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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 --TWENTY-FIRST DAY--THURSDAY, March 13, 1862.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Hoge.
A message was received from the President, by his Private Secretary, Mr. Josselyn, informing the House that the President, on yesterday, approved and signed
A joint resolution of thanks to Captain Buchanan and the officers and men under his command.
Mr. Elliott, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled
A bill to increase the clerical force of the War Department:
And the Speaker signed the same.
Mr. Royston presented a memorial of Mary Adams, praying payment of a pension granted to her by the United States: which was referred to the Committee on Claims, without being read.
Mr. Garland offered
A resolution that the memorial of H. R. Austin, of Memphis, Tenn., relative to the building of the Memphis and Little Rock Railroad, which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs in the Provisional Congress, and the bill to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to loan to such railroad a certain amount of the bonds of the Confederate States, etc., which was also referred to said committee, both of which were not reported back by such committees, be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs of this House;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Moore moved to reconsider the vote by which the amendment offered by Mr. Heiskell to the bill to exempt certain persons frommilitia duty was agreed to.
Mr. Read offered
A resolution that the Doorkeeper be instructed to provide for each member a small desk, similar to those used in the Senate, and that he also purchase three sofas, to be placed in the lobby for the use of the ladies, and that the same be paid for out of the contingent, fund of this House;
which was read; and
On motion of Mr. Smith of Virginia, was laid upon the table.
Mr. Burnett offered
A resolution that the Secretary of the Treasury be requested to communicate to this House the number entitled to pensions now on the pension rolls of the United States now resident in the Confederate States; also the amount due to said pensioners;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. De Jarnette presented a memorial from J. M. Homes, asking compensation for services; which was referred to the Committee on Claims, without being read.
Mr. Smith of Virginia offered
A resolution that the Doorkeeper of this House purchase, for the use of the general committees thereof, 19 copies of the Constitution and laws of the Confederate States (not including the laws of the United States), and that he furnish to the chairman of said committees a copy thereof;
which was read; and
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On motion of Mr. Read, was laid upon the table.
Mr. Russell offered
A resolution that the President be requested, if compatible, in his opinion, with the public interest, to communicate to this House all correspondence, papers, and information in his possession respecting a recent arrangement or negotiation with the enemy for an exchange of prisoners, and the results thereof;
which was read and agreed to.
The Chair presented a communication from the President; which is as follows, to wit:
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit to the Congress the report of the Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
On motion, the message and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Garnett offered
A resolution that the Committee on the Judiciary inquire into the expediency of providing by law for compensating citizens whose lands, tenements, growing crops, or other property have been damaged, occupied, or seized by troops for encampments and fortifications, and who have thereby suffered damage;
which was read and agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Jones,
The House took up for consideration a bill from the Senate to provide compensation for the officers of the Senate.
The bill having been read as follows, to wit:
The Congress of the Confederate States do enact, That the Secretary of the Senate shall receive an annual salary of twenty-five hundred dollars, payable quarterly in advance.
That the Secretary of the Senate be allowed to appoint an Assistant Secretary at a salary of two thousand dollars per annum, and two clerks at a salary of fifteen hundred dollars per annum each, payable quarterly in advance.
That the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate shall receive an annual salary of two thousand dollars; and the Doorkeeper of the Senate shall receive an annual salary of fifteen hundred dollars; and the Assistant Doorkeeper shall receive an annual salary of twelve hundred dollars, all payable quarterly, in advance; and the page of the Senate shall receive an allowance of two dollars per day during the session of the Senate.
Mr. Jones, on the part of the Committee on Rules and Officers of the House, moved to amend the same by striking out the words "in advance," wherever they occur.
Pending which,
A message from the Senate was received, by their Secretary, Mr. Nash; which is as follows, to wit:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate has rejected the resolution (H. R. --) recommending the planters of the Confederate States to refrain from the cultivation of cotton and tobacco, and devote their energies to raising provisions.
I am directed to notify the House of Representatives thereof.
The Senate have passed a bill (S. 20) to provide for the payment of musicians in the Army not regularly enlisted; in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of the House of Representatives.
The question was then put on the motion of Mr. Jones, and decided in the negative.
Mr. Smith of Virginia moved to amend by striking out from the bill the words "quarterly in advance," wherever occurring, and insert in lieu thereof the word "daily."
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The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Jones, from the committee, moved to amend the bill by adding, as an additional section, the following, to wit:
That the Clerk of the House of Representatives be allowed to appoint three assistants, at a salary of fifteen hundred dollars per annum each, payable quarterly.
That the Doorkeeper of the House of Representatives shall receive an annual salary of fifteen hundred dollars, and the Assistant Doorkeeper shall receive an annual salary of twelve hundred dollars, all payable quarterly; and the pages of the House of Representatives shall receive each an allowance of two dollars per day during the session of the House.
Mr. Jones moved to amend the amendment of the committee by striking out the word "quarterly," where occurring, and inserting in lieu thereof the word "daily;" which was agreed to.
Mr. Crockett moved to amend the amendment by striking out after the words "Doorkeeper of the House of Representatives shall receive an annual salary of" the words "fifteen hundred" and insert in lieu thereof the words "two thousand."
Mr. Perkins demanded the question; which being seconded, the motion prevailed.
Mr. Machen moved to amend by striking out the words "three assistants" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "two assistant clerks at a salary of two thousand dollars each, and one."
Mr. Foster moved to lay the bill and amendment on the table.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Royston moved to lay the amendment to the amendment offered by Mr. Machen on the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Perkins called the question, which was upon agreeing to the amendment offered by the committee, as amended; and
The call being seconded, the amendment as amended was agreed to.
The bill as amended was read a third time and passed.
And the title of the same being under consideration,
Mr. Jones moved to amend the same by adding thereto the words "and of the House of Representatives;" which was agreed to.
Mr. Gartrell moved that the House proceed to the consideration of the special order of the day.
Mr. Smith of Virginia moved to postpone the consideration of the special order until the unfinished business of yesterday should be disposed of; which motion was agreed to.
The House then proceeded to the consideration of the unfinished business, which was the consideration of an amendment of Mr. Chilton to a bill declaring what persons shall be exempt from militia duty.
Mr. Chilton moved to amend his amendment by striking out the words "by the Government."
Mr. Swan moved that the bill and amendment be recommitted to the Committee on Military Affairs.
The motion was lost.
The amendment of Mr. Chilton to the amendment was then agreed to.
Mr. Chilton, by unanimous consent, modified his amendment so as to read as follows, to wit:
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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 line of their respective trades or avocations, and all persons engaged in the manufacture of arms, saltpeter, or munitions of war, salt, and iron; such exemption from military service to continue only so long as the persons so detached shall continue in the business for which they were respectively detailed.
Mr. Machen moved to amend the amendment by adding thereto the following, to wit:
also, so many persons to be engaged in any of the mechanic arts, or in producing articles necessary for the prosecution of the war, as said Secretary of War may deem to the interest of the country to exempt or detail.
Mr. Smith of Virginia moved that the bill and amendments be recommitted to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Hanly moved to amend the motion by striking out "Military Affairs" and inserting in lieu thereof "Judiciary."
The motion prevailed.
Mr. Gartrell moved that the consideration of the special order of the day be postponed until Tuesday next, and continued from day to day until concluded.
The motion was agreed to.
Upon motion of Mr. Davis, the next special order was made the special order for to-morrow, and from day to day until concluded.
Upon motion of Mr. Foote, which was seconded,
The House then resolved itself into secret session.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
Mr. Clopton, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, reported and recommended the passage of
A bill to provide for the further defense of the Bay of Mobile and the Alabama River;
which was read first and second times, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
The House then proceeded to the consideration of the unfinished business of secret session, which was the consideration of an amendment offered by Mr. Conrad to a joint resolution authorizing the President to send additional commissioners to foreign powers.
A message was received from the President, by the hands of his Private Secretary, Mr. Josselyn.
The Chair presented a message from the President; which was read as follows, to wit:
Richmond, March 13, 1862.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to the resolution of the 26th ultimo, calling for a statement as to the establishments under contract for the supply of small arms and of powder, and what means are employed in furnishing percussion caps, and whether the various manufacturing establishments now employed by the Government will be able to furnish an ample supply of arms, powder, and percussion caps for the use of our Army, I herewith transmit a report of the Secretary of War, which gives such information in relation to the ability of the establishments employed as it is hoped will be satisfactory to the Congress.
The Government has secured a supply of sulphur sufficient for any proximate want; proper charcoal can be obtained in any requisite quantity, and it only requires an adequate supply of saltpeter to secure the manufacture of more powder than can be profitably used. In addition to the mills now in active operation, a very extensive
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one has been constructed in Georgia, which we have not started because the supply of saltpeter did not justify it. Establishments for the manufacture of small arms are being constructed and developed, but, as was to have been anticipated, the progress has been slow, and the want of mechanics does not permit us to hope for such extensive results as would satisfy existing necessities.
The attention of Congress is called to the remarks of the Secretary on the subject of iron and a method of increasing its production.
For further information reference is made to the tabular statement of the Chief of Ordnance, which is annexed to the letter of the Secretary of War.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
On motion, the message and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
On motion of Mr. Preston,
The House then adjourned until 12 o'clock m. to-morrow.
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