| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journal of the Confederate Congress --MONDAY, April 27, 1863.
OPEN SESSION.
The Hon. Alexander H. Stephens, Vice-President of the Confederate States and President of the Senate, resumed the chair.
Mr. Johnson of Georgia presented a resolution of the general assembly of the State of Georgia in relation to the illegal traffic carried on by private citizens with foreign countries; which was referred to the Committee on Finance.
On motion by Mr. Johnson of Georgia,
Ordered, That it be printed.
Mr. Barnwell, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the amendment of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 90) relative to certain bonds and Treasury no es issued under the provisions of the act approved 16th May, 1861, reported it without amendment.
Page 352 | Page image
The Senate proceeded to consider the amendment of the House of Representatives to the said bill; and
Resolved, That they concur therein.
Ordered, That the Secretary inform the House of Representatives thereof.
Mr. Barnwell, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the amendment of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 19) to amend an act to organize the clerical force of the Treasury Department, reported it with the recommendation that the Senate do not concur therein.
The Senate proceeded to consider the amendment of the House of Representatives to said bill; and
Resolved, That they disagree thereto.
Ordered, That the Secretary inform the House of Representatives thereof.
Mr. Caperton, from the committee, reported that they had examined and found truly enrolled bills and joint resolution of the following titles:
The President having signed the enrolled bills 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. Henry,
Ordered, That the Committee on Military Affairs be-discharged from the further consideration of the resolution inquiring whether the enemy are in the habit of disregarding the parole of prisoners taken by our Army, and of ordering them again into their service before they have been exchanged.
On motion by Mr. Burnett,
Page 353 | Page image
The Senate resolved into secret legislative session.
The doors having been opened,
The following message was received from the House of Representatives, by Mr. McDonald:
Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed a bill (H. R. 61) to make appropriations for the support of the Government of the Confederate States of America for the periods therein mentioned; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate.
A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. McDonald:
Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed the bill of the Senate (S. 73) to provide and organize a general staff for armies in the field, to serve during the war, with amendments; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate.
The following messages were received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
Richmond, Va., April 24, 1863.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your consideration a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, covering additional estimates of the sum required for the support of the Government from July 1 to December 31, 1863.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Richmond, Va., April 25, 1863.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your consideration a communication from the Postmaster-General, submitting an estimate of the amount required to prepare a building for a post-office for the city of Richmond.
I recommend an appropriation of the sum for the purpose specified.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The messages were severally read.
Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Finance.
The bill (H. R. 61) to make appropriations for the support of the Government of the Confederate States of America for the periods therein mentioned, communicated this day from the House of Representatives for concurrence, was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Finance.
The Senate proceeded to consider the amendments of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 73) to provide and organize a general staff for armies in the field, to serve during the war; and
Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the joint resolution (H. R. 13) to establish a seal for the Confederate States.
On motion by Mr. Semmes, to amend the resolution by striking out the words "seal of," line 9,
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Davis, to amend the resolution by striking out the word "vincemus," line 11,
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Semmes, to amend the resolution by striking out the word "duce," line 11, and inserting the words "vindice majores æmulamur,"
It was determined in the negative.
On motion by Mr. Semmes, to amend the resolution by striking out the word "duce," line 11, and inserting "vindice,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
Page 354 | Page image
On motion by Mr. Johnson of Georgia, to amend the resolution by striking out the word "South," line 7, and inserting "Confederacy,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
No further amendment being made, the resolution was reported to the Senate and the amendments were concurred in.
Ordered, That the amendments be engrossed and the resolution read a third time.
The said resolution was read the third time, as amended.
Resolved, That it pass, with amendments.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House, of Representatives in the amendments.
Mr. Simms, from the Special Committee on Hospitals, reported A bill (S. 138) to amend an act entitled "An act to better provide for the sick and wounded of the Army in hospitals," approved September 27, 1862;
which was read the first and second times and considered as in Committee of the Whole; and
On motion by Mr. Barnwell,
Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed until to-morrow, and that it be printed.
On motion by Mr. Clay.
The Senate adjourned.
SECRET SESSION.
The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (S. 112) to facilitate transportation for the Government.
On motion by Mr. Hunter, to amend the bill by inserting after the words "Secretary of War," where they occur in the second and sixteenth lines of the first section, the words "under the direction of the President,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Hunter, to amend the bill by inserting at the end of the second section the following proviso:
Provided, That the rolling stock of no railroad exclusively owned and worked by any State shall be seized or impressed under the provisions of this act,
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Barnwell, to amend the bill by inserting after the word "General," Section 4, line 8, the words "under the direction of the President,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Phelan, to amend the bill by striking out, in the thirtieth, thirty-first, thirty-second, thirty-third, and thirty-fourth lines of the first section, the words
and to the officers, agents, employees, and operatives the like rates during the term el such impressment as would have been paid during a like period by the company in whose service they were engaged at the time of impressment,
and inserting:
Provided, That the Quartermaster-General may employ such officers, agents, and employees as he may deem essential to the efficient operation of any road so impressed,
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Wigfall, to amend the bill by striking out the words "Secretary of War," section 2, line 1, and inserting in lieu
Page 355 | Page image
thereof the words "Quartermaster-General, under the direction of the President,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Hunter, to amend the bill by inserting after "use," section 2, line 3, the words
But such just compensation shall be made for the use of the same as may be assessed in the manner prescribed in the first section of this act,It was determined in the affirmative.
No further amendment being made, the bill was reported to the Senate and the amendments made as in Committee of the Whole were concurred in.
Ordered, That the bill be engrossed and read a third time.
The said bill was read the third time.
On the question,
Shall the bill now pass?
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, Burnett, Caperton, Clark, Clay, Henry, Hunter, Peyton, Phelan, Semmes, and Wigfall.
Those who voted in the negative are,
Messrs. Davis, Haynes, Johnson of Georgia, Johnson of Arkansas, Maxwell, and Orr.
So it was
Resolved, That this bill 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. Maxwell,
The Senate resolved into executive session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
Richmond, Va., April 25, 1863.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Postmaster-General relative to the removal of certain postmasters from office.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States of America, Post-Office Department,
Richmond, April 24, 1863.
Sir: In compliance with the third paragraph of the second section of the second article of the Constitution, I have the honor to report the removal of the following postmasters, "together with the reasons therefor:"
Bedi, Grimes County, Tex., Richard N. Harrison, postmaster, removed October 3, 1862. Cause of removal: Neglect of official duty; delay in mailing letters, and absence from his office.
Union Bridge, Titus County, Tex., Isham B. Cherry, postmaster, removed October 3, 1862. Cause of removal: Misconduct; obtaining the office by false and fraudulent representations of the social standing of his predecessor.
Taylorsville, Smith County, Miss., George C. Anderson, postmaster, removed December 12, 1862. Cause of removal: Misconduct, in accepting and holding the office, which had been procured by means of forged papers.
Page 356 | Page image
Tangipahoa, St. Helena Parish, La., Burrel R. Swink, postmaster, removed April 1, 1863. Cause of removal: Arrest on a charge of robbing the mail.
Manning, Clarendon district, South Carolina, Moses Levi, postmaster, removed February 6, 1863. Cause of removal: Misconduct; bargaining for the office with his predecessor, that by his appointment as postmaster he might escape conscription into the military service.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN H. REAGAN,
Postmaster-General.
Hon. R. M. T. Hunter,
President of the Senate.
The message was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
The following messages were received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
Richmond, Va., April 24, 1863.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably to the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy, I hereby nominate the persons named upon the annexed list to be lieutenants for the war.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Confederate States of America, Navy Department,
Richmond, April 13, 1863.
The President.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for appointment in the Navy:
With much respect, your obedient servant,
S. R. MALLORY,
Secretary of the Navy.
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 recommendations.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Richmond, Va., April 25, 1863.
Confederate States of America, Navy Department,
Richmond, April 25, 1863.
The President.
Sir: I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for appointment in the Navy, under section 2 of act approved April 21, 1862:
Page 357 | Page image
With much respect, your obedient servant,
S. R. MALLORY,
Secretary of the Navy.
The messages were read.
Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.
On motion by Mr. Semmes of Louisiana,
The Senate resolved into open legislative session.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |