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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 --THIRTY-FIRST DAY--TUESDAY, March 25, 1862.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Duncan.
Mr. Chilton offered
A resolution that 300 copies of the report of the Postmaster-General, with the exhibits accompanying the same, be printed for the use of this House and the Post-Office Department.
On motion, the rule requiring the resolution to be referred to the Committee on Printing was suspended, and the resolution was adopted.
Mr. Curry introduced
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A bill relating to advertisements by the Post-Office Department; which was read the first and, second times and referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
Mr. Clopton offered
A resolution that the committee appointed to inquire concerning the destruction of public property by the officers of the Army be instructed to inquire also with regard to the circumstances under which a large amount of private property in the vicinity of Pensacola and Jacksonville has been destroyed, the amount of property destroyed, and the necessity for its destruction;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Smith of Alabama offered
A resolution that the Committee on Foreign Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a system of free trade with foreign nations, and to report to this House by bill or otherwise;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Ralls offered
A resolution that the Committee on Printing be instructed to inquire what mode is adopted by the different Departments in having printing done; that is, whether by private contract or by sealed proposals, and to ascertain by the most thorough examination whether the rates paid for Government printing be the same as is paid for printing done on private account;
which was read and agreed to.
Also, a resolution that the Committee on Claims be instructed to report
A bill making provision for the payment of claims arising under the pension laws of the United States;
which was read and, on motion of Mr. Miles, laid on the table.
Mr. Royston presented the memorial of Nehemiah Padgett, of Freeo, Ouachita County, Ark., in relation to a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Claims, without being read.
Also, the memorial of John T. H. Rainey and sixty other citizens of Ouachita County, Ark., praying for the establishment of a mail route from Monroe, La., to Camden, Ark.; which was referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads, without being read.
Mr. Dawkins presented the memorial of N. W. McLeod and sundry citizens of Waldo, Fla., asking a change of the terminus on the Florida Railroad to Waldo; which was referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads, without being read.
Mr. Chilton, by the consent of the House, offered
A resolution that the Committee on Foreign Affairs be instructed to inquire into the propriety of recalling our commissioners from foreign governments, and of requiring commercial agents or consuls residing in this country to obtain their exequaturs from this Government;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Gartrell introduced
A bill to fix the times for holding the Confederate court for the northern district of Georgia;
which was read the first and second times and, the rules being suspended, was engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Also, a resolution that on and after Monday next this House will meet at the hour of 11 o'clock a. m.; which was read and laid upon the table.
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A message was received from the President, by his Private Secretary, Mr. Harrison, informing Congress that the President on yesterday approved and signed an act entitled "An act to establish certain post routes therein named."
Also, an act entitled "An act to provide for the further defense of the Bay of Mobile and the Alabama River."
Mr. Munnerlyn offered
A resolution that the Military Committee be instructed to inquire into the propriety of: First, allowing the chief surgeon of a hospital to grant furloughs to any sick soldier under his charge whenever in his judgment it may be necessary; second, allowing the colonel of a regiment under certificate of the surgeon to grant furloughs to sick soldiers without reference to the brigade commander, should he be inconveniently distant; third, allowing any soldier furloughed full transportation to his home and back;
which was laid on the table.
Mr. Conrad offered
A resolution that the Committee on Military Affairs inquire into the expediency of enacting a law providing for some more convenient and expeditious method of procuring the dismissal of general officers for gross misconduct or neglect of duty, or manifest incompetency, than by the sentence of a court-martial;
which was read and laid upon the table.
Mr. Perkins offered
A joint resolution for the preservation of public documents; which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Printing.
Also, a bill to provide for the employment of negroes on Government works; which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Dupré presented the letter of S.C. Taylor in relation to a repeating gun; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, without being read.
Mr. Singleton offered
A resolution that the Secretary of War be requested, if not inconsistent with the public interest, to furnish to this House copies of the reports of Colonels Hunton, Griffin, and Featherston of the battle of Leesburg, or Ball's Bluff, on the 21st of October last; and a copy of the report of Colonel Barksdale of the engagement near Edwards Ferry on the 22d of the same month;
which was read and agreed to.
Mr. Davis introduced
A bill supplemental and amendatory of an act to authorize the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in certain cases;
which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Clapp introduced
A bill to provide for the removal or destruction of property in certain cases and to perpetuate the testimony in such cases;
which was read the first and second times, ordered to be printed, and referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Bell offered
A resolution to authorize the Committee on Military Affairs to continue its labors during the vacation of Congress.
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Mr. Curry moved that its consideration be postponed and that it be placed upon the Calendar.
Mr. Swan called the question; which being seconded, the motion was agreed to.
Upon motion of Mr. Kenner, the House then resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, again resolved itself into open session;
When,
Mr. Chambers, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled
A bill of the Senate to regulate the mode of paying the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, and the disbursement of the contingent fund;
And the Speaker signed the same.
A message was received from the President, by his Private Secretary, Mr. Harrison, informing the House that he had this day approved and signed a joint resolution for the relief of Mrs. Julia Tyler, executrix of Hon. John Tyler.
Upon motion,
The House then adjourned until 12 o'clock to-morrow.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
The Chair presented a message from the President; which is as follows:
Executive Department, March 24, 1862.
To the honorable the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Sir: I herewith transmit for the consideration of the House of Representatives a communication from the Secretary of the Navy, with accompanying papers, which afford information sought by the resolution of the House of Representatives on the 17th instant.
I also suggest that these papers be regarded confidential, and be considered in secret session.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
On motion of Mr. Kenner, the House then went into Committee of the Whole, Mr. Curry being in the chair, on
A bill making appropriations for the support of the Government from 1st April to 30th November, 1862, and for objects hereinafter expressed;
and having spent some time therein, on motion of Mr. Kenner, the committee rose and, through their Chairman, Mr. Curry, reported that they had concluded the consideration of the bill and recommended its passage, with sundry amendments.
And the question being upon agreeing to the amendments of the committee,
Mr. Kenner demanded the previous question; and the demand being sustained, the amendments were agreed to, and are as follows, to wit:
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And in the clause relating to the salaries of the chief and subcollectors of the war tax, by striking out the words "three hundred and sixty-seven thousand two hundred" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "two hundred and fifty, thousand."
And in the clause relating to the wages of the assessors of the war tax, by striking out the words "four hundred and seventy-five thousand" and inserting in lieu thereof "three hundred thousand.",
And by striking out in the clause relating to the rent of executive buildings the words "President's House," and also in the same clause, by striking out the words "fourteen thousand dollars" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "eleven thousand six hundred and twenty dollars."
And by inserting after the clause providing for the contingent expenses of the Department of War, as an additional clause, the following, to wit:
"For floating defenses of the western waters, five hundred thousand dollars, in accordance with the letter of the President of March twenty-fourth, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, and to be expended by the Secretary of War."
And by adding at the end of the bill as additional clauses, the following, to wit:
"For construction of ironclad vessels in Europe, two millions of dollars."
The bill was then engrossed and read a third time.
Mr. Lyons moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.
Mr. Swan moved a call of the House.
The motion did not prevail.
Mr. Davis moved that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was lost.
A message was received from the President, by the hands of his Private Secretary, Mr. Harrison.
And on motion of Mr. Davis,
The House adjourned until 19 o'clock to-morrow.
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