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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 --THIRTIETH DAY--TUESDAY, January 12, 1864.

Journal of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861-1865 [Volume 6]
THIRTIETH DAY--TUESDAY, January 12, 1864.

OPEN SESSION.

The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Edwards.

Mr. Ingram, the newly elected member from the Third Congressional district of Georgia, to supply the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Mr. Holt, appeared, was duly qualified, and took his seat.

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The Chair laid before the House a communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:

Richmond, Va., January 11, 1864.

To the House of Representatives:

In partial response to your resolution of the 11th ultimo, I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, showing "the number of officers and men, including the police and mounted guard employed in executing the conscript law," in the States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Further information on the subject will be furnished when received.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

The communication and accompanying documents were laid on the table and ordered to be printed.

The Chair also laid before the House another communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:

Richmond, Va., January 11, 1864.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I herewith transmit for your consideration a communication from the Attorney-General, containing an estimate of an additional sum required by the Department of Justice.

I recommend that an appropriation be made of the amount specified for the purpose indicated.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

The communication and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Boyce, under a suspension of the rules, introduced

A bill to continue in force the provisions of an act therein named; which was read a first and second time, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.

Mr. Boyce moved to suspend the forty-second rule, requiring bills to lie over two days for reconsideration.

The motion was agreed to.

Mr. Goode, by unanimous consent, offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:

Resolved, That a special committee of five be appointed, whose duty it shall be to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the impressment for the use of the Army of a share of the pork and bacon held by all persons in the country who have a full supply for the year on hand, said impressment to be made at prices to be agreed upon or to be fixed by local appraisers, without appeal.

Mr. Wilcox introduced

A bill to authorize commanders of corps and departments to detail field officers as members of courts-martial under certain circumstances; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs; also

A bill to authorize the President to assign judges of courts-martial from one court to another;
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs; also

A bill to authorize the President to appoint quartermasters and commissaries to armies, corps, and divisions, and to fix their rank;
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Hartridge offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:

Resolved, That the President be requested to inform this House whether authority has been granted by the War Department to any person or persons to raise new companies,

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battalions, or regiments of troops since September twenty-seventh, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, in portions of the country in which the conscript law has not been suspended by the President; and further, if such authority has been granted, to whom and in how many instances it has been granted and how many companies, battalions, or regiments have been raised under such authority.

Mr. Chambliss presented a communication from the officers and privates of the Ninth Virginia Regiment of Infantry, Barton's brigade, touching the condition of their families; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Russell offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Committee on Elections inquire into the expediency of authorizing the citizens of Maryland serving in the Army to elect a Delegate to this House, with rights similar to those conferred on Delegates from the Territory of Arizona and from the Indian nations, and without the power to vote.

The resolution was lost.

Mr. Holcombe presented the memorial of certain citizens of Virginia, suggesting amendments to the Confederate tax bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. Villeré offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs inquire whether the vessels constructed for harbor defense are adapted to the purpose, and if not, whether any steps have been taken to improve those now in process of construction.

Mr. Wilcox, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported

A bill to provide for the payment of horses captured, killed, or permanently disabled in the service;
which was read a first and second time.

And the question being on postponing the bill and placing it upon the Calendar,

It was decided in the negative.

The bill having been read as follows, viz:

• Section 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That from and after the passage of this act, if any regular or volunteer, field or staff, or other commissioned officer or private in the military service of the Confederate States shall sustain damage, without any fault or neglect on his part, while in the regular and proper discharge of his duty, by the loss of a horse in battle, or by the loss of a horse wounded in battle, or permanently disabled by wounds and abandoned by order of his commanding officer, or who shall sustain damage by the capture of a horse in battle, or by an unavoidable accident, or by abandonment by order, or because the rider or owner was dismounted or separated from his horse and ordered to duty in a field or station detached from his horse, or by the loss of the usual and necessary equipage in consequence of the loss of his horse as aforesaid, shall be allowed and paid the value of his horse and equipage according to the appraised value thereof at the time of muster into service, under rules to be prescribed by the Secretary of War.
• Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That horses disabled in action or by unavoidable accident, so as to be unfit for service whilst the rider or owner was in the proper discharge of his duty, shall be turned over to the quartermaster of his post, company, battalion, regiment, brigade, or division, to be sold for the benefit of the Confederate States,

Mr. Boteler submitted the following amendment (in the nature of a substitute):

• Section 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That any regular or volunteer field, staff, or other commissioned officer, or mounted volunteer, ranger, cavalry or mounted militia [man], engaged in the military service of the Confederate States since the first day of February, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, who has or shall sustain damage, without any fault or negligence on his part, whilst in the regular and proper discharge of his duty, by the loss of a horse killed in battle, or which having been wounded in battle has since died or become permanently

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  disabled by said wound, or being so wounded, shall have been or shall be consequently abandoned by order of his immediate commanding officer and lost, or who shall sustain damage by the loss of a horse by an unavoidable accident or capture, or by abandonment by order of his immediate commanding officer, or because the rider or owner was dismounted or separated from his horse by order of his officer, and on duty in the field or station detached from his horse, or by the loss of the usual and necessary equipage in consequence of the loss of his horse as aforesaid, shall be allowed and paid the value thereof, which shall be ascertained by satisfactory evidence, under rules and regulations furnished by the Secretary of War, according to the appraised value at the time of their muster into service.

• Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That horses disabled in action, or by other casualties of the service whilst the soldier is in the regular and proper discharge of his duty, shall be turned over to the quartermaster of his post, regiment, brigade, or division, as the case may be, to be sold for the benefit of the Confederate States, and their owners shall be allowed compensation for them according to their appraised value, under the rules to be prescribed as aforesaid.

Mr. Burnett submitted the following amendment to the amendment:

• Section 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact: That any regular or volunteer field, staff, or other commissioned officer, mounted volunteer, ranger, cavalry or mounted militia man, engaged in the military service of the Confederate States since the fifth of February, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, who has or shall sustain damage, without any fault or negligence on his part, while in said service, by the loss of a horse killed in battle, or by the loss of a horse wounded in battle, which has died or shall die of said wound, or shall have been or shall be permanently disabled by said wound and thereby rendered unfit for service, or being so wounded, shall have been or shall be abandoned by order of his immediate commanding officer and lost, shall be allowed and paid the value thereof.

On motion of Mr. Wilcox, the bill and amendments were laid on the table and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Wilcox, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to which had been referred

A bill providing for the payment of certified accounts in the Trans-Mississippi Department,
reported the same back, with the recommendation that the committee be discharged from its further consideration, and that it be referred to the Committee on the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments.

It was so ordered.

Also, a bill to provide the appointment of a commissioner of accounts for the Trans-Mississippi Department, with the same recommendation; which was agreed to.

Mr. Hilton, from the same committee, to which had been referred

A bill authorizing chaplains in certain cases to draw forage for one horse,
reported back the same, with the recommendation that it do pass.

The question on postponing was decided in the negative.

The bill having been read as follows, viz:

The Congress of the Confederate States do enact, That chaplains in the Army in actual service in the field shall be entitled to draw forage for one horse,

Mr. Chambliss moved to amend by adding at the end the following, viz:

Provided, The chaplain has a horse in his use.

The amendment was agreed to.

Mr. Smith of Alabama moved to lay the bill on the table.

Mr. Goode demanded the yeas and nays thereon;

Which were ordered,

And recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 7
• Nays ... 55 [58]

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Yeas: Chrisman, Dargan, Dupré, Ewing, Kenan of Georgia, Pugh, and Smith of Alabama.

Nays: Arrington, Atkins, Baldwin, Boteler, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Burnett, Chambliss, Chilton, Clapp, Clopton, Collier, Crockett, Curry, Davidson, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Freeman, Gaither, Garland, Garnett, Gartrell, Goode, Graham, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Heiskell, Hilton, Holcombe, Johnston, Jones, Kenan of North Carolina, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, Martin, McDowell, McLean, Miller, Moore, Munnerlyn, Preston, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, Singleton, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Strickland, Swan, Trippe, Vest, Villeré, Wilcox, and Wright of Tennessee.

So the motion to lay on the table was lost.

Mr. Farrow submitted the following amendment:

Add at end the following: "And any regular minister of any one of the denominations, who may be regularly assigned by the authority of their church, may, by order of the commander of the brigade, be entitled to the rations of a soldier and to draw forage for one horse."

Mr. Foster called the question; which was ordered, and the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. Machen moved to reconsider the vote just taken, by which the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. Garland moved to lay the motion to reconsider on the table.

Upon which Mr. Machen demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the motion to lay on the table was lost.

Mr. Hilton called the question; which was ordered, and the motion to reconsider prevailed.

The question recurring on the amendment of Mr. Farrow,

Mr. Curry called the question; which was ordered, and the amendment was not agreed to.

The question recurring on ordering the bill to be engrossed and read a third time,

Mr. Curry called the question; which was ordered, and the bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed.

A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary; which is as follows, viz:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed, without amendment, a bill of this House entitled

• H. R. 88. An act to continue in force the provisions of an act therein named.

The House then, on motion of Mr. Jones, resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, again resolved itself into open session.

The Chair laid before the House a message from the President; which is as follows, viz:

Richmond, Va., January 12, 1864.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, submitting "the condensed estimates of appropriations required for the support of the Government for the period from January 1 to June 30, 1864, inclusive." It was intended that these estimates should accompany my message of the 7th ultimo, but they seem to have failed to reach the committees.

I recommend that appropriations be made of the sums specified for the purposes indicated.

JEFFERSON DAVIS.

The message and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and ordered to be printed.

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A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary; which is as follows, viz:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills and a joint resolution of the following titles, viz:

• S. 144. An act to change the time for the assembling of Congress for its next regular session;
• S. 172. A bill to increase the compensation of certain civil officers and employees in the President's office and in the Executive Departments at Richmond for a limited period;
• S. 179. A bill making allowances to officers of the Navy of the Confederate States, under certain circumstances, and to amend an act entitled "An act to provide for the organization of the Navy," approved March 16, 1861;
• S. 178. A bill to provide payment for certain printing therein mentioned, done by authority of the two Houses of Congress; and
• S. 22. Joint resolution for the benefit of Zedekiah McDaniel, of Kentucky, and Francis M. Ewing, of Mississippi;

In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.

The Chair laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 179) making allowances to officers of the Navy of the Confederate States, under certain circumstances, and to amend an act entitled "An act to provide for the organization of the Navy," approved March 16, 1861; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

Also, a Senate bill (S. 172) to increase the compensation of certain civil officers and employees in the President's office and in the Executive Departments at Richmond for a limited period; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Also, a Senate bill (S. 178) to provide payment for certain printing therein mentioned, done by authority of the two Houses of Congress; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Printing.

Also, a Senate bill (S. 144) to change the time for the assembling of Congress for its next regular session; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Also, a Senate joint resolution (S. 22) for the benefit of Zedekiah McDaniel, of Kentucky, and Francis M. Ewing, of Mississippi; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Claims.

Mr. Garnett, by unanimous consent, offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:

Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate any orders or regulations establishing a domestic passport system for citizens, whether men or women, traveling within the Confederate States outside the line of any army, the authority under which such order or regulations are made, and the number and compensation of the officers and men employed in administering and enforcing such system of domestic passports.

Mr. Dargan introduced

A bill to regulate the fees of district attorneys, clerks, and marshals of the Confederate States;
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Elliott, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled a bill entitled

• H. R. 88. An act to continue in force the provisions of an act therein named.

And the Speaker signed the same.

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On motion of Mr. Chambliss, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. Miller, detained from his seat by indisposition.

Mr. Wilcox moved that the House take a recess until half past 7 o'clock.

Mr. Lyons demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the motion was agreed to.

The House having taken a recess until 7.30 o'clock, reassembled at that hour, and on motion of Mr. Perkins, resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, again resolved itself into open session.

Mr. Foote moved to reconsider the vote by which the House referred the Senate joint resolution for the benefit of Zedekiah McDaniel, of Kentucky, and Francis M. Ewing, of Mississippi, to the Committee on Claims.

The motion was agreed to.

Mr. Foote moved that said joint resolution be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs; which motion was agreed to.

Mr. Pugh moved that when the House adjourn it adjourn to 10 o'clock to-morrow.

Mr. Elliott moved that the House adjourn; which motion was lost.

The motion of Mr. Pugh was agreed to, and

The House, on motion of Mr. Pugh, adjourned.

SECRET SESSION.

The House being in secret session,

Mr. Smith of Alabama, by unanimous consent, presented a proposition on the currency; which was ordered to be printed.

Mr. Pugh, under a suspension of the rules, offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That at two o'clock to-day the vote shall be taken on the resolution to recommit the bill to tax, fund, and limit the currency.

Mr. Pugh called the question; which was ordered.

Upon which Mr. Lyons demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the resolution was adopted.

The House then resumed the consideration of the special order (the bill to tax, fund, and limit the currency).

Mr. Lyon, by consent, modified his resolution so as to substitute in lieu thereof the following, viz:

Resolved, That the bill be recommitted to the committee, with instructions to report a bill--

• First. To provide for a tax of fifty per cent on the outstanding circulation and for funding the remainder.
• Second. To lay taxes on property, credits, and profits, and to continue the tax on incomes, trades, professions, etc., and the tax in kind, so as to aid in supporting the Government, in reducing the public debt, and in defraying the expenses of the war.
• Third. To authorize a new issue of Treasury notes to the amount of two hundred million dollars, and to limit the issue of Treasury notes.
• Fourth. For any deficit in meeting the expenses of the Government for eighteen hundred and sixty-four to authorize the issue of dollars in six per cent coupon bonds, to be exempt from taxation, with a pledge of import duties to secure payment of the same.

Mr. Hilton submitted the following amendment to the amendment of Mr. Lyons (in the nature of a substitute):

Resolved, That the bill be recommitted to the special committee, with instructions--

• First. To report a bill levying a tax of twenty-five per cent on the outstanding Treasury notes and on the value of cotton, tobacco, and naval stores.

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• Second. Said bill to provide for raising one hundred million dollars as near as may be by tax on profits, incomes, trades, and other subjects and matters of taxation.
• Third. Levying a tax of one per cent on land and negroes, Confederate bonds, and interest-bearing notes.

Mr. Machen called the question; which was ordered.

And being on the amendment of Mr. Hilton,

It was decided in the affirmative.

The question recurring on the amendment of Mr. Conrad,

Mr. Conrad demanded the yeas and nays;

Which were ordered,

And recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 27
• Nays ... 47

Yeas: Atkins, Baldwin, Boteler, Boyce, Burnett, Conrad, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gardenhire, Garnett, Graham, Gray, Hartridge, Johnston, Lewis, Lyons, Perkins, Pugh, Sexton, Smith of Alabama, Strickland, Villeré, Welsh, Wilcox, Wright of Tennessee, and Wright of Texas.

Nays: Arrington, Barksdale, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Chambliss, Chilton, Chrisman, Clapp, Clopton, Collier, Conrow, Crockett, Curry, Dargan, De Jarnette, Dupré, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Freeman, Gaither, Garland, Gartrell, Hanly, Heiskell, Hilton, Holcombe, Jones, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Lander, Lyon, Machen, Martin, McDowell, McLean, McQueen, Menees, Moore, Munnerlyn, Russell, Simpson, Singleton, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Swan, and Trippe.

So the amendment was lost.

The question recurring on the amendment of Mr. Lyons, as amended,

Mr. Kenan of Georgia demanded the yeas and nays;

Which were ordered,

And recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 35
• Nays ... 39

Yeas: Arrington, Atkins, Baldwin, Boteler, Bridgers, Chambliss, Chrisman, Clapp, Collier, Conrow, Curry, Davidson, De Jarnette, Dupré, Farrow, Funsten, Gartrell, Hartridge, Heiskell, Hilton, Holcombe, Johnston, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Lyons, Martin, McDowell, Moore, Munnerlyn, Pugh, Russell, Trippe, Welsh, Wright of Tennessee, and Wright of Texas.

Nays: Barksdale, Boyce, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chilton, Clopton, Conrad, Crockett, Dargan, Elliott, Ewing, Foote, Foster, Gaither, Gardenhire, Garland, Garnett, Graham, Gray, Hanly, Jones, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, McLean, McQueen, Menees, Perkins, Preston, Sexton, Simpson, Singleton, Smith of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina, Strickland, Villeré, and Wilcox.

So the amendment as amended was lost.

The question recurring on the resolution of Mr. Lyon,

Mr. Swan demanded the yeas and nays;

Which were ordered,

And recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 22
• Nays ... 53

Yeas: Barksdale, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Conrad, Conrow, Crockett, Davidson, Ewing, Gaither, Gardenhire, Hanly, Kenan of North Carolina, Lewis, Lyon, McLean, Menees, Sexton, Simpson, Singleton, Strickland, Villeré, and Wilcox.

Nays: Arrington, Atkins, Baldwin, Boteler, Boyce, Eli M. Bruce, Burnett, Chambliss, Chilton, Chrisman, Clapp, Clopton, Collier,

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Curry, Dargan, De Jarnette, Dupré, Elliott, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Funsten, Garland, Garnett, Gartrell, Goode, Graham, Gray, Hartridge, Heiskell, Hilton, Holcombe, Johnston, Jones, Kenan of Georgia, Lander, Lyons, Machen, Martin, McDowell, McQueen, Moore, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Pugh, Russell, Smith of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina, Swan, Trippe, Welsh, Wright of Tennessee, and Wright of Texas.

So the resolution was lost.

Mr. Jones called the question; which was ordered.

And being on the amendment of Mr. Conrad to the first section of the bill,

It was decided in the negative.

Mr. Chilton submitted the following amendment:

Strike out of the bill of the committee the first, second, third, and fourth sections and insert in lieu thereof:

• "Section 1. That all Treasury notes above and including the denomination of five dollars, not bearing interest, issued before the second day of April, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, shall, until the ... day of ... , eighteen hundred and sixty-four, be fundable in bonds bearing interest at the rate of four per cent; and all interest-bearing notes, issued as aforesaid, shall be fundable by the time aforesaid in bonds bearing the same rate of interest and payable at the same time with said notes, or if the holders prefer it, they may, by the time aforesaid, fund said notes in four per cent bonds having the same time to run as the bonds into which other Treasury notes are fundable, as is provided by the ninth section of this act; and all notes above and including the denomination of five dollars, issued since the second day of April, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, shall be fundable in the manner and within the times prescribed by the respective acts of Congress regulating and providing for their issue; and when the existing law has failed to prescribe the manner or time within which such Treasury notes may be funded, then such notes shall be fundable in bonds bearing four per cent interest per annum until the said ... day of ... , eighteen hundred and sixty-four; and all call-loan certificates which are convertible into notes shall be fundable in the same manner as the notes into which they are convertible: Provided, That the holders of Treasury notes of all descriptions shall have the privilege, by the time aforesaid, of funding the same in four per cent bonds.
• "Sec 2. For the purpose of maintaining the plighted faith of the Government in the ultimate redemption and payment of its pecuniary obligations, and to enable it to achieve its independence, a tax of ... per cent shall be levied and collected upon all Treasury notes above the denomination of five dollars that may be outstanding on the ... day of ... next, and the holders of said notes shall present them, at such time and under such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, to agents, to be appointed by the said Secretary, in the respective districts in which such holders may reside, and the said agents, respectively, shall deduct the amount of said tax from the amount of said notes and shall, by such mark or designation as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe, to be affixed or stamped upon each note returned to the holder, show that said note has paid its proportion of said tax, and all such notes as shall not be marked or designated as aforesaid by the ... day of ... next shall be forfeited to the Confederate States and held entirely null and void for failure to pay such tax.
• "Sec 3. All call-loan certificates which shall be outstanding on the said ... day of ... next shall be produced, taxed, marked, or designated in the same manner and to the same extent that is provided by the foregoing section for the notes into which they are convertible."

Mr. Chambliss moved that the House resolve itself into open session.

Mr. Foster demanded the yeas and nays;

Which were ordered,

And are recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 38
• Nays ... 25 [26]

Yeas: Arrington, Baldwin, Barksdale, Boteler, Boyce, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chambliss, Chilton, Conrad, Elliott, Ewing, Farrow, Foote, Funsten, Garland, Garnett, Goode, Graham, Hanly, Hartridge, Heiskell, Johnston, Kenan of North Carolina, Lewis,

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Lyon, Lyons, Martin, McDowell, McQueen, Menees, Moore, Preston, Sexton, Smith of North Carolina, Swan, and Villeré.

Nays: Atkins, Clapp, Clopton, Collier, Curry, Davidson, Dupré, Foster, Gardenhire, Hilton, Kenan of Georgia, Machen, McLean, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Pugh, Russell, Simpson, Singleton, Smith of Alabama, Strickland, Trippe, Vest, Welsh, Wilcox, and Wright of Tennessee.

So the motion prevailed, and the House resolved itself into open session.

The House having taken a recess until half past 7 o'clock, reassembled at that hour; and having resolved itself again into secret session,

Mr. Swan moved a call of the House; which motion was agreed to.

The roll was called and the following gentlemen answered to their names:

Messrs. Atkins, Boteler, Burnett, Chilton, Clapp, Clopton, Collier, Conrow, Curry, Elliott, Ewing, Foote, Foster, Freeman, Gardenhire, Garland, Gartrell, Graham, Hartridge, Heiskell, Hilton, Holcombe, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, McLean, Menees, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Sexton, Singleton, Strickland, Swan, Trippe, Villeré, Wilcox, Wright of Tennessee, and Wright of Texas.

Pending the proceedings under the call, a quorum having been found to be present,

On motion of Mr. Goode, further proceedings were dispensed with.

Mr. Holcombe moved to recommit the bill to the committee, with the following instructions:

To report bills--

• 1. To authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to issue Treasury notes to discharge the existing liabilities of the Government, to the amount of one hundred millions of dollars, and to repeal all other laws authorizing the issue of Treasury notes.
• 2. In the event of the receipts from taxes and the sales of bonds not coming into the Treasury with such rapidity as to defray the current expenses of the Government, authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to issue bills in the nature of exchequer bills, to be paid out of the taxes accruing during the year to the amount of one hundred and fifty millions of dollars.
• 3. Providing for a remission of the tax of ten per cent on Treasury notes when the same have been paid into the Treasury prior to the first of April, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, in payment of taxes, or to be exchanged for bonds to be issued under the authority of this act.
• 4. For the imposition of taxes on real and personal property, in addition to the tax in kind of ... per cent, where the owner is not in the military service of the Confederacy; of ... per cent where the owner is in the military service, and an additional tax in kind to the amount of one-tenth where the owner of a farm or plantation is not in the military service. And for a repeal of the impressment laws, except so far as to secure to the Government a right of preemption at current market rates.
• 5. For an accumulating tax of ... per cent per month on all agricultural products over and above the supply necessary for the family and plantation.
• 6. Authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to issue bonds bearing three per cent interest, payable in ... years, to be free from taxation of either principal or interest, the coupons to be received in the payment of taxes in the proportion of one dollar in coupons to two dollars in Treasury notes. And a bill imposing an export duty to secure payment of same.
• 7. Authorizing the holders of eight per cent bonds to exchange them for the three per cent bonds at par, and the holders of other Government securities at proportionable rates.
• 8. Bills prohibiting the exportation of cotton, except upon Government account, and securing to the Government the control over the specie in the Confederacy.

Mr. Foote called the question; which was ordered, and the motion to recommit was lost.

Mr. Atkins moved to reconsider the vote just taken, by which the motion to recommit was lost.

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Mr. Johnston moved that the House resolve itself into open session; which motion was lost.

Mr. Foote moved to lay the motion to reconsider on the table; which motion was agreed to.

Mr. Foster called the question; which was ordered.

And being on that part of the amendment of Mr. Chilton relating to the first section of the bill,

Mr. Chilton demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the amendment was lost.

Mr. Garnett submitted the following amendment to the first section:

Strike out after the word "shall," in third line, the words "until the first day of, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, be fundable in six per cent bonds of the Confederate States," and insert the words "hereafter be fundable in six per cent bonds of the Confederate States at twenty cents in the dollar."

Mr. Foote called the question; which was ordered, and the amendment was lost.

Mr. Smith of North Carolina moved to strike out the first section of the bill.

The motion was lost.

Mr. Perkins submitted the following amendment:

In ninth line, strike out the words "shall be deemed to be satisfied and discharged" and insert the words "shall not be fundable nor received in payment of Government dues until after the termination of the war."

Mr. Garnett moved that the House adjourn.

The motion was lost.

Mr. Johnston moved that the House resolve itself into open session.

Mr. Foster demanded the yeas and days;

Which were ordered,

And recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 25
• Nays ... 30

Yeas: Boteler, Chrisman, Clapp, Clopton, Curry, Dargan, Elliott, Farrow, Freeman, Gaither, Gardenhire, Garnett, Gartrell, Goode, Heiskell, Holcombe, Johnston, Kenan of North Carolina, Lewis, Lyon, Perkins, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, and Smith of North Carolina.

Nays: Arrington, Atkins, Boyce, Chambliss, Chilton, Collier, Conrad, Conrow, Davidson, Ewing, Foote, Foster, Funsten, Garland, Hartridge, Hilton, Marshall, Martin, McLean, Menees, Munnerlyn, Pugh, Singleton, Strickland, Trippe, Villeré, Welsh, Wilcox, Wright of Tennessee, and Wright of Texas.

So the motion was lost.

Mr. Atkins called the question; which was ordered, and the amendment was lost.

The question recurring on that part of the amendment of Mr. Chilton relating to the second section,

Mr. Atkins called the question; which was ordered.

Mr. Chilton demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the amendment was lost.

Mr. Arrington moved to recommit the bill to the committee, with the following instructions:

To report a bill repealing all laws prohibiting the funding of Treasury notes, and allow them to be funded as expressed in the acts authorizing their issue; and that Treasury notes be taxed as land and slaves for six months; and after the expiration of six months all outstanding Treasury notes shall be subject to a tax of twenty-five per cent.

Page 621 | Page image

Mr. Foote called the question; which was ordered, and the motion was lost.

Mr. Smith of North Carolina moved to amend the second section of the bill by striking out after the word "dollar," in the seventh line, the words
all such Treasury notes outstanding on or after the first day of August, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, shall be deemed to be satisfied and discharged.

Mr. Foote called the question, and the amendment was lost.

Mr. Garnett demanded the previous question.

The demand was not sustained.

And the House,

On motion of Mr. Foote,

Resolved itself into open session.

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