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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 --FRIDAY, May 13, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
Mr. Walker submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the President of the Confederate States he requested to inform the Senate what steps, if any, have been taken in execution of the act to enable the President of the Confederate States to provide the means of military transportation by the construction of a railroad between Blue Mountain, in the State of Alabama, and Rome, in the State of Georgia, approved October second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two; and what progress, if any, has been made toward the completion of said railroad; and that he be further requested to communicate to the Senate copies of any contracts made in pursuance of said act, and what, if any, portion of the amount appropriated by said act has been issued and applied as therein provided.
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Mr. Walker submitted the following resolutions; which were considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of further legislation with the view to secure the return to their proper commands of deserters from the infantry who have enlisted and are now serving in the cavalry.
Resolved further, That the said committee be instructed to inquire into the expediency of limiting by law the time for which soldiers shall be permitted to serve in the cavalry, and of providing that on the expiration of such period they shall be assigned to service in the infantry and their places supplied by those who have served a similar period in the infantry.
Mr. Brown presented a resolution of the legislature of the State of Mississippi in relation to the recent act of the Congress of the Confederate States suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus; which was read.
Ordered, That it lie on the table and be printed.
Mr. Brown presented a resolution of the legislature of the State of Mississippi, asking the passage of a law relieving the citizens of certain portions of that State whose property has been destroyed by raids of the public enemy from the payment, of the tax in kind; which was read.
Ordered, That it lie on the table and be printed.
Mr. Brown presented a resolution of the legislature of the State of Mississippi, asking the passage of a law reducing the ad valorem tax of 5 per cent, upon property and credits to 2 ½ per cent, and to extend the time of the payment of said taxes to the 1st of November, 1864, instead of the 1st of June, 1864; which was read.
Ordered, That it lie on the table and be printed.
A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Dalton:
Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed bills of the following titles; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate:
And they have passed joint resolutions of the Senate of the following titles:
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. Wigfall (by leave) introduced
A bill (S. 19) in reference to staff officers and prescribing their duties;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Oldham (by leave) introduced
A bill (S. 20) to establish a bureau of foreign supplies;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Mr. Caperton 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 so amending the act creating the office of ensign in the Army of the Confederate States, approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, as to authorize the appointment of such officer to battalions of infantry.
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Mr. Caperton having announced to the Senate that the funeral of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart would take place in this city, this evening, at 5 o'clock, from St. James' Church,
Mr. Orr submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the Senate will, as a body, attend the funeral of General J. E. B. Stuart this afternoon at five o'clock.
Mr. Barnwell, from the Committee on Finance, reported
A bill (S. 21) to amend an act entitled "An act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of notes and bonds," approved 17th February, 1864;
which was read the first and second times and ordered to be placed upon the Calendar and printed.
Mr. Watson, from the Committee on Printing, who were instructed by a resolution of the Senate to inquire and report the causes of delay in executing the printing of the laws passed by the Provisional Congress and other public printing ordered by the Senate during the last Congress, submitted a report (No. 1), accompanied by a bill (S. 22) to secure the prompt printing of the laws of the Confederate States; which was read the first and second times and considered as in Committee of the Whole; and no amendment being proposed, it was reported to the Senate.
Ordered, That it be engrossed and read a third time.
The said bill 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.
The bills received this day front the House of Representatives for concurrence were severally read the first and second times; and
Ordered, That the bill numbered 8 be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and that the bill numbered 68 be referred to the Committee on Finance.
On motion by Mr. Mitchel,
The Senate resolved into secret legislative session.
The doors having been opened,
Mr. Dortch, from the committee, reported that they had examined and found truly enrolled
A bill (H. R. 67) to continue in force and amend the provisions of an act approved January 30, 1864, increasing the compensation of certain officers and employees in the civil and legislative departments in Richmond.
The President pro tempore 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.
On motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas,
Ordered, That the Senate take a recess until half past 4 o'clock p. m., unless sooner convened by the President pro tempore.
HALF PAST 4 O'CLOCK P. M.
On motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas,
The Senate adjourned.
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SECRET SESSION.
Mr. Johnson of Missouri presented a communication from Thomas C. Reynolds, governor of the State of Missouri, in relation to the vacancy existing in the representation of that State in the Confederate States Senate; which was read.
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and printed in confidence for the use of the Senate.
A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Dalton:
Mr. President: The House of Representatives agree to the amendments of the Senate to the resolution of the House providing for the appointment of a joint committee of the two Houses to collect intelligence touching any movement of the enemy threatening a forcible interruption of the deliberations of Congress, and to concert and report reasonable measures for avoiding a surprise that would involve an interregnum in that department of the Government; and have appointed Messrs. Chambers of Mississippi, Lyon of Alabama, and Montague of Virginia the committee on their part.
Mr. Mitchel submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire what number of war vessels have been constructed, or partially constructed, or put in commission on the James River for the defense of Richmond; where said vessels are; what is their condition and capacity for going into action; if they are ready to meet the vessels of the enemy in battle, and if not why; if they have been delayed in descending the river, and if so from what cause; and finally when it may be expected that they will be ready to attack or receive an attack from the vessels of the enemy.
On motion by Mr. Semmes,
The Senate resolved into open legislative session.
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