| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journal of the Confederate Congress --TWENTIETH DAY--WEDNESDAY, March 12, 1862.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Hoge.
Mr. Pugh introduced
A bill to authorize the President to increase his personal staff; which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Pugh offered
Page 87 | Page image
A resolution that the President be requested to communicate to this House, if not incompatible with the public interest, the report of Maj. Gen. Braxton Bragg, of the bombardment at Pensacola, on the 22d and 23d of November last;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Chilton presented a communication from J. F. Gibson, of Richmond, Va., in relation to exempting employees of the Southern Express Company from military duty; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, without being read.
Mr. Foster introduced
A bill to open the ports of entry of the Confederate States;
which was read the first and second times, ordered to be printed, and was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Elliott, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled
A joint resolution of thanks to Commodore Buchanan and the officers and men under his command;
And the Speaker signed the same.
Mr. Trippe asked and obtained leave of absence for Mr. Clark, on account of business.
Mr. Chilton moved that Mr. Atkins be added to the Committee onPost-Offices and Post-Roads.
The motion prevailed.
Mr. Royston presented a communication from P. B. Cox, of Pope County, Ark., in relation to currency, Treasury notes, and weights and measures; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, without being read.
Also, a resolution that the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads be requested to inquire into the expediency of requiring postage to be paid on messages and communications sent by telegraph, to the same extent as if sent by mail; which was read and referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
Mr. Garland introduced
A bill to establish a court for the adjudication of claims against the Confederate States;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Read offered
A resolution that the Clerk of the House be directed to furnish to the members of this body copies of the acts of the Provisional Congress, together with the Constitution of the Confederate States, and the same be paid for out of the contingent fund of this House;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Moore offered a resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs, and is as follows, to wit:
Resolved, That the conduct of the officers and crew of the Federal frigate Congress, in the recent naval engagement in Hampton Roads, in firing, under their own flag of truce, on the Confederate forces on the victorious Virginia, deserves the deepest contempt and condemnation of the civilized world. That it is but a manifestation of the infamous and dastardly spirit that actuates our invaders; and in the judgment of this House, the commanders of the Confederate armies should be authorized and directed to visit, promptly, all such conduct with all the penalties of the laws of retaliation.
Mr. Conrad introduced
Page 88 | Page image
A bill to encourage the manufacture of saltpeter and small arms; which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Barksdale presented a communication containing a design for a flag; which was referred to the Committee on the Flag and Seal, without being read.
Mr. Davis offered a joint resolution; which was read and referred to the special committee appointed to investigate the Fort Donelson disaster, and is as follows, to wit:
Resolved by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, That the thanks of this Congress is due to the officers of regiments, and privates, for the gallant and heroic defense of Fort Donelson. That their disregard of death and contempt of danger entitles them to our highest admiration and confidence.
A message was received from the Senate, by their Secretary, Mr. Nash; which is as follows, to wit:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills of the following titles, to wit:
In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of the House.
Upon motion of Mr. Bonham, leave of absence was granted to Mr. McQueen, on account of sickness in his family.
Mr. Davis offered
A resolution that the Military Committee be instructed to inquire into the expediency of appropriating -- dollars for the support of the families of our prisoners surrendered at Fort Donelson, and all other prisoners; and for the greater comfort of themselves, wherever they may be confined.
The resolution was agreed to.
Mr. Swan introduced
A bill to create the office of Judge-Advocate-General;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Graham presented the memorial of James F. Warren in relation to a claim as district attorney; which was referred to the Committee on Claims, without being read.
Mr. Sexton introduced
A bill supplementary to an act to authorize the issue of Treasury notes, and to provide a war tax for their redemption;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Upon motion of Mr. Garnett,
Leave of absence was granted to Mr. Pryor, on account of important business.
Mr. Garnett offered
A resolution that the President be requested, if in his opinion not incompatible with the public interests, to communicate to this House Brigadier-General Wise's report of the military operations connected with the disaster at Roanoke Island;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Chambliss introduced
A bill to increase the pay of soldiers in the Confederate service; which was read the first and second times and laid on the table.
Page 89 | Page image
The Chair presented a communication from the President; which reads as follows, to wit:
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I transmit herewith to the Congress the official report of Col. William B. Taliaferro, of the action at Carrick's Ford, July 13, 1861.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
which was, with the accompanying documents, laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Conrad, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred
A bill to provide for the creation of a navy, building of gunboats, and purchase of guns,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from the consideration of the same, and that the bill lie upon the table.
The report was agreed to.
Mr. Conrad, from the same committee, to whom was referred
A resolution in relation to building ten small screw steamers, reported the same back, asked to be discharged from the further consideration of the same, and that it lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Gartrell, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred
A bill to provide for transferring from the district courts of the Confederate States of America to the proper State courts all suits between citizens of different States, and to repeal the tenth and forty-seventh sections of an act to establish the judicial courts of the Confederate States of America,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from the further consideration of the same, and that it lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Burnett, from the Committee on Pay and Mileage, to whom was referred
A joint resolution relating to the manner of paying members of the Provisional Congress the arrearages of their pay and mileage,
reported the same back, with a recommendation that the House do not concur in the amendment of the Senate.
On motion, the same was placed upon the Calendar.
Mr. Burnett, from the same committee, to whom was referred
A bill of the Senate to regulate the compensation of members of Congress,
reported the same back without recommendation, and asked that the committee be discharged from its further consideration; which was agreed to.
A message was received from the Senate, by their Secretary, Mr. Nash; which is as follows, to wit:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill of this House of the following title, to wit:
The hour of 1 o'clock having arrived,
Mr. Miles moved that the House do proceed to the consideration of the special order of the day, which was a bill reported from the Military Committee, declaring what persons shall be exempt from militia duty.
Page 90 | Page image
Mr. Singleton moved to postpone for the present the consideration of the bill.
Pending which, the House,
On motion of Mr. Foote, resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, again resolved itself into open session;
When,
The House resumed the consideration of the unfinished business of the open session, which was the motion of Mr. Singleton to postpone for the present the consideration of the special order of the day.
The motion was lost.
The House then proceeded to the consideration of the special order;
When,
Mr. Chilton moved to amend by adding, as section second, to the bill the following, to wit:
The Secretary of War of the Confederate States shall have power to exempt or temporarily detach from military service such number of persons as he may deem necessary to properly conducting the business of the several railroads; also in the several offices of the magnetic telegraph and the Southern Express Company, and also such mechanics and artisans as the Confederacy may require and engage to serve the Government in the lines of their respective trades or avocations, and all persons engaged by the Government in the manufacture of arms, saltpeter, munitions of war; such exemptions from military service to continue only so long as the persons so detached shall continue in the business for which they were respectively detached.
And the first section of the bill being under consideration; which is as follows, to wit:
Mr. Smith of Virginia moved to amend the same by striking out the words "regular clerks belonging to the same" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "heads of bureaus and chief clerks."
Mr. Boyce called the question; which was seconded, and the amendment was lost.
Mr. Miles moved to amend by inserting after the word "persons" the words "and none others."
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Lyons moved to amend by inserting after the word "attorneys" the words "commissioners and receivers under the sequestration act."
Mr. Smith of Virginia moved to amend the amendment of Mr. Lyons by striking out therefrom the word "receivers."
The amendment to the amendment was agreed to, and the amendment as amended was adopted.
Mr. Garnett moved to amend by inserting after the word "act" the words
the collectors and assessors of taxes imposed by the Confederate States, in those States which have not assumed the payment of said taxes, until the duties of said officers are performed.
The amendment was agreed to.
Page 91 | Page image
Mr. Garnett moved further to amend by inserting after the word "town" the words "or district."
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Menees moved to amend by striking out the words
postmasters of any city, or town, or district with not less than three thousand inhabitants, with their necessary clerks.
Upon which he called the question; which was seconded;
When,
Mr. Miles demanded the yeas and nays; and
The demand being sustained,
The yeas and nays were recorded,
Yeas: Arrington, Ayer, Barksdale, Batson, Horatio W. Bruce, Chambliss, Clopton, Conrad, Conrow, Curry, Dargan, Davidson, Dawkins, De Jarnette, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Foote, Gardenhire, Hanly, Heiskell, Hilton, Holt, Jenkins, Johnston, Kenner, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, Menees, Moore, Munnerlyn, Pugh, Ralls, Sexton, Smith of Virginia, Swan, Villeré, Wright of Georgia, and Wright of Texas.
Nays: Ashe, Atkins, Baldwin, Bell, Benham, Boteler, Burnett, Chilton, Chrisman, Clapp, Crockett, Davis, Farrow, Gaither, Garnett, Gartrell, Goode, Holcombe, Jones, Kenan of North Carolina, Lyons, McLean, McRae, Miles, Perkins, Preston, Royston, Russell, Singleton, Smith of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Strickland, Trippe, Welsh, and Wilcox.
So the amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Sexton moved to amend by inserting the word "postmasters" after the word "clerks."
The Chair ruled the amendment out of order, it not being competent to insert words just stricken out by a vote of the House.
Mr. Bonham appealed from the decision of the Chair.
And the question being
Shall the decision of the Chair stand as the judgment of the House?
It was decided in the affirmative.
Mr. Lyons moved to amend by striking out the words "all persons actually engaged in the conveyance of the mails" and to insert in lieu thereof the words "all mail contractors."
Mr. Smith of Virginia called the question; which was seconded, and the amendment was lost.
Mr. Heiskell moved to amend by inserting after the word "mail" the words
all persons engaged in the manufacture of iron, or in the mining or reducing of ores of lead, copper, and zinc, while so actually engaged and no longer.
Mr. Smith of Virginia moved to amend by inserting after the word "actually" the words "and necessarily," and by striking out the word "conveyance" and inserting in lieu thereof the word "carrying."
The amendment was agreed to.
And the question recurring upon the amendment of Mr. Heiskell,
Mr. Holt moved to amend the same by inserting after the word "engaged" the words "under the pay of the State or Government."
Mr. Moore moved to recommit the bill and all pending amendments to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Page 92 | Page image
Mr. Foote called the question; which was seconded, and the motion was lost.
And the question recurred on agreeing to the amendment of Mr. Holt to the amendment of Mr. Heiskell.
The amendment to the amendment was lost.
And the question recurring upon agreeing to the amendment of Mr. Heiskell,
The same was lost.
Mr. Chilton moved to amend by inserting after the word "mail" the words
and all ordained ministers of the gospel who have charge of churches, so long as they maintain such ministerial relation.
The amendment was lost.
Mr. Miles moved to amend by adding at the end of the section the following words, to wit: "within the limits thereof."
The amendment was agreed to.
By unanimous consent, Mr. Sexton moved to amend by striking out the words "with their necessary clerks."
The amendment was agreed to; and the section as amended reads as follows, to wit:
And the question recurring upon the amendment of Mr. Chilton, as section second,
Mr. Conrad moved to amend by inserting after the word "exempt" the words "from draft and from."
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Jones moved to amend by inserting after the word "war" the words "salt and iron."
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Davis moved to make the special order for to-morrow, after the consideration of the regular special order, a bill to provide for the increase of the Army, and to provide for the pay of officers and privates.
The motion was agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Davis,
The House adjourned until 12 o'clock m. to-morrow.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
On motion of MR. Garnett,
Resolved itself into open session.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |