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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 --SEVENTEENTH DAY--MONDAY, December 28, 1863.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment.
Mr. Lyons moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill to prohibit dealing in the paper currency of the enemy was passed.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary; which is as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill of the following title, viz:
In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
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Mr. Dargan introduced
A bill to receive into the service of the Confederate States that portion of the population of Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida known as and called "creoles;"
which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Smith of Alabama introduced the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire whether or not the copyright law as it now exists extends the privilege of copyright to ordinary telegraphic dispatches to newspapers, embracing news paragraphs and daily occurrences; and that said committee be instructed to inquire into the expediency, if in their opinion the present law does embrace such telegraphic dispatches, of bringing in a bill to repeal so much of said law.
Mr. Clopton introduced a series of joint resolutions of the Alabama legislature in relation to the increase of the Army of the Confederate States; which, without being read, were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Clopton also introduced
A bill to increase the efficiency of the Army by the employment of slaves;
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Foster introduced the following resolution, viz:
Resolved, That the Secretary of War be requested to instruct Major-General Joseph Wheeler and Brigadier-General Stephen D. Lee each to send a quartermaster to the First Congressional district of Alabama, with instructions to adjust, according to the principles of an act approved March twenty-sixth, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, the unsettled balances due citizens for supplies, etc., furnished their respective commands while they encamped in that district.
The resolution was referred to the Committee on Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments.
Mr. Curry presented a series of joint resolutions of the Alabama legislature in reference to taxation and the currency; which, without being read, were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Curry also presented joint resolutions of the Alabama legislature relative to the enforcement of the conscript law; which, without being read, were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Chilton introduced the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, viz:
Mr. Dargan presented a petition from Leslie E. Brooks, praying relief as paymaster on the Chattahoochee; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.
Mr. Hanly introduced
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A bill to provide for the ascertaining and settling accounts against the Government in the Trans-Mississippi Department; which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Garland moved to take from the Calendar of last session a bill to amend an act to establish judicial courts of the Confederate States, and also a bill to provide for digesting the laws, and be placed upon the Calendar of this session.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. Garland introduced
A bill to suppress abuses in the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments;
which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments.
Mr. Hanly introduced
A bill to authorize the President to appoint a commissioner to examine and audit certain claims in the State of Arkansas, and to fix the rank, pay, and rations of said commissioner;
which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Hanly introduced the following resolution, viz:
Resolved, That one additional page be appointed for the use of this House, with the same pay allowed to other pages.
The resolution was lost.
Mr. Clark presented a memorial of sundry citizens of Dawson County, Ga., praying the establishment of a new post route in said county; which was referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
Mr. Clark introduced the following preamble and resolution; which were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, viz:
Whereas a rumor prevails that great abuses in what is termed commutation exist in the offices attached to the Department of War, in this, that persons performing merely clerical duties, in the Adjutant, Ordnance, and perhaps other offices, who not only receive the pay usually allowed clerks, but in addition thereto are allowed by "commutation" to receive money for room rent, forage for horses, and wood, and further permitted to purchase supplies from the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments at a much cheaper rate than the market price, a process whereby captains, majors, and colonels who are only performing the duties of a twelve or fifteen hundred dollar clerk are actually receiving from the Government pay equal to a major-general in the field: Therefore,
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to call upon those departments and ascertain the facts, and report by bill or otherwise.
Mr. Singleton presented a joint resolution of the Mississippi legislature, requesting that Congress repeal that part of the conscript act which authorizes substitutes; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Clapp introduced
A bill to provide for wounded and disabled officers and soldiers an asylum, to be called the "Veteran Soldiers' Home;"
which was read first and second times, laid on the table, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Miles presented a communication from the governor of South Carolina, covering resolutions of the legislature of that State relative to impressments.
The message and resolutions were referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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Mr. Simpson presented a memorial from R. Y. Jones, praying relief for Treasury notes destroyed by fire; which was referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Foote offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of soldiers in the cavalry service being hereafter mounted at the expense of the Government, and promptly resupplied with horses when they chance to die or are otherwise lost without default of the rider.
Mr. Foote also presented sundry letters from persons in the Army upon questions of legislation relative to the Army; which, without being read, were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Wright of Tennessee presented a memorial from General Hardee and others in favor of allowing forage for one horse to each chaplain in the Army; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Wright of Tennessee also introduced
A bill to amend an act approved April 19, 1862, entitled "An act to prohibit the transportation to and sale of certain articles in any port or place within the Confederate States in the possession of the enemy, and to prohibit the sale, barter, or exchange of certain articles therein named, to alien or domestic enemies."
The bill was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Heiskell introduced
A bill to restore the efficiency of the Army;
which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Heiskell also introduced
A bill to protect citizens and noncombatants seized by the enemy; which was read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Atkins introduced the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill to this House providing for the appointment of one quartermaster and one commissary, each with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, for each division of cavalry and infantry in the service.
Mr. Sexton presented an application of C. J. Field for relief as collector of war tax in Texas; which was referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Sexton also offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs inquire and report to this House whether there is any law or regulation authorizing major or brigadier generals to detail companies of cavalry for personal escorts or bodyguards.
Mr. Sexton also offered the following resolution; which was unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That, as a testimonial of the appreciation entertained by this House of the gallant and valuable services rendered to the country during the present war by Major-General John B. Hood, the Speaker be instructed to invite him to a seat on the floor of the House.
The Speaker presented a memorial of Capt. George Davis, praying that he be allowed credit for public money stolen from him; which was referred to the Committee on Claims.
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The morning hour having expired,
The House resumed the consideration of the unfinished business of Thursday; which was
A bill to provide for wounded and disabled soldiers.
The pending question being on Mr. Kenan's amendment, and the yeas and nays having been ordered,
Yeas: Atkins, Bell, Clopton, Currin, Curry, Freeman, Graham, Hanly, Hartridge, Lander, Lewis, McLean, Menees, Ralls, Sexton, Simpson, Singleton, Strickland, Trippe, Vest, Welsh, Wilcox, and Wright of Tennessee.
Nays: Ashe, Boteler, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Chrisman, Clapp, Foote, Gaither, Heiskell, Lyons, Machen, Miles, Read, Smith of Alabama, Swan, and Villeré.
No quorum voting,
The House,
On motion of Mr. Foote,
Adjourned until 12 o'clock to-morrow.
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