice L. M. Thompson, deceased; C. Lucian Jones, of Georgia, vice Asst. Paymaster Richard Taylor, promoted.

Passed assistant surgeon.
• Asst. Surg. O. S. Iglehart, to be promoted.

Assistant surgeons.
• Assistant surgeon for the war, George B. Weston, of South Carolina, vice Asst. Surg. O. S. Iglehart, promoted.
• Assistant surgeon for the war, George N. Halstead, of Arkansas, vice Asst. Surg. R. T. Baldwin, resigned.
• Assistant surgeon for the war, James V. Cook, of Louisiana, vice Asst. Surg. Henry Stone, resigned.
• Assistant surgeon for the war, James O. Grant, of Kentucky, vice Asst. Surg. H. Christmas, declined to accept.

First lieutenants.
• Second Lieut. Samuel W. Averett, of Virginia, vice First Lieut. C. F. M. Spotswood, promoted to commander; Second Lieut. Henry B. Claiborne, of Louisiana, vice First Lieut. William L. Maury, promoted to commander; Second Lieut. George A. Borchert, of Georgia, vice First Lieut. John N. Maffitt, promoted to commander; Second Lieut. Hilary Cenas, of Louisiana, vice First Lieut. Joseph N. Barney, promoted to commander; Walter R. Butt, of Virginia; William W. Pollock, of Maryland; Second Lieut. Arthur D. Wharton, of Tennessee, vice First Lieut. Catesby ap R. Jones, promoted to commander; Second Lieut. Thomas L. Dornin, of Virginia, vice First Lieut. William A. Webb, promoted to commander; Second Lieut. Thomas L. Harrison, of Virginia, vice First Lieut. George H. Bier, resigned; Second Lieut. James L. Hoole, of Alabama, vice First Lieut. William A. Wayne, deceased; Second Lieut. Edmund G. Read, of Virginia, vice First Lieut. Dulancy A. Forrest, deceased.

With great respect, I am, your obedient servant,

S. R. MALLORY
Secretary of the Navy.

The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

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The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. Harrison, his Secretary:

Richmond, December 17, 1863.

To the Senate:

Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy, I hereby nominate the persons named upon the annexed list to the offices designated.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Navy Department, Richmond, December 7, 1863.

The President.

Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for appointment in the Navy, under act No. 146, approved May 20, 1861:

First lieutenant.
• Thomas K. Porter, of Tennessee.

Second lieutenant.
• William W. Carnes, of Tennessee.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

S. R. MALLORY,
Secretary of the Navy.

The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. Harrison, his Secretary.

Richmond, December 17, 1863.

To the Senate:

Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy, I hereby nominate the persons named upon the annexed list to the offices designated.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Navy Department, Richmond, December 11, 1863.

The President.

Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following appointments in the Provisional Navy:

First lieutenants.
• Charles Borum, of Virginia; J. V. Johnson, of Virginia.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

S. R. MALLORY,
Secretary of the Navy.

The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. Harrison, his Secretary:

Richmond, December 17, 1863.

To the Senate:

Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy, I hereby nominate the persons named upon the annexed list to the offices designated.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Navy Department, Richmond, December 7, 1863.

The President.

Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for promotion and appointment in the Marine Corps:

Captains.
• First Lieut. Calvin L. Sayre, of Alabama, vice Capt. George P. Turner, dismissed, to rank from the 11th day of December, 1862.
• First Lieut. Becket K. Howell, of Louisiana, vice Capt. Jacob Read, dismissed, to rank from the 1st day of February, 1863.

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First lieutenants.
• Second Lieut. David Bradford, of Louisiana, vice First Lieut. C. L. Sayre, promoted.
• Second Lieut. Nathaniel E. Venable, of Texas, vice First Lieut. James F. Claiborne, dismissed, to rank from the 14th day of January, 1863.
• Second Lieut. Henry L. Graves, of Georgia, vice First Lieut. B. K. Howell, promoted.

Second lieutenant.
• John L. Rapier, of Louisiana, vice Second Lieut. W. F. Johnson, resigned, to rank from the 11th day of July, 1863.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

S. R. MALLORY,
Secretary of the Navy.

The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

On motion by Mr. Hill,

The Senate resolved into open legislative session.

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