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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, February 6, 1865.
OPEN SESSION.
A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Dalton:
Mr. President: The Speaker of the House of Representatives having signed an enrolled bill, I am directed to bring it to the Senate for the signature of their President.
Mr. Maxwell submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the President of the Confederate States be respectfully requested to furnish to the Senate, if not incompatible with the public interest, a copy of the correspondence, if any, between the Government of the United States and the commissioners recently sent by him to that Government, and also a copy of the report made by them of their proceedings and action.
Mr. Graham presented the memorial of A. C. Williamson, depositary at Charlotte, N. C., praying the passage of an act authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to issue duplicates of certain seven per cent coupon bonds which have been lost or misplaced; which was referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Graham submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of transferring the Marine Corps, or so much thereof as may not be required for urgent duty in that branch of service, to the Army, for such length of time as the condition of the public defenses may require.
Mr. Haynes submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the Committee on Finance be instructed to inquire into the expediency of amending the first amendment proposed by the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 84) to regulate, for a limited period, the compensation of the officers, clerks, and employees of the civil departments of the Government in the city of Richmond, by inserting after "Departments," in the fourth clause of said amendment, the words "the principal clerk in charge of the inspection office, Post-Office Department," and by inserting after "Bureaus," in the fifth clause, the words "and the principal clerk in the Contract, Finance, and Appointment Bureaus of the Post-Office Department."
Mr. Brown, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the joint resolution (S. 27) of thanks to Capt. Raphael Semmes, of the Confederate States war steamer Alabama, and the officers and crew under his command, reported it without amendment.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the said resolution; and no amendment being proposed, it was reported to the Senate.
Ordered, That it be engrossed and read a third time.
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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. Baker,
Ordered, That the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads be discharged from the further consideration of a resolution inquiring whether any law or regulation, beyond those now established, is necessary to insure the prompt transmission to the postal authorities of the United States of letters or other mail matter addressed to prisoners of war in the hands of the enemy.
Mr. Caperton, from the committee, reported that they had examined and found truly enrolled
A bill (S. 150) to provide for the lighting and warming of the Executive Mansion, and for the supply of forage and commissary stores for the use of the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the Confederate States.
The President having signed the enrolled bill last reported to have been examined, it, was delivered to the Secretary of the Senate and by him forthwith presented to the President of the Confederate States for his approval.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the amendments of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 129) to provide for the employment of free negroes and slaves to work upon fortifications and perform other labor connected with the defenses of the country.
On the question to agree to the motion submitted by Mr. Orr on Friday last, to reconsider the vote on disagreeing to the second amendment, to wit: In section 2, line 5, strike out after the word "years," all down to and including the word "river," in line 8,
On motion by Mr. Graham,
The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present,
Those who voted in the affirmative are,
Messrs. Brown, Burnett, Dortch, Henry, Johnson of Missouri, Oldham, Simms, Sparrow, Vest, Walker, Watson, and Wigfall.
Those who voted in the negative are,
Messrs. Baker, Caperton, Graham, Haynes, Hunter, Maxwell, Orr, and Semmes.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the said amendment; and
On the question to agree thereto,
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Sparrow, to reconsider the vote on disagreeing to the fourth amendment, to wit: In line 8, section 3, after the word "stated," strike out all down to and including the word "necessary," in line 11, and insert in lieu thereof the words "as the wants of the service may require,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the said amendment; and
On the question to agree thereto,
It was determined in the affirmative.
So it was
Resolved, That the Senate agree to the first, second, fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth, ninth, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth, and disagree to the third, tenth,
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and eleventh amendments of the House of Representatives to the said bill, and that they agree to the sixth amendment, with an amendment.
Ordered, That the Secretary inform the House of Representatives thereof.
The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Confederate States of America:
Having recently received written notification which satisfied me that the President of the United States was disposed to confer informally with unofficial agents that might be sent by me with a view to the restoration of peace, I requested the Hon. Alexander II. Stephens, the Hon. R. M. T. Hunter, and the Hon. John A. Campbell to proceed through our lines and to hold a conference with Mr. Lincoln, or such persons as he might depute to represent him.
I herewith submit for the information of Congress the report of the eminent citizens above named, showing that the enemy refuse to enter into negotiations with the Confederate States, or any one of them separately, or to give to our people any other terms or guarantees than those which a conqueror may grant, or permit us to have peace on any other basis than unconditional submission to their rule, coupled with the acceptance of their recent legislation, including an amendment to the Constitution for the emancipation of all the negro slaves, and with the right on the part of the Federal Congress to legislate on the subject of the relations between the white and black population of each State.
Such is, as I understand, the effect of the amendment to the Constitution which has been adopted by the Congress of the United States.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
february 6, 1865.
The message was read.
Ordered, That it lie upon the table and be printed.
On motion by Mr. Henry, and by unanimous consent,
Ordered, That 5,000 additional copies of the message and documents be printed for the use of the Senate.
On motion by Mr. Sparrow,
The Senate resolved into executive session.
The doors having been opened,
On motion by Mr. Orr,
The Senate adjourned.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
The following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
Executive Office, Richmond, February 6, 1865.
To the Senate of the Confederate States:
I hereby nominate Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge, of the State of Kentucky, to be Secretary of War of the Confederate States.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The message was read.
The Senate proceeded to consider the nomination of Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge, to be Secretary of War (in accordance with the nomination of the President, of this day); and
Resolved, That the Senate do advise and consent to the appointment of Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge, to be Secretary of War, agreeably to the nomination of the President.
On motion by Mr. Orr,
The Senate resolved into open legislative session.
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