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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 --TENTH DAY--THURSDAY, December 17, 1863.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Duncan.
The Speaker laid before the House a communication from Gen. Robert E. Lee.
Mr. Lyons moved that the communication be read and spread upon the Journal of the House.
The motion was agreed to, and the communication was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, December 16, 1863.
Hon. Thomas S. Bocock,
Speaker of House of Representatives.
Sir: I have received your communication of this date, informing me that the House of Representatives had invited me to a seat in their Hall. I am deeply grateful for this undeserved honor, and should be much gratified to be able to avail myself of the privilege to enjoy the opportunity of paying my respects to the representatives of the people, but called to Richmond on public business, my whole attention is occupied in its execution.
With profound thanks for the honor extended to me by the House of Representatives, sincerely grateful for the kind sentiments expressed by yourself,
I am, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. E. LEE.
On motion of Mr. Lyons, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. Collier.
The Speaker laid before the House a communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., December 16, 1863.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to your resolution of the 10th instant, I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War relative to the exemption of mail contractors "under the act of April 14, 1863," and to the action of the Department upon the subject.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
On motion of Mr. Smith of North Carolina, the communication and accompanying document were referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and ordered to be printed.
The Speaker laid before the House another communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., December 16, 1863.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your consideration a communication from the Attorney-General ad interim, submitting additional estimates for the expenditures of the Department of Justice.
I recommend an appropriation of the amount specified for the purpose designated.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The message and the communication of the Attorney-General were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and ordered to be printed.
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Mr. Read, under a suspension of the rules, introduced
A bill to be entitled "An act providing rations of tobacco for the Army and Navy of the Confederate States;"
which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Lyons, under a suspension of the rules, presented the memorial of sundry clerks in the Executive Departments of the Government at Richmond, praying increased compensation; which, without being read, was referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Gartrell, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to which had been referred
A bill to be entitled "An act providing for the alteration of the tenure in certain offices therein specified,"
reported the same back, with the recommendation that it do not pass.
Mr. Gartrell moved that the committee be discharged from the further consideration of the bill, and that it do lie upon the table.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. Crockett, from the Committee on Elections, to which had been referred
A bill to be entitled "An act to provide for holding elections for Representatives in the Congress of the Confederate States from the State of Missouri,"
[reported the same back,] with the recommendation that it do pass.
On motion of Mr. Crockett, the consideration of the bill was postponed, in order that the same might be considered in secret session.
Mr. E. M. Bruce presented sundry communications from Major-General Hindman; which were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Lyons offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs do inquire whether fines have been illegally imposed on citizens not in the Army, and the property of such persons illegally confiscated by courts-martial and military officers in the city of Richmond or elsewhere; what amount of money has been levied by such fines and how much property has been thus confiscated, and make report thereof with such bill in relation thereto as it may deem necessary.
Mr. Staples offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill placing in the Army, first, all principals whose substitutes have deserted; second, all principals whose substitutes have died or have been discharged from the Army, but providing some equitable mode of remuneration to those whose substitutes have died in the service or have been honorably discharged therefrom.
Also, the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on Ways and Means inquire into the expediency of amending the twelfth section of the act of the twenty-fourth April, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, to lay taxes for the common defense, so as to provide for assessing and taxing hogs slaughtered by others than the producer.
Mr. Chilton introduced
A bill to be entitled "An act to refund to the State of Alabama the sum of -- dollars, the balance due on account of the purchase of the steamer Florida,"
accompanied by a memorial from the State of Alabama; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Foster offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the President be requested to inform this House if any steps have
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been taken by commanding officers to enforce the provisions of an act of Congress entitled "An act to prevent the absence of officers and soldiers without leave," approved April sixteenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-three.
Mr. Hanly offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the President be respectfully requested to furnish this House, if not incompatible with the public interest, a copy of the report of the acts and operations of Major-General T. C. Hindman, under date the nineteenth June, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, and filed in the Adjutant and Inspector General's Office.
Mr. Garland offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the committee heretofore appointed to inquire into and report upon the manufacture of arms in the city of Richmond be authorized and requested to make further inquiry and report upon the subject, and that the authority conferred by the former order of the House be rescinded, and that two additional members be added to said committee.
Mr. Hilton offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the propriety of increasing the rank and pay of the adjutants of regiments and independent battalions, and report by bill or otherwise.
Mr. Welsh introduced
A bill to be entitled "An act to place missionaries sent to our armies on the same footing with chaplains as to the right to transportation and the purchase of supplies from the quartermasters and commissaries;" which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
A bill to be entitled "An act for the relief of families of soldiers who have died, been disabled, or become diseased in the military service of the Confederate States;"
which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Miles offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the expediency of so amending the laws establishing military courts as to provide for a higher court to which there may be a final appeal from the present courts, which will also have the power to try officers below the rank of lieutenant-general. Also, as to the expediency of giving clearer or more enlarged power to military courts to compel the attendance of witnesses.
Mr. Heiskell offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary inquire and report to this House what legislation is necessary to increase the efficiency in the administration of military law in the Army, and particularly whether there exists sufficient powers of calling courts-martial, and whether any substantial reasons exist why powers to dispose of offenders below the grade of colonel should not be conferred on courts to be called by brigadier-generals.
Mr. Foote offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That certain letters, extracts from which are now read in hearing of the House, relating to the suffering of our brave soldiery for want of needful subsistence, be referred to the Committee on Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments and Military Subsistence [Transportation], and that said committee be instructed to look without delay into the present condition of our heroic armies in regard to subsistence, with a view to recommending the adoption of what they shall deem the surest and readiest means of obtaining accurate information upon this important subject, to the end that all suitable legislative expedients may be adopted without delay for providing our brave soldiery everywhere with substantial and comfortable subsistence.
Mr. Wilcox offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of so amending the act to lay taxes for the common defense as to
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allow planters a just compensation for the bagging and rope furnished by them for the purpose of baling the one-tenth of cotton delivered to the Government.
Mr. Machen offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into and report to this House whether there is any law authorizing the action of the military authorities in requiring passports to be secured by citizens before they are allowed to travel over the ordinary thoroughfares, and in case there is no such law, that they report a bill regulating the subject in such manner as to prevent all unnecessary interference with personal rights, and at the same time protect the efficient organization of the Army and the general interests of the Government.
Mr. Russell moved that the consideration of the Calendar be postponed until he could submit a motion to the House.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. Russell moved that the memorial of William Waller, referred to the Committee on Claims at the last session, be again referred to the same committee.
The motion was agreed to.
The House then proceeded to the consideration of a bill on the Calendar, to be entitled "An act continuing in pay all discharged soldiers by reason of wounds and injuries received in the service."
Mr. Read moved that the bill and amendments be postponed until Monday next, made the special order for that day, and printed.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. Boudinot introduced
A bill to be entitled "An act providing for the appointment of a commissioner of accounts for the States and Territories west of the Mississippi;"
which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Also, a bill to be entitled "An act providing for the payment of all certified accounts of acting quartermasters, acting commissaries, and acting ordnance officers in the States and Territories west of the Mississippi River;" which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
On motion of Mr. Swan,
The House adjourned until 12 o'clock to-morrow.
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