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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, June 3, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
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:
The House of Representatives insist on their amendment to the bill of the Senate (S. 31) to promote the efficiency of the cavalry of the Provisional Army, and to punish lawlessness and irregularities of any portions thereof, agree to the conference asked by the Senate on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses thereon, and have appointed Mr. Marshall of Kentucky, Mr. Staples of Virginia, and Mr. Singleton of Mississippi managers at the same on their part.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives having signed sundry enrolled bills and an enrolled joint resolution, I am directed to bring them to the Senate for the signature of their President.
On motion by Mr. Maxwell,
Ordered, That the President pro tempore appoint, for the remainder of the present session, two additional members on the Committee on Engrossment and Enrollment; and
Mr. Walker and Mr. Watson were appointed.
Mr. Baker submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the expediency of increasing the salaries of judges of the district courts.
On motion by Mr. Orr,
Ordered, That the Hon. Allen T. Caperton have leave of absence from the sessions of the Senate during the remainder of the present session.
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Mr. Caperton, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, who were instructed by a resolution of the Senate to inquire into the expediency of requesting the President of the Confederate States to make an exposition, through our commissioners abroad, to the various European powers to which they may be accredited, of the violations of the rules of civilized warfare, and the atrocities committed by the Government and armies of the United States, in the prosecution of hostilities against the Confederate States of America, submitted a report (No. 4), accompanied by the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the President of the Confederate States be requested to make an exposition, through our commissioners abroad, to the various European powers to which they may be accredited, of the violations of the rules of civilized warfare, and of the atrocities committed by the Government and the armies of the United States, in the prosecution of hostilities against the Confederate States of America.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, who were instructed by a resolution of the Senate to inquire into the subject, reported
A bill (S. 66) to amend the act entitled "An act to provide for the public defense," approved 6th March, 1861;
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. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 64) to provide for the establishment of a bureau of polytechnics for the examination, experiment, and application of warlike inventions, reported it without amendment.
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:
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom were referred the amendments of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 43) to regulate the pay of a general assigned to duty at the seat of government under the provisions of the act approved March 25, 1862, reported thereon.
The Senate proceeded to consider the amendments of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 43) last mentioned; and
On motion by Mr. Barnwell,
Ordered, That they be recommitted to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 18) to repeal an act entitled "An act to provide a staff and clerical force for any general who may be assigned by the President to duty at the seat of government," reported it without amendment.
On motion by Mr. Sparrow,
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Ordered, That the Committee on Military Affairs be discharged from the further consideration of the following bills:
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 92) to amend the act approved February 17, 1864, entitled "An act to allow commissioned officers of the Army rations and the privilege of purchasing clothing from the Quartermaster's Department," reported it without amendment.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the said bill.
On motion by Mr. Orr, to amend the bill by striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting:
That in addition to the rations allowed by said act, officers in the Army whilst on duty in the field, and officers of the naval service whilst afloat, may purchase from any commissary or other officer required to issue subsistence to soldiers, marines or seamen at the prime cost thereof, including transportation, as follows: One ration each for officers of and below the rank of colonel; two rations each for officers of the rank of brigadier-general, major-general, and lieutenant-general, and three rations each for a general; one ration each for commissioned officers of the Navy of and below the rank of commander, and two rations each for officers above that rank.
On motion by Mr. Barnwell, to amend the proposed amendment by striking out of the first section the words
in addition to the rations allowed by said act, officers in the Army whilst on duty in the field, and officers of the naval service whilst afloat, may,
and inserting in lieu thereof the words
all commissioned officers in the Army and Navy shall be entitled to one ration, and all commissioned officers in the field and afloat, in addition thereto, shall be allowed to,
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Sparrow, to amend the proposed amendment by adding thereto the following:
It was determined in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the amendment proposed by Mr. Orr, as amended,
It was determined in the affirmative.
No further amendment being made, 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.
The following bills were severally read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Finance:
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On motion by Mr. Graham,
Ordered, That they be printed.
The bill (H. R. 146) to amend an act entitled "An act regulating the granting of furloughs and discharges in hospitals," approved May 1, 1863, was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. The bill (H. R. 147) to amend an act entitled "An act to impose regulations upon the foreign commerce of the Confederate States to provide for the public defense" was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on (Commerce.
Mr. Maxwell, from the committee, reported that they had examined and found truly enrolled bills and a joint resolution of the following titles:
The President pro tempore, signed the enrolled bills and enrolled joint resolution last reported to have been examined, they we,e 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, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideratica of the bill (H. R. 135) to increase the compensation of the assistant, clerks in the Senate and House of Representatives; and
On motion by Mr. Baker,
Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed until to-morrow.
The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideratica of the bill (S. 52) providing for the establishment and payment of claims for property taken or informally and unwarrantably impressed for the use of the Government.
On motion by Mr. Semmes, to amend the bill by striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting:
That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of War to appoint and assign, in each Congressional district and for each Territory agent not, liable to military duty in the field, who shall, at stated times, in each county or parish, under the direction of the post quartermaster nearest to him, receive and take proof under oath in relation to all claims in said district for forage, provisions, cattle, sheep, hogs, horses, mules, teams, and wagons heretofore furnished to the Army by (he owner or heretofore taken or informally impressed for the use of the Army and not yet paid for, by any officer in the military service or by his order or direction, express or implied, from the use of the property, whether said officer be a line or staff officer, and whether he be a bonded officer or otherwise, and report the facts and transmit the evidence in each case to the proper accounting officers of the Treasury, together with his opinion as to the justice and validity of the claim; and the said accounting officers are hereby authorized to audit and control, and order payment of such claims as appear to them to be equitable and just: Provided, That all such claims originating west of the Mississippi River shall be reported to the accounting officers of the Treasury Department established for the Trans-Mississippi Department, who are hereby authorized to audit, control, and direct payment of the same in the same
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manner as the accounting officers of the Treasury east of the Mississippi River. And the said agent is hereby authorized, in taking testimony in regard to said claims, to administer oaths to witnesses, and, if he think proper, to the claimants themselves. The compensation allowed to said agent shall be ten dollars per day while actually engaged in the performance of the duties imposed on him by this act, and thirty cents per mile for every mile actually traveled by him, to be paid under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of War: Provided, That the Secretary of War may assign to the duty herein mentioned any quartermaster or disabled officer of the Army; and in that evens said officer or quartermaster shall, in addition to the compensation now allowed him by law, be entitled to mileage at the rate of forty cents per mile.
On motion by Mr. Simms, to amend the proposed amendment by inserting at the end of the first section the following proviso:
Provided further, That the Secretary of War may appoint and assign any non-commissioned officer or private to perform the duties under this act who may be unlit for active service in the field because of wounds received or disease contracted in said service, and the pay and allowances of such noncommissioned officer or private, when so appointed and assigned, shall be the same as are allowed to persons so appointed who may not be liable to military service,
It was determined in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the amendment proposed by Mr. Semmes, as amended,
It was determined in the affirmative.
No further amendment being made, 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 and the title was amended.
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. Brown, Haynes, Jemison, Johnson of Arkansas, Johnson of Missouri, Mitchel, Semmes, Sparrow, Walker, Watson, and Wigfall.
Those who voted on the negative are,
Messrs. Baker, Barnwell, Henry, Hunter, Johnson of Georgia, and err.
So it was
Resolved, That this bill pass, and that the title thereof be "An get providing for the establishment and payment of claims for a certain description of property taken or informally impressed for the use of the Army."
Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the bill (H. R. 134) to amend an act entitled "An act to establish a niter and mining bureau," approved April 22, 1863; and
On motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas,
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Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed until to-morrow.
The Senate proceeded, as in Committee of the Whole, to the consideration of the bill (S. 64) to provide for the establishment of a bureau of polytechnics for the examination, experiment, and application of warlike inventions.
On motion by Mr. Wigfall, to amend the bill by inserting after "of," section 3, line 2, the words "such numbers of,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Wigfall, to amend the bill by inserting after "construction," section 3, line 4, the words "as the service may require."
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Wigfall, to amend the bill by inserting after "President," section 3, line 4, the words "by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,"
It was determined in the affirmative.
On motion by Mr. Sparrow,
The Senate resolved into executive session.
The doors having been opened,
On motion by Mr. Graham,
The Senate adjourned.
SECRET SESSION.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 65) to aid in the construction of ironclad gunboats for the defense of Western and Southern rivers, reported it with an amendment.
On motion by Mr. Mitchel,
The Senate resolved into open legislative session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
On motion by Mr. Sparrow,
Ordered, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit to the Adjutant-General, to be returned by him in ten days, the original lists of all nominations sent to the Senate at the last, session which were postponed or continued for consideration until the present session.
On motion by Mr. Mitchel,
The Senate resolved into secret legislative session.
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