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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 --WEDNESDAY, March 8, 1865.
OPEN SESSION.
A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Dalton:
Mr. President: The House of Representatives have agreed to the amendments of the Senate to l bills of the following titles:
The House of Representatives have passed the bill of the Senate (S. 219) to regulate the payment of clerks employed at the post-office in the city of Richmond, with amendments; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate.
The House of Representatives have agreed to the report of the committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the bill (S. 166) to amend an act entitled "An act to provide and organize a general staff for armies in the field, to serve during the war," approved June 14, 1864.
The President of the Confederate States has notified the House of Representatives that on the 4th instant he approved and signed an act (H. R. 319) more effectually to prevent and punish absenteeism and desertion in the Army.
Mr. Semmes, from the Committee on Finance, to whom were referred the following bills:
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The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the said bills; and no amendment being proposed, they were severally reported to the Senate.
Ordered, That they pass to a third reading.
The said bills were severally read the third time.
Resolved, That they 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. 307) authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to borrow specie, to be applied to the redemption and reduction of the currency, reported it with an amendment.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the said bill; and the reported amendment having been agreed to, the bill was reported to the Senate and the amendment was concurred in.
Ordered, That the amendment be engrossed and the bill read a third time.
The said bill as amended was read the third time.
Resolved, That it pass with an amendment.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in the amendment.
Mr. Semmes, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 230) to amend an act to provide revenue from commodities imported from foreign countries, approved May 21, 1861, reported it with the recommendation that it ought not to pass.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the said bill; and
On motion by Mr. Semmes,
Ordered, That it lie upon the table.
On motion by Mr. Maxwell,
The Senate resumed the consideration of the resolution of the House of Representatives fixing a day for the adjournment of the present session of Congress.
On motion by Mr. Walker, to amend the resolution by inserting after "Houses," the words "sine die,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Semmes, to amend the resolution by striking out the words "Wednesday next, the eighth instant, at twelve o'clock meridian," and inserting the words "Saturday, the eleventh instant, at two o'clock postmeridian,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
No further amendment being made,
On the question,
Shall the resolution now pass?
On motion by Mr. Burnett,
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The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present,
Those who voted in the affirmative are,
Messrs. Barnwell, Brown, Graham, Johnson of Georgia, Maxwell, Oldham, Orr, Semmes, Walker, and Watson.
Those who voted in the negative are,
Messrs. Burnett, Caperton, Henry, Hunter, Johnson of Missouri, Simms, Vest, and Wigfall.
So it was
Resolved, That this resolution pass with amendments.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in the amendments.
Mr. Henry, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the message of the President of the Confederate States on the subject, reported
A bill (S. 222) supplemental to an act approved on the 4th day of March, 1865, entitled "An act to authorize the commanders of the reserves in each State to order general courts-martial and to revise the proceedings of courts-martial and military courts;"
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.
Mr. Burnett, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 323) to provide payment for horses killed or lost in the service of the Confederate States; reported it without amendment.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the said bill; and no amendment being proposed, it was reported to the Senate.
Ordered, That it pass to a third reading.
The said bill was read the third time.
On the question,
Shall the bill now pass?
On motion by Mr. Barnwell,
The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present,
Those who voted in the affirmative are,
Messrs. Brown, Burnett, Caperton, Johnson of Missouri, Maxwell, Oldham, Simms, Vest, and Wigfall.
Those who voted in the negative are,
Messrs. Barnwell, Graham, Henry, Hunter, Johnson of Georgia, Orr, Semmes, and Watson.
So it was
Resolved, That this bill pass.
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 of the following titles:
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aiding, and assisting persons to desert from the Army of the Confederate States, and for other purposes," approved January 22, 1864;
The President pro tempore having signed the enrolled bills 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.
Mr. Brown (by leave) introduced
A joint resolution (S. 36) explanatory of an act approved June 14, 1864, to increase the pay of the clerks and employees of the various Departments located in the city of Richmond;
which 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. 219) to regulate the payment of clerks employed at the post-office in the city of Richmond; and
Resolved, That they concur therein.
Ordered, That the Secretary inform the House of Representatives thereof.
The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (H. R. 367) to increase the military force of the Confederate States.
On motion by Mr. Caperton, to amend the bill by inserting at the end of the fourth section the following proviso:
Provided, That not more than twenty-five per cent of the male slaves between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, in any State, shall be called for under the provisions of this act,
It was determined in the affirmative.
No further amendment being proposed, the bill was reported to the Senate and the amendment was concurred in.
Ordered, That the amendment be engrossed and the bill read a third time.
The said bill as amended 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,
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Messrs. Brown, Burnett, Caperton, Henry, Hunter, Oldham, Semmes, Simms, and Watson.
Those who voted in the negative are,
Messrs. Barnwell, Graham, Johnson of Georgia, Johnson of Missouri, Maxwell, Orr, Vest, and Wigfall.
So it was
Resolved, That this bill pass with an amendment.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in the amendment.
On motion by Mr. Graham,
The Senate resolved into secret legislative session.
The doors having been opened,
Mr. Caperton (by leave) introduced
A bill (S. 223) for the relief of the Exchange Bank of Virginia; which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Finance.
On motion by Mr. Burnett, the vote on passing the bill (H. R. 323) to provide payment for horses killed or lost in the service of the Confederate States was reconsidered.
On motion of Mr. Burnett, the vote on ordering the bill to its third reading was also reconsidered.
The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the said bill; and
On motion of Mr. Burnett,
Ordered, That it be recommitted to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Walker, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the joint resolution (H. R. 22) in regard to the Cotton Bureau in the Trans-Mississippi Department, reported it with an amendment.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the said resolution; and the reported amendment having been agreed to, the resolution was reported to the Senate and the amendment was concurred in.
Ordered, That the amendment be engrossed and the resolution read a third time.
The said resolution as amended was read the third time.
Resolved, That it pass with an amendment.
On motion by Mr. Walker, the title was amended so as to read: "Joint resolution in regard to the Cotton Bureau and cotton transactions in the Trans-Mississippi Department."
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in the amendments.
On motion by Mr. Semmes,
The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (H. R. 390) for the relief of taxpayers in certain cases; and having been amended on the motion of Mr. Semmes, it was reported to the Senate and the amendment was concurred in.
Ordered, That the amendment be engrossed and the bill read a third time.
The said bill as amended was read the third time.
Resolved, That it pass with an amendment.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in the amendment.
On motion by Mr. Burnett,
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Ordered, That the Committee on Claims be discharged from the further consideration of the joint resolution (H. R. 34) for the relief of Alexander F. Kinney, Confederate States depositary at Staunton, Va., and that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. Orr, from the committee of conference on the part of the Senate on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the bill (H. R. 384) for the relief of bonded agriculturists in certain cases, reported
That they have met the managers on the part of the House of Representatives, and, after full and free conference, have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows:
That the Senate recede from its disagreement to the first section of the bill, and agree to the same with the following amendment: In line 5, after the word "field," insert "not less than one month, continuously."
That the Senate recede from the second amendment.
That the House recede from its disagreement to the third amendment, and agree to the same.
The Senate proceeded to consider the said report; and
Resolved, That they concur therein, and that the bill be amended accordingly.
Ordered, That the Secretary inform the House of Representatives thereof.
The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (S. 199) to change the time for the assembling of Congress for its next regular session.
On motion by Mr. Graham, to amend the bill by striking out "October," line 6, and inserting "November,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
No further amendment being proposed, the bill was reported to the Senate and the amendment was concurred in.
Ordered, That the bill 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.
Mr. Watson submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
Resolved (the House of Representatives concurring), That the joint committee on the treatment and exchange of prisoners and conduct of the war, etc., have leave to sit during the recess of Congress and report at the next session, and that said committee be authorized to employ a clerk.
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein.
Mr. Semmes, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (S. 216) to appropriate money to pay the Missouri State Guard, reported it without amendment.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the said bill; 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.
On the question,
Shall the bill now pass?
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The vote having been taken by yeas and nays, conformably to the Constitution,
Those who voted in the affirmative are,
Messrs. Barnwell, Brown, Burnett, Graham, Henry, Hunter, Johnson of Georgia, Johnson of Missouri, Oldham, Orr, Semmes, Vest, Walker, Watson, and Wigfall.
So it was
Resolved, That this bill pass, two-thirds of the Senators present having voted therefor, 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. Semmes,
Ordered, That the Committee on Finance be discharged from the further consideration of the bill (S. 212) to regulate the compensation of the State collector of Virginia, and the joint resolution (S. 34) in reference to the salaries of the auditors of the Treasury and other heads of bureaus in the civil departments of the Government at Richmond.
On motion by Mr. Graham,
The Senate adjourned.
SECRET SESSION.
A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Dalton:
Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed a resolution requesting the President of the Confederate States to return to the House an act (H. R. 392) to provide transportation for Senators, Representatives, and Delegates in Congress to their respective places of residence, and to increase, for a limited time, their salaries; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate.
The Senate proceeded to consider the said resolution of the House of Representatives; and
On motion by Mr. Orr, that the resolution lie upon the table,
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, Caperton, Graham, Henry, Hunter, Johnson of Georgia, Johnson of Missouri, Oldham, Orr, Simms, Walker, and Watson.
Those who voted in the negative are,
Messrs. Burnett, Maxwell, Semmes, and Vest.
So it was
Ordered, That the resolution lie upon the table.
A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Dalton:
Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed a bill (H. R. 417) to provide transportation for Senators, Representatives, and Delegates in Congress to their respective places of residence, and to increase, for a limited time, their salaries; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate.
The bill (H. R. 417) last mentioned was read the first and second times and considered as in Committee of the Whole.
On motion by Mr. Semmes, to amend the bill by striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting:
That the compensation of Senators, Representatives, and Delegates in Congress shall, for the months of March and April, in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-five,
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be increased one hundred per cent for said months, and shall be payable on the passage of this act.
It was determined in the affirmative.
No further amendment being proposed, the bill was reported to the Senate and the amendment was concurred in.
Ordered, That the amendment be engrossed and the bill read a third time.
The said bill as amended was read the third time.
Resolved, That it pass with an amendment.
On motion by Mr. Semmes, the title was amended so as to read: "An act to increase, for a limited period, the compensation and mileage of Senators, Representatives, and Delegates in Congress, and the compensation of the officers of both Houses of Congress."
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in the amendments.
Mr. Orr submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate be directed to remove the archives of the Senate to such point, south, as may insure their safe-keeping and prevent them from falling into the hands of the public, enemy, if in the opinion of the Secretary of War their safety requires such removal.
Resolved, That the Secretary of War be requested to furnish, or cause to be furnished, such transportation as will facilitate their safe removal.
On motion by Mr. Henry,
The Senate resolved into executive session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
Mr. Henry, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom were referred (on the 6th instant) the nominations of C. L. Bennett, Samuel H. Snowden, and A. H. Whetstone, to be assistant quartermasters, with the rank of captain; M. H. Houston, to be captain; John Selden, James S. Heyward, and E. Mazyck, to be first lieutenants, and John W. Friend, W. R. Atkinson, and R. F. Wright, to be second lieutenants of artillery, for ordnance duty; R. M. Stiles, to be captain; C. A. Alexander, to be first lieutenant, and C. Phillips and T. L. Harrison, to be second lieutenants of engineer troops; Henry P. Foster, to be second lieutenant of infantry (for distinguished valor and skill); J. T. Hutcheson, to be assistant commissary, with the rank of captain, reported, with a recommendation that all of said nominations he confirmed.
The Senate proceeded to consider said report; and in concurrence therewith, it was
Resolved, That the Senate do advise and consent to their appointment, agreeably to the nomination of the President.
Mr. Henry, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom were referred (on the 7th instant) the nominations of A. J. Allensworth and W. C. Marrow, to be quartermasters, with the rank of major; John M. Rose and N. B. Trist, to be captains of artillery, for ordnance duty; R. H. Atkinson, F. M. Myers, Thomas, Burdell., Charles S. Wylly, B. H. Hudson, J. R. Du Bose, and J. D. Anthony, to be captains; R. J. Magill, Pearce Horne, F. B. Palmer, A. H. Rutherford, M. De Graffenried,
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W. B. Griffin, S. C. De Pass, L. C. Berrien, and John P. Fort, to be first lieutenants; F. L. Thompson, to be captain, and A.D. Warwick, to be second lieutenant, reported, with a recommendation that all of said nominations be confirmed.
The Senate proceeded to consider said report; and in concurrence therewith, it was
Resolved, That the Senate do advise and consent to their appointment, agreeably to the nomination of the President.
On motion by Mr. Henry,
The Senate resolved into open legislative session.
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