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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 --TUESDAY, January 20, 1863.

Journal of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861-1865 [Volume 3]
TUESDAY, January 20, 1863.

OPEN SESSION.

The President pro tempore laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting resolutions of the States of Alabama and South Carolina in relation to a guaranty of the war debt; which was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

The President pro tempore laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury in relation to certain coin taken from the Bank of Louisiana.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Mr. Yancey, agreeably to previous notice, submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

Resolved, That the thirty-first rule of the Senate be amended to read as follows, viz:

The following standing committees shall be appointed at the beginning of each Congress, with leave to report by bill or otherwise:

• A Committee on Foreign Relations, to consist of five members;
• A Committee on Finance, to consist of five members;
• A Committee on Commerce, to consist of five members;
• A Committee on Military Affairs and Militia, to consist of five members;
• A Committee on Naval Affairs, to consist of five members;
• A Committee on the Judiciary, to consist of five members;
• A Committee on Indian Affairs, to consist of five members;
• A Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads, to consist of five members;
• A Committee on Public Lands, to consist of three members;
• A Committee on Patents and Patent Office, to consist of three members;
• A Committee on Claims, to consist of three members;
• A Committee on Territories, to consist of three members;
• A Committee on Accounts, to consist of three members, to whom shall be referred all resolutions directing the payment of money out of the contingent fund of the Senate, or creating a charge on the same;
• A Committee on Printing, to consist of three members; and
• A Committee on Engrossment and Enrollment, to consist of three members.

Mr. Yancey (by leave) introduced

A bill (S. 4) to regulate the action of the Secretary of the Navy upon the decisions of naval general courts-martial;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

Mr. Hill, agreeably to previous notice, submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

Resolved (the House of Representatives concurring), That rule numbered sixteen of the "Joint rules and orders of the two Houses of the Confederate Congress," providing that "after the commencement of the second or subsequent session of Congress, bills, resolutions, or reports which originated in either House, and at the close of the next preceding session remained undetermined in either House, may be resumed, on motion, and acted on in the same manner as if an adjournment had not taken place," be, and the same is, rescinded.

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Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in the resolution.

Mr. Hill (by leave) introduced

A bill (S. 5) to establish the court for the investigation of claims against the Government of the Confederate States;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

On motion by Mr. Barnwell,

The Senate resolved into secret legislative session.

The doors having been opened,

On motion by Mr. Clay,

The Senate resolved into executive session.

The doors having been opened,

The President pro tempore laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of War, transmitting a copy of the report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs; which was read.

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

Mr. Dortch (by leave) introduced

A joint resolution (S. 1) for the relief of Capt. John F. Divine; which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Claims.

Mr. Wigfall (by leave) introduced

A bill (S. 6) to grant the principal officer of each of the Executive Departments a seat upon the floor of Congress;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Wigfall (by leave) introduced

A bill (S. 7) to place hospitals under military control;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

On motion by Mr. Hill,

The Senate adjourned.

SECRET SESSION.

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

Executive Office,
Richmond, January 20, 1863.

To the Senate of the Confederate States:

I have the honor to request that my message sent to the Senate at the opening of the session may be returned to me to change a word which is an error.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

The message was read.

On motion by Mr. Barnwell,

Ordered, That the Secretary be directed to return the message of the President, agreeably to his request.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the resolution submitted by Mr. Sparrow on the 16th instant, instructing the Committee on Military Affairs to inquire into the expediency of amending the act entitled "An act to exempt certain persons from military duty, and to repeal an act entitled 'An act to exempt certain persons from enrollment for service in the Army of the Confederate States,' approved twenty-first April, eighteen hundred and sixty-two;" and

The resolution was agreed to.

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The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the bill (S. 2) to modify the act entitled "An act to exempt certain persons from military duty, and to repeal an act entitled 'An act to exempt certain persons from enrollment for service in the Army of the Confederate States,' approved twenty-first April, eighteen hundred and sixty-two;" and

On motion by Mr. Burnett,

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

On motion by Mr. Barnwell,

The Senate resolved into open legislative session.

EXECUTIVE SESSION.

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

Richmond, January 17, 1863.

To the President of the Senate of the Confederate States:

I nominate the persons named in the annexed letter of the Secretary of the Navy, agreeably to his recommendation.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Confederate States of America, Navy Department,
Richmond, January 17, 1863.

The President.

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

Second lieutenants.
• Nathaniel E. Venable, of Texas; Henry L. Graves, of Georgia; Henry M. Doak, of Tennessee.

Very respectfully, 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. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:

To the President of the Senate of the Confederate States:

I nominate the persons named in the annexed letter of the Secretary of the Navy, agreeably to his recommendation.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Richmond, January 17, 1863.

Confederate States of America, Navy Department,
Richmond, January 17, 1863.

The President.

Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for appointment in the Navy:

Commander.
• Charles F. M. Spotswood, of Virginia, a first lieutenant in the Navy, to be promoted to fill an existing vacancy, and to rank from the 25th of August, 1862, next after Commander J. W. Cooke.

First lieutenant.
• Samuel W. Averett, of Virginia, a second lieutenant in the Navy, vice First Lieutenant Spotswood, promoted, to rank next after First Lieut. Wilburn B. Hall.

Second lieutenant.
• Julian M. Spencer, of Maryland, a lieutenant in the Navy for the war, vice Second Lieutenant Averett, promoted.

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Lieutenants for the war.
• James L. Johnson, of Mississippi, and Sidney Smith Lee. jr., of Virginia, acting masters in the Navy.

Paymaster.
• James O. Moore, of North Carolina, an assistant paymaster in the Navy, to be promoted to fill an existing vacancy.

Assistant paymasters for the war.
• W. M. Briscoe, of Missouri; Wilson G. Richardson, of Mississippi; J. Calhoun Moses, of South Carolina; Adam Tredwell, of North Carolina; Edward McKean, of Louisiana; Dewitt C. Seymour, of Georgia.

Passed assistant surgeons.
• Charles E. Lining, of South Carolina; Marcellus P. Christian, of Virginia; Robert J. Freeman, of Virginia; Bennett W. Green, of Virginia; James W. Herty, of Georgia; Joseph D. Grafton, of Arkansas, assistant surgeons in the Navy, to be promoted.

Assistant surgeons for the war.
• John De Bree, jr., of Virginia; N. C. Edmunds, of Virginia; N. M. Read, of Maryland; S. S. Herrick, of Mississippi; John Leyburn, of Texas; Robert C. Powell, of Kentucky.

Naval constructor.
• Joseph Pierce, of Virginia.

Naval storekeepers.
• David R. Lindsay, of Alabama; James E. Godfrey, of Georgia; James A. Duffus, of South Carolina.

Very respectfully, 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. Sparrow,

The Senate resolved into open legislative session.

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