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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-FIFTH DAY--MONDAY, January 18, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Marshall.
On motion of Mr. McDowell, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. McLean (detained from his seat by indisposition).
On motion of Mr. Goode, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. Chambliss (detained from his seat by indisposition).
Mr. Boteler presented the memorial of the armorers of the Confederate States Armory at Richmond, asking relief; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Barksdale introduced
A bill for the relief of Livingston Mims,
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Claims.
Also, a bill to authorize payment for property destroyed and injured by reason of military necessities; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Preston, from the Committee on the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments, to which had been referred a resolution requesting the Secretary of War to instruct Generals Wheeler and Lee to send a quartermaster to the First Congressional district of Alabama, to adjust certain unsettled balances, etc., reported back the same, with the recommendation that the committee be discharged from its further consideration, and that it do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Also, a resolution relative to sufferings of our troops for want of subsistence, as alleged in extracts from letters therewith, with the same recommendation; which was agreed to.
Also, a bill to suppress abuses in the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments, with the recommendation that it do pass.
The bill was postponed, placed on the Calendar, and ordered to be printed.
Also, a bill to facilitate the detection of frauds in the Commissary and Quartermaster's Departments, with the recommendation that the committee be discharged from its further consideration, and that it do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Gartrell, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to which had been referred
A bill to regulate the fees of the district attorneys, clerks, and marshals of the Confederate States,
reported back the same, with the recommendation that the committee be discharged from its further consideration, and that it do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Also, a resolution instructing the committee to inquire into the expediency of amending the act regulating impressments so as to relieve from impressment a sufficient quantity of provisions to supply the wants of the nonproducing classes of the community, with the same recommendation; which was agreed to.
Also, a bill to provide payment for slaves impressed under State laws and lost in the public service, with the recommendation that it do pass.
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The bill was postponed, placed upon the Calendar, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Preston, from the Committee on the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments, reported
A bill extending the privilege of purchasing clothing at Government cost to all persons in its employment who have been discharged from the Army on account of wounds received or disease contracted whilst in the service;
which was read a first and second time, postponed, placed on the Calendar, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Clopton offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments be directed to inquire into the expediency of permitting the owners of hogs and cattle, which may be impressed, to slaughter the same instead of having it done by contract with others or by agents of the Government.
Mr. Barksdale offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to report a bill for the more speedy and effectual punishment of officers and privates who are guilty of violating the act to regulate impressments, approved March twenty-sixth, eighteen hundred and sixty-three.
Mr. Ingram offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Whereas many mechanics have been detailed from the Army to work in the Government shops and at stipulated wages; and it is represented by many of these men that on account of the high prices of provisions they are unable to live with their present pay: Therefore,
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be requested to inquire into the expediency of increasing the pay of such detailed mechanics.
The House then proceeded to the consideration of the special order; which was the bill to provide for wounded and disabled officers and soldiers an asylum, to be called "The Veteran Soldier's Home."
Mr. Clapp submitted the following amendment:
In section 1, line 7, strike out the words "be, and the same is hereby, appropriated," and insert after the word "Congress" as follows: "of the amount of which already paid in, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to furnish an estimate upon the passage of this bill, be, and the same are hereby, set apart as a fund."
The amendment was agreed to.
The second amendment of the committee was agreed to, viz:
After the word "enterprise," in line 16, section 1, strike out the words "and of participating in the pleasing and grateful duty of contributing to the relief of those who have periled all, and have been disabled in the service of their country."
The fourth amendment of the committee was agreed to, viz:
Insert after the word "same," line 40, the words "including clothing for the inmates."
The fifth amendment of the committee was agreed to, viz:
Strike out after the word "institution," section 1, line 45, the words "for the benefit of all those invalids, soldiers or seamen, who may need the repose and treatment furnished therein, together with all other persons of said classes, whose wounds from hasty field operations require further surgical attention, and the Surgeon-General shall be authorized to appoint the most skillful surgeons to discharge the duties of said infirmary," and insert the words "under the direction of the Surgeon-General."
The bill was then engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
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The amendment of the committee to the title of the bill was agreed to, viz:
Strike out after the word "officers" the word "and," and insert after the word "soldiers" the words "and seamen."
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.
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.
The Chair laid before the House the following communication from the President:
Richmond, Va., January 18, 1864.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to your resolution of the 30th ultimo, I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, covering copies of regulations and orders relative to the payment of assessments of damages made by commanding officers in the field, without intervention of "courts-martial or boards of survey."
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying documents were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
The Chair also laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 159) to authorize the appointment of an agent of the Post-Office Department, and such clerks as may be necessary, to carry on the postal service in the States west of the Mississippi River;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
Mr. Foster moved that the House take a recess until 7 o'clock.
Mr. Hartridge moved that the House adjourn.
Mr. Hilton demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Baldwin, Barksdale, Bridgers, Chambers, Clapp, Clopton, Conrow, Davidson, Dupré, Gardenhire, Garland, Garnett, Gartrell, Goode, Graham, Hanly, Hartridge, Heiskell, Ingram, Kenan of North Carolina, Lewis, Lyons, McDowell, McLean, McQueen, McRae, Miller, Moore, Russell, Sexton, Strickland, and Trippe.
Nays: Bell, Boyce, Horatio W. Bruce, Chilton, Clark, Conrad, Curry, Dargan, Ewing, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Freeman, Funsten, Gray, Hilton, Johnston, Jones, Miles, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Pugh, Ralls, Singleton, Smith of North Carolina, Vest, Welsh, and Wright of Texas.
So the motion prevailed, and
The Speaker announced that the House stood adjourned until 11 o'clock to-morrow.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
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 (S. 158) entitled "An act to organize forces to serve during the war;" in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
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The Chair having laid the bill before the House, and it having been read a first and second time,
Mr. Miles moved that the rule be suspended requiring it to be referred to a committee.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. Miles moved that the bill be postponed and placed upon the Calendar.
Mr. Foote moved to amend the motion of Mr. Miles by inserting before the word "Calendar" the words "Open Session."
Mr. Jones called the question; which was ordered.
Upon which Mr. Dupré demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Baldwin, Barksdale, Boyce, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Chambers, Chilton, Clark, Clopton, Curry, Davidson, Dupré, Farrow, Foote, Gaither, Garland, Garnett, Gartrell, Goode, Graham, Gray, Hartridge, Lyons, Martin, McDowell, McQueen, Menees, Miles, Preston, Ralls, Russell, Simpson, Staples, Welsh, and Wilcox.
Nays: Arrington, Boteler, Breckindrige, Burnett, Chrisman, Clapp, Crockett, Dargan, De Jarnette, Elliott, Ewing, Foster, Funsten, Gardenhire, Heiskell, Hilton, Ingram, Johnston, Jones, Kenan of North Carolina, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, McRae, Miller, Moore, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Pugh, Singleton, Smith of Alabama, Strickland, Swan, Tibbs, Trippe, Villeré, and Wright of Texas.
So the amendment was not agreed to, and the motion of Mr. Miles prevailed.
Mr. Miles moved that the bill be printed and made the special order from day to day, to be considered after the bills reported from the Committee on the Currency.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. Gaither moved that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the vote by which the amendment of Mr. Foote to the motion of Mr. Miles was disagreed to.
Mr. Hilton moved to lay the motion on the table; which latter motion was agreed to.
The House then proceeded to the consideration of the special order, which was the bill to organize a Treasury note bureau; which was engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
The House then took up the bill to levy additional taxes for the common defense and support of the Government.
Mr. Garnett moved that the bill be considered in open session, and thereon demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Baldwin, Boyce, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Chilton, Clark, Clopton, Curry, Davidson, De Jarnette, Dupré, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Gaither, Garnett, Gartrell, Goode, Graham, Hanly, Jones, Lyons, Martin, McDowell, McQueen, Miles, Preston, Russell, Simpson, Smith of Alabama, Staples, Welsh, and Wilcox.
Nays: Arrington, Boteler, Breckinridge, Eli M. Bruce, Chrisman, Clapp, Crockett, Dargan, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gardenhire, Garland, Hartridge, Heiskell, Hilton, Ingram, Johnston, Kenan of North
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Carolina, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, McRae, Miller, Pugh, Ralls, Singleton, Strickland, Swan, Tibbs, Trippe, Villeré, and Wright of Texas.
So the motion was lost.
Mr. McDowell moved that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the vote just taken.
Mr. Hilton moved to lay the motion on the table.
Mr. Foote demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the motion to lay on the table prevailed.
On motion of Mr. Heiskell, leave of absence was granted Mr. Currin (detained from his seat by indisposition).
On motion of Mr. Menees, leave of absence was also granted his colleague, Mr. Atkins (detained from his seat by indisposition).
Mr. Smith of Alabama moved to reconsider the vote by which the House refused to place the bill of the Senate to organize forces to serve during the war on the Open Session Calendar.
The motion to reconsider was lost.
Mr. Lyons, by unanimous consent, offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary inquire what measures, if any, should be adopted the more effectually to enforce the order of this House as to secret sessions, and have leave to report by bill or otherwise.
On motion of Mr. Jones,
The House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole for the purpose of considering the bill to levy additional taxes for the common defense and support of the Government, Mr. Curry in the chair; and having spent some time therein, the committee rose and reported, through their Chairman, that they had had under consideration the subject referred to them and had come to no conclusion thereon.
And the House,
On motion of Mr. Wright of Texas,
Resolved itself into open session.
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