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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, January 7, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
Mr. Semmes, from the Committee on Finance, reported the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate is hereby instructed to procure, for the use of the Committee on Finance, copies of all the acts of the Provisional and Permanent Congress; and it shall be his duty, during the recess of Congress, to take charge of and preserve the same for the said committee.
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The Senate proceeded to consider the said resolution; and having been amended, it was agreed to as follows:
Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate is hereby instructed to procure, for the use of the Committee on Finance, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Military Affairs, copies of all the acts of the Provisional and Permanent Congress; and it shall be his duty, during the recess of Congress, to take charge of and preserve the same for the said committees.
Mr. Phelan (by leave) introduced
A bill (S. 176) declaring all persons owing military service to the Confederate States, and who voluntarily depart beyond the boundaries thereof without the written permission of the President, with intent to abandon the same, alien enemies; and subjecting such persons, in all respects, to the laws in relation to the same;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Henry (by leave) introduced
A bill (S. 177) to declare certain persons alien enemies, and to sequestrate their property;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
On motion by Mr. Clay,
Ordered, That the resolution of the general assembly of the State of Alabama in relation to the enforcement of the conscript laws of the Confederate States be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Clay (by leave) introduced
A bill (S. 178) to provide payment for printing clone by authority of the two Houses of Congress;
which was read the first and second times and considered as in Committee of the Whole; and no amendment being made, it was reported to the Senate.
Ordered, That it 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 provide payment for certain printing therein mentioned; done by authority of the two Houses of Congress."
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein.
Mr. Johnson of Arkansas, from the select committee appointed at the last session to investigate and report, at the present, session, upon the expediency of providing for regular and perfect reports of the debates of the Senate, and to prepare a proper system to govern this service, submitted a report (No. 14) accompanied by the following resolutions:
Resolved by the Senate, That a full and fair report of the debates and proceedings of the legislative sessions of the Senate is of the first importance to a just, conscientious, and effective execution of its official duties, and as such is essential to its proper organization.
Resolved, Thatbe, and is hereby, empowered to contract with and employ one or more competent stenographers, whose duty it shall be to report the debates and proceedings of the Senate in open and secret legislative sessions, and who shall become officers of the Senate, enjoying the rights and privileges, and subject to the rules, regulations, and penalties which are or may be hereafter prescribed by the Senate, and who shall take such oath of office as is now prescribed for the officers of the Senate, or as hereafter may be prescribed.
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Resolved, That such contract shall be subjected, when completed, to the approval ofand shall expressly reserve to the Senate the right to annul the same for any neglect or violation of its terms.
And it shall require the reports of all debates to be written out within five days after delivery, unless for good cause shown, to be judged and determined by the Senate, and shall require the reports so written out to be delivered into the hands of the Secretary, to be by him kept as other records of the Senate.
But the reporter shall prepare, and the Secretary of the Senate shall hold and keep, the reports of the secret sessions of the Senate separate and distinct from those of the open sessions, and subject to the same rules and regulations as may govern in the case of other public or secret records and journals of the acts and proceedings of the Senate of similar character, until such time as proper arrangements shall be made for the immediate publication of the said reports of the public sessions, and also of such of those of the secret sessions as the Senate may have relieved from the injunction of secrecy.
But such removal of the injunction of secrecy shall require a direct vote of the Senate, and shall not be an incident of its removal from the subject-matter of the debate.
And the reporter shall be required so to number and mark, and to give date, and otherwise, if necessary, to systematize and distinguish the debates of the public and secret sessions, respectively, as will enable the editor or publisher of the same to give to each and to all parts of each debate its proper position in the published series.
And the original manuscript of the debates and proceedings in the hands of the Secretary of the Senate, and all parts thereof, shall be held to be Senate records, and shall not be suffered to be copied or withdrawn, in whole or in part, from the custody of the Secretary of the Senate, for publication or other purpose, unless and except by the special order or permission of the Senate.
On motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas,
Ordered, That the report and resolutions be printed.
A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Dalton:
Mr. President: The President of the Confederate States has notified the House of Representatives that on the 5th instant he approved and signed the following acts:
The Speaker of the House of Representatives having signed an enrolled bill and an enrolled joint resolution, I am directed to bring them to the Senate for the signature of their President.
Mr. Semmes, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (S. 174) to authorize the issue of certain bonds for payment to the Alabama and Florida Railroad Company, of the State of Florida, reported it with amendments.
Mr. Semmes, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 83) to authorize the cancellation of certain Confederate States bonds, and the substitution of others for them, 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 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 inform the House of Representatives thereof.
Mr. Semmes, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 84) to authorize the appointment of an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury west of the Mississippi, reported it with amendments.
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On motion by Mr. Semmes,
Ordered, That the bill and amendments be printed.
The President pro tempore laid before the Senate a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting a statement showing the amount of money received into the Treasury under the sequestration laws up to January 1, 1864; which was read.
Ordered, That it lie upon the table.
The President pro tempore presented the credentials of the Hon. William E. Simms, chosen a Senator by the governor and council of the provisional government of the State of Kentucky, for the term of six years, from the 18th day of February, 1864; which were read.
On motion by Mr. Sparrow,
The Senate resolved into executive session.
The doors having been opened,
Mr. Maxwell, from the committee, reported that they had examined and found truly enrolled a bill and joint resolution of the following titles:
The President pro tempore having signed the enrolled bill and enrolled joint resolution last reported to have been examined, they were delivered to the Secretary of the Senate and by him forthwith presented to the President of the Confederate States for his approval.
On motion by Mr. Maxwell,
The Senate adjourned.
SECRET SESSION.
The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (S. 158) to organize forces to serve during the war.
The question being on agreeing to the amendment proposed to the bill by Mr. Dortch, viz:
Strike out, section 1, line 3, the word "sixteen" and insert "eighteen,"
After debate,
On motion by Mr. Sparrow,
The Senate resolved into open legislative session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred (January 26, 1863) the nomination of Joseph Wheeler, to be major-general, reported, with the recommendation that said nomination be not confirmed.
The Senate proceeded to consider said report; and
On motion by Mr. Maxwell,
Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed till to-morrow.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred (February 27, 1863) the nomination of William Johnston, to be assistant quartermaster, with the rank of captain, reported, with the recommendation that said nomination be confirmed.
The Senate proceeded to consider said report; and
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On motion by Mr. Simms,
Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed till to-morrow.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred (on the 24th April, 1863) the nomination of J. C. Johnston, to be major, reported, with the recommendation that said nomination be confirmed.
The Senate proceeded to consider said report; and
On motion by Mr. Simms,
Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed till to-morrow.
On motion by Mr. Maxwell,
The Senate resolved into secret legislative session.
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