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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 --SEVENTEENTH DAY--SATURDAY, March 8, 1862.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Ford.
Mr. Currin announced the presence of Mr. J. D. C. Atkins, a Representative-elect from the State of Tennessee, who came forward, was qualified, and took his seat.
The Chair laid before the House a bill from the Senate to regulate the compensation of the officers of the Senate; which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Rules and Officers of the House.
Mr. Chilton offered
A resolution instructing the Committee on Military Affairs to report a bill to encourage the manufacture of arms and munitions of war;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Royston offered
A resolution that the Committee on the Judiciary be requested to report a bill declaring what officer shall act as President of the Confederate States, in case of the removal of the President and Vice-President, or of their death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of said offices; which was read and agreed to.
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Mr. Wright of Georgia presented the memorial of Mr. Wade S. Cothran, of Rome, Ga., asking that the manufacture of iron be protected; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, without being read.
Mr. Burnett offered
A resolution that the committee appointed to investigate the causes of our recent disaster at Fort Donelson, etc., be instructed to report to this House who was the senior general commanding at Fort Donelson during the engagement at that point, who was second in command, and who third in command; also why it was that the two senior generals in command abandoned the position, leaving the junior general to surrender; also to report why the transports there in the vicinity of Fort Donelson were not used in removing our forces from the presence of an overwhelming force;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Bell offered
A resolution that the Committee on Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill authorizing the payment at the Confederate seat of government of taxes levied by act of Congress on property of citizens residing out of the State or States in which said property may be located;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Miles presented the memorial of the Rev. Moses D. Hoge in relation to increasing the number and efficiency of chaplains; which was read and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Heiskell presented the petition of L. Bullen, captain and acting commissary of subsistence, asking certain relief; which was referred to the Committee on Claims without being read.
Mr. Swan offered a joint resolution; which is as follows, to wit:
Whereas it has become manifest that the Government of Great Britain, unmindful of the true interests of that country, and in disregard of that policy which has hitherto characterized the action of enlightened nations, declines so far to recognize the existence of the Government of the Confederate States: Therefore,
The Congress of the Confederate States of America do resolve, That the President be, and he is hereby, requested to withdraw from Great Britain commissioners heretofore sent thither, and leave the Government of that country henceforth to pursue such policy in reference to these States as it may deem best, without solicitation or suggestion on the part of this Government;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Pryor offered
A resolution that the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill for the organization of one or more battalions of pontoniers;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Garnett offered
A resolution that the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a corps of heavy artillery, in order to provide instructed artillerymen for our fixed batteries and forts;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Smith of Virginia presented the memorial of Thomas R. Love, of Fairfax County, Va., in relation to damages done him by Confederate troops; which was referred to the Committee on Claims, without being read.
Upon motion of Mr. Gartrell, which was seconded,
The House then resolved itself into secret session.
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SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
The Chair presented a communication from the President, viz:
Executive Department, Richmond, March 7, 1862.
To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:
I transmit herewith a report from the Secretary of State ad interim in answer to a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 6th instant.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The report is as follows, viz:
Department of State, Richmond, March 7, 1862.
The Secretary of State ad interim, to Whom was referred a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 6th instant requesting the President to communicate to that body, "if he shall deem it compatible with the public interest, any information which he may possess touching the presence of certain foreign vessels in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay at this time, and especially whether these vessels are probably here for the purpose of exporting cotton or tobacco from the Confederate States," has the honor to inform the President that three war steamers of the navy of the Emperor of the French--the Pomone, Catenat, and Gasendi--have been within a few weeks at Hampton Roads; that the Secretary of State ad interim has authentic information that one of these vessels is to be stationed at or near Charleston to protect the French consul in case of an attack on that city by the United States: that another has sailed, or is about to sail, to the West Indies, temporarily to convey dispatches between the ministers of France and England at Washington and their consuls at ports of the Confederate States; and that it was never intended that these vessels or any of them should be employed in exporting cotton or tobacco from the Confederate States.
Respectfully submitted.
WM. M. BROWNE.
The communications were laid on the table.
On motion of Mr. Dargan, the unfinished business of yesterday was postponed for the present, and from the Committee on the Judiciary, to which had been referred the joint resolution offered by Mr. Trippe to provide for the adjournment of Congress, together with the amendment thereto offered by Mr. Clapp,
Mr. Dargan reported the same back, with an amendment, recommending the same be agreed to, and that the resolution be adopted as then amended.
The resolution, amendment, and report of the committee were taken up.
By consent, Mr. Clapp withdrew his amendment.
The question being then upon the report of the committee to amend the resolutions by striking out all of the same after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following words, viz:
That during the continuance of the present war the President, whenever in his judgment the public security demands it, shall have full power and authority to remove the archives and Government of the Confederate States from the city of Richmond, or from any other place to which the Government may have been removed, to any place of security within the Confederate States.
Mr. Gartrell moved to amend the amendment by striking out in the second resolution the words "and place he may designate in his proclamation within the Confederate States" and insert in lieu thereof the words "at Atlanta."
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Mr. Foote demanded the question; which was seconded, and the motion was lost.
Mr. Chilton demanded the question on agreeing to the amendment offered by the Committee on the Judiciary; which was seconded, and the amendment was agreed to.
The question being upon engrossing the resolution as amended,
Mr. Chilton demanded the question; which was seconded, and the resolutions were engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Conrad moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was passed.
Mr. Foote demanded the question; which was seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
Mr. Conrad moved to lay the resolutions on the table.
The motion prevailed.
The following message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, Secretary, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have agreed to the following report of the joint committee to draft joint rules and orders for conducting business between the two Houses, viz:
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In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of the House of Representatives.
The House proceeded to consider the unfinished business of yesterday, which was the bill to authorize the President to send additional commissioners to foreign nations, together with the amendments thereto.
Pending discussion thereon,
Mr. Elliott, from the Committee on Enrollment, reported as duly enrolled and ready for the signature of the Speaker of the House of Representatives
A resolution declaring the sense of Congress in regard to reuniting with the Confederate [United] States;
A bill to amend an act entitled "An act in relation to public printing," approved February 27, 1861; and
A bill to create the office of commanding general of the armies of the Confederate States.
The Speaker signed the same.
The following message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, Secretary, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a joint resolution of the following title, viz:
On motion of Mr. Miles, the rule was suspended and the resolution taken up, read the first and second times, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Davis, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported, viz:
I am instructed to report a bill to provide further for the public defense, in lieu of the several bills referred to the Military Committee and in compliance with the several resolutions of this House.
On motion of Mr. Davis, the same was ordered to be placed on the Calendar and made the special order of the day for Tuesday next.
On motion of Mr. Jones, the House took up and adopted the "Joint rules and orders of the two Houses of Congress," reported from the Senate.
Mr. Conrad, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, reported
A bill which was read the first and second times, ordered to be placed on the Calendar, and printed.
On motion of Mr. Pryor,
The House adjourned until 12 m. Monday.
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