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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 --SEVENTH DAY--MONDAY, January 19, 1863.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Doggett.
The Chair presented a message from the President; which is as follows:
Richmond, Va., January 17, 1863.
To the House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit a communication from the Secretary of War, covering a copy of an official report recently made by Colonel Imboden, as asked for in a resolution of the House of Representatives on the 15th instant.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
On motion of Mr. Boteler, the message and accompanying documents were laid on the table and ordered to be printed.
The Chair presented the following telegraphic communication from Mr. Bonham, late a Representative from the State of South Carolina:
Columbia, 17th.
Hon. Thos. S. Bocock:
Having accepted the office of governor of South Carolina, I am no longer a member of Congress, and have advised you of it by letter.
M. L. BONHAM.
The House then proceeded to the consideration of the unfinished business; which was the resolution offered by Mr. Lyons in reference to publishing the proceedings and debates of the House in the city newspapers.
The resolution was lost,
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Mr. Staples offered the following resolution; which was read and disagreed to, to wit:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs inquire into the expediency of so amending the exemption law as to exempt cashiers and tellers of banks from military service.
Mr. Dargan introduced
A bill to prohibit quartermasters and others from speculating;
which was read first and second times, referred to the Committee on Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Dargan also introduced
A bill for the relief of collectors and all receiving officers and agents of the Government;
which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
The Chair presented the following communication from J. P. Johnson, to wit:
January 6, 1863.
Hon. Thos S. Bocock,
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Confederate States of America:
I desist from any further contest for the seat occupied in your honorable body by the Hon. A. H. Garland. In coming to this conclusion I desire to reiterate my solemn conviction that I am, by the free suffrage of the people of the Third Congressional district of the State of Arkansas, their rightful Representative, and as such should occupy the seat now held by Mr. Garland, but from a conscientious feeling that I ought not further to prosecute a claim to a seat in Congress, however well founded, at a time when it should give its undivided attention to the successful prosecution of the war, especially as the term for which this Congress is elected is rapidly running to its termination.
Very respectfully,J. P. JOHNSON.
On motion of Mr. Jones, the communication was ordered to be spread on the Journal, and the Committee on Elections was discharged from the further consideration of the case of Johnson vs. Garland.
Mr. Clopton offered the following resolution; which was read and agreed to, to wit:
Resolved, That the Committee on Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments and Military Transportation be instructed to confer with the Secretary of War and procure, if practicable, the establishment of such regulations as will secure to the people of the Confederate States the freest use of the railroad transportation of the country consistent with the military necessities of the Government, and to inquire what legislation, if any, is necessary to accomplish this object.
Mr. Clopton also offered
Joint resolution relating to the conduct of the existing war and the late proclamation of the President of the United States;
which was read first and second times.
Mr. Perkins moved that the House resolve itself into secret session.
Upon which motion Mr. Foote demanded the yeas and nays.
The demand was sustained,
Yeas: Arrington, Boyce, Burnett, Chambliss, Chilton, Clark, Conrow, Ewing, Foster, Heiskell, Holt, Johnston, Kenner, Lander, Lyons, McDowell, McQueen, Perkins, Pugh, Royston, Smith of Alabama, Vest, Wright of Tennessee, and Mr. Speaker.
Nays: Ayer, Baldwin, Barksdale, Boteler, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Clapp, Clopton, Collier, Conrad, Crockett, Currin, Curry,
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Davidson, Davis, Dupré, Farrow, Foote, Gaither, Garland, Gartrell, Goode, Graham, Hilton, Lewis, Machen, McLean, McRae, Menees, Miles, Moore, Preston, Ralls, Read, Sexton, Staples, Strickland, Swan, Villeré, and Wright of Texas.
So the motion was lost.
On motion of Mr. Kenner,
The House resolved itself into secret session;a and having spent some time therein, again resolved itself into open session;
[Note a: a The Journal of this secret session has not been found.]
When,
Mr. Baldwin offered the following resolution; which was read and agreed to, to wit:
Resolved, That the Committee on Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments, to whom has been referred the subject of the flour contract of Messrs. Haxall, Crenshaw & Co., be instructed to make special inquiry and report as to any connection, official or otherwise, that Major Frank G. Ruffin, of the Commissary Department, may have had with the making or with the benefits of that contract, and that said committee have full power to investigate all matters appertaining to said contract.
On motion of Mr. Holt,
The House adjourned until 12 o'clock m. to-morrow.
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