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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 --FIFTEENTH DAY--THURSDAY, March 6, 1862.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Ford.
Mr. Boyce announced the presence of L. M. Ayer, a Representative-elect from the State of South Carolina, who came forward, was duly qualified, and took his seat.
Mr. Royston presented the petition of citizens of Bright Star, in Lafayette County, Ark., for a mail route from Walnut Hill by way of Spring Bank, Bright Star, and Courtland, to Havannah, in Cass County, Tex.; which was referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads, without being read.
Also, the petition of citizens of Cass County, Tex., for a mail route from Walnut Hill to Havannah, in Cass County, Tex.; which was referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads, without being read.
Also, the petition of Philip Ager and other citizens of Washita County, Ark., for the establishment of a mail route from the city of Camden to Miller's Bluff; which was referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads, without being read.
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Mr. Royston offered the following resolution, to wit:
Resolved (the Senate consenting), That the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate adjourn their respective Houses on Monday, the thirty-first day of March, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, at twelve o'clock meridian.
On motion of Mr. Kenner, the resolution was laid on the table.
Mr. Gartrell offered the following resolution, to wit:
Resolved, That the House will meet at the hour of twelve o'clock meridian until otherwise ordered.
Mr. Miles called the question; which was seconded, and the resolution was agreed to.
Mr. Lander presented the petition of citizens of Mecklenburg County, N. C., praying no contracts to be made requiring mail contractors to carry the mails, or postmasters to keep open post-offices on the Sabbath day; which was referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads, without being read.
Mr. Pryor introduced
A bill fixing the rank and pay of adjutants and first sergeants;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Chambliss presented the petition of Adelia C. Place to be placed on the pension rolls of the Confederate States; which was referred to the Committee on Claims, without being read.
Mr. Smith of Virginia offered the following resolution; which was read and agreed to, to wit:
Resolved, That the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads be instructed inquire into the expediency of modifying the act of March third, eighteen hundred and twenty-five, sections twelve and thirty-five, in reference to exemptions from military duty, so as to exclude from exemption all assistants and clerks between eighteen and forty-five years of age, and all postmasters of offices which do not yield a net income of fifty dollars per annum. And to inquire further into the expediency of providing by law, that in future appointments persons exempt from military duty, by reason of age, sex, or otherwise, shall be preferred.
Mr. Russell gave notice that he would move to amend the standing rules of the House as follows, to wit:
To add to the first paragraph of the thirty-ninth rule of the House the following words, to wit:
Upon every alternate call of the States, the alphabetical order of the call shall be reversed.
Also to amend the thirty-sixth rule so as to provide for a committee on "ordnance and ordnance stores."
Mr. Ralls offered the following resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee on Claims, to wit:
Resolved, That the Committee on Claims be instructed to report a bill making provision for the payment of those persons who took the last general census.
Mr. Swan introduced
A bill for the appointment of a chief laboratorian, and for other purposes;
which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
On motion of Mr. Kenner, so much of the report of the Secretary of the Navy as refers to estimates for the naval service was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Barksdale, from the Committee on Printing, reported and recommended the passage of
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A bill to amend an act entitled "An act in relation to public printing," approved February 27, 1861;
which was read the first and second times.
And the question being,
Shall the bill be placed on the Calendar?
The vote was taken and decided in the negative.
The bill was then engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Pryor, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred
A bill to continue in office major and brigadier generals,
reported the same back, with the recommendation that it be placed on the Calendar, printed, and made the special order for Monday next;
which was agreed to.
Mr. Pryor, from the same committee, to whom was referred a resolution for the purpose of suppressing intoxication in the Army, reported
A bill for the suppression of drunkenness in the Army of the Confederate States;
which was read first and second times and placed on the Calendar.
The House then proceeded to the consideration of the unfinished business of yesterday, which was the consideration of the amendment of Mr. Barksdale to the amendment of the Military Committee to
A bill to secure the destruction of cotton and tobacco, in certain cases, and to prescribe [provide] indemnity to the owners thereof, and for other purposes.
Another vote having been taken thereon, the amendment was lost.
And the question being upon agreeing to the amendment of the committee as amended,
Mr. Tibbs demanded that the yeas and nays be recorded;
Which was seconded,
Yeas: Ashe, Ayer, Baldwin, Barksdale, Bell, Boyce, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chambliss, Chilton, Chrisman, Clark, Cooke, Crockett, Currin, Curry, Dergan, Davidson, Dupré, Elliott, Farrow, Foote, Gaither, Gardenhire, Garnett, Gartrell, Graham, Gray, Heiskell, Herbert, Hilton, Holcombe, Holt, Jenkins, Johnston, Jones, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lander, Lewis, Marshall, McDowell, McLean, McRae, McQueen, Menees, Miles, Moore, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Preston, Pryor, Ralls, Royston, Russell, Sexton, Singleton, Staples, Tibbs, Trippe, Villeré, Welsh, Wilcox, Wright of Georgia, Wright of Texas, and Mr. Speaker.
Nays: Arrington, Batson, Boteler, Clopton, Ewing, Foster, Garland, Hanly, Machen, Pugh, Read, Smith of Alabama, and Swan.
So the amendment was adopted.
And the question recurring upon the engrossment of the bill as amended, the vote was taken and decided in the affirmative, and the bill was engrossed and read a third time.
Mr. Heiskell moved to reconsider the vote by which the House ordered the bill to be engrossed for a third reading.
The motion was lost.
The question recurring upon the passage of the bill as amended,
Mr. Garnett called the question; which was seconded;
When,
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Mr. Gray demanded the yeas and nays;
And the House sustaining the demand, the vote was taken,
Yeas: Arrington, Ayer, Baldwin, Barksdale, Batson, Bell, Bocock, Bonham, Boteler, Boyce, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chambliss, Chilton, Chrisman, Clapp, Clark, Cooke, Crockett, Currin, Curry, Dergan, Davidson, Dawkins, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Gaither, Garnett, Gartrell, Graham, Gray, Herbert, Hilton, Holcombe, Holt, Jenkins, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McDowell, McLean, McRae, McQueen, Menees, Miles, Moore, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Preston, Ralls, Read, Royston, Russell, Sexton, Singleton, Smith of Alabama, Staples, Strickland, Tibbs, Trippe, Villeré, Welsh, and Wilcox.
Nays: Clopton, Davis, De Jarnette, Gardenhire, Garland, Hanly, Heiskell, Johnston, Jones, Pugh, and Swan.
So the bill as amended was passed.
Mr. Miles, from the Committee on Military Affairs, moved to amend the title by striking out the whole of the same and inserting in lieu thereof the following, to wit: "A bill to provide for the destruction of cotton, tobacco, and other property, when the same shall be about to fall into the hands of the enemy."
The motion prevailed.
Mr. Miles, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported and recommended the passage of the following resolution, to wit:
Resolved, That it be referred to the Judiciary Committee to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill providing for the compensation of all loyal citizens whose cotton, tobacco, or other property may be destroyed by military authority or by the owners thereof themselves to prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy.
The rules were suspended, and the resolution was taken up.
Mr. Gray moved to amend the same by striking out the words "to inquire into the expediency of reporting" and to insert in lieu thereof the words "be instructed to report."
Upon which Mr. Read demanded the yeas and nays;
And the House sustaining the demand, the vote was taken,
Yeas: Arrington, Barksdale, Batson, Bell, Boteler, Horatio W. Bruce, Clapp, Clopton, Conrad, Crockett, Dargan, De Jarnette, Foster, Gardenhire, Garland, Gray, Hanly, Heiskell, Hilton, Holcombe, Jones, Lyon, Machen, McRae, McQueen, Menees, Miles, Moore, Pugh, Ralls, Read, Staples, Swan, Tibbs, Welsh, and Wilcox.
Nays: Ayer, Baldwin, Bonham, Boyce, Burnett, Chilton, Chrisman, Clark, Cooke, Curry, Davidson, Dawkins, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Foote, Gaither, Garnett, Gartrell, Graham, Herbert, Holt, Jenkins, Johnston, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lander, Lewis, Lyons, Marshall, McDowell, McLean, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Preston, Royston, Russell, Sexton, Singleton, Smith of Alabama, Strickland, Trippe, Villeré, Wright of Georgia, and Mr. Speaker.
So the amendment was lost.
Mr. Kenner moved to amend by striking out the word "Judiciary" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "Ways and Means," and called the question; which was seconded, and the vote being taken, the amendment was lost.
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Mr. Gardenhire moved to lay the resolution on the table.
The motion did not prevail.
Mr Dupré called the question, which was upon the adoption of the resolution, and the call being seconded,
Mr. Miles demanded the yeas and nays;
And the demand being sustained, the vote was taken,
Yeas: Arrington, Ashe, Ayer, Baldwin, Barksdale, Batson, Bell, Boteler, Horatio W. Bruce, Chilton, Clapp, Clopton, Conrad, Crockett, Dargan, Davidson, Davis, Dawkins, De Jarnette, Foster, Gaither, Garland, Garnett, Gartrell, Gray, Hanly, Hilton, Holcombe, Holt, Jenkins, Jones, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, McDowell, McLean, McRae, McQueen, Menees, Miles, Moore, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Preston, Pugh, Ralls, Read, Royston, Sexton, Singleton, Smith of Virginia, Staples, Strickland, Swan, Tibbs, Welsh, Wilcox, and Mr. Speaker.
Nays: Bonham, Boyce, Burnett, Chrisman, Clark, Cooke, Curry, Dupré, Ewing, Foote, Gardenhire, Graham, Herbert, Lyons, Marshall, Smith of Alabama, Trippe, Villeré, and Wright of Georgia.
So the resolution was adopted.
On motion of Mr. Holcombe, leave of absence was granted to Mr. Goode, on account of sickness.
Mr. Swan, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred
A bill to regulate the granting of passports,
reported the same back, with the recommendation that the same pass with an amendment.
And the question being,
Shall the bill be postponed and placed on the Calendar?
The vote was taken and decided in the negative.
After discussion,
On motion of Mr. Bonham, the bill was placed on the Calendar, ordered to be printed, and made the special order for Saturday next, at 1 o'clock.
Mr. Foote, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, to whom was referred
A bill to authorize the appointment of commissioners to represent the Confederate States of America at the Industrial Exhibition to be opened at London, May 1, 1862,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from its further consideration, and that the bill lie on the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Foote, from the same committee, to whom was referred
A resolution of inquiry calling upon the President for information concerning the presence of foreign vessels in the waters of Chesapeake Bay,
reported the same back, with the recommendation that it pass with an amendment.
The resolution was taken up.
And the question being upon agreeing to the amendment, which is to insert after the word "House" the words "if he may deem it compatible with the public interests,"
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The vote was taken, and the amendment was agreed to, and the resolution as amended was adopted.
On motion of Mr. Foote, which was seconded,
Congress [The House] then resolved itself into secret session.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
Mr. Foote, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, to which was referred
A bill to authorize the President to send additional commissioners to foreign nations,
reported the same do pass with an amendment.
The bill was taken up for consideration, and the question being upon the amendment reported from the committee, which is as follows, viz:
Be it further enacted, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered to adopt such measures for the removal of the blockade of our port and the recognition of our national independence, alone or in connection with foreign powers, as he may deem expedient, and to apply to these purposes such amount of the appropriations made or to be made for the prosecution of the war; and to pledge such portion of the proceeds of the sales of cotton and tobacco as he may find expedient and necessary with a view to the attainment of these ends,
Mr. Smith of Virginia moved to amend the amendment by striking out the word "national" and inserting in lieu thereof the word "Confederate."
Mr. Dupré demanded the question; which was seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
Mr. Bonham moved to amend the amendment by striking out the following words, viz:
and to apply to these purposes such amount of the appropriations made or to be made for the prosecution of the war; and to pledge such portion of the proceeds of the sales of cotton and tobacco as he may find expedient and necessary with a view to the attainment of these ends,
and insert in lieu thereof the following words, viz:
and that with a view to the attainment of these ends he be further authorized and empowered through our commissioners abroad to negotiate with foreign powers treaties securing series ofyears free of duty all productions and manufactures of such powers, and such other commercial advantages as may be deemed expedient.
Mr. Garnett moved to amend the bill by striking out all after the enacting clause, which is as follows, viz:
That the President be, and is hereby, authorized to send such additional commissioners to foreign nations as he may deem necessary with the power to negotiate commercial treaties, separately or in connection with our commissioners now abroad, which shall discriminate for a limited period in favor of the productions, manufactures, and shipping of those countries which shall concur in the early recognition of the independence of the Confederate States,
and insert in lieu thereof the following words, viz:
That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to negotiate commercial treaties which shall discriminate for a limited period in favor of the productions, manufactures, and shipping of those countries which shall assist us in removing the blockade of our ports, or aid us in the war, and that for this purpose he is authorized to
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send abroad additional commissioners, if he shall think it expedient and proper, to act in conjunction with our present diplomatic agents already there.
Mr. Pryor moved that the House do now adjourn.
The motion prevailed,
And the House adjourned until 12 m. to-morrow.
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