| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journal of the Confederate Congress --THIRTY-EIGHTH DAY--THURSDAY, January 21, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Marshall.
Mr. Jones moved that the following resolution, adopted on Tuesday last, during the call of the House, be rescinded:
Resolved, That a fine of twenty dollars be entered against the members who were found absent upon a call of the House who were not excused.
The motion was agreed to.
The Speaker laid before the House
A bill to authorize the appointment of an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury west of the Mississippi;
which had been returned from the Senate with sundry amendments.
Mr. Jones moved that the rule requiring the amendments to be referred to a committee be suspended; which motion was agreed to.
The amendments having been read as follows, viz:
"That this act shall expire on the day of the ratification of a treaty of peace between the Confederate States and the United States of America."
The same were agreed to.
The Speaker also laid before the House
A bill to grant a special copyright to W. J. Hardee and S. H. Goetzel for Hardee's Rifle and Infantry Tactics;
which had been returned from the Senate with an amendment.
The bill and amendment were referred to the Committee on Patents.
Also, a communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., January 19, 1864.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, covering copies of several additional reports of military operations during the last year.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying documents were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Col. W. D. Holder, member-elect from the Second Congressional district of Mississippi, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Hon. Reuben Davis, appeared, was duly qualified, and took his seat.
By unanimous consent, the following bills, resolutions, memorials, etc., were introduced, adopted, referred, etc.:
Page 658 | Page image
S. C.; read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Also, a bill to authorize the consolidation of companies, battalions, and regiments; read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Also, the following resolution:
Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate to the House all the reports of General Beauregard, connected with the defense of Charleston, which have not hitherto been published.
Adopted.
Also, the following resolution:
Resolved, That the report of the Military Committee, on the claim of General Tochman, made at the last session, be taken from the Calendar of last session, placed upon the present Calendar, and be printed.
Adopted.
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be, and they are hereby, instructed to report to this House whether in their opinion any legislation is necessary to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to pay for cotton subscribed to the cotton loan and destroyed by order of the military authorities before it was delivered under the terms and conditions of the loan; and if not, that they inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill authorizing such payment under such terms as may be prescribed.
Adopted.
Also, the memorial of A. K. Shepard, of Perry County, Ala., praying compensation for slaves employed in the public service and lost from exposure; referred to the Committee on Claims.
Also, the claim of W. E. Persons for property damaged by soldiers in the Confederate service; referred to the Committee on Claims.
Page 659 | Page image
read first and second times and referred to the Special Committee on the Currency.
Also, the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of providing that the clerks and other employees in the executive and legislative departments of the Government in Richmond be allowed to draw rations, and that said committee report by bill or otherwise.
Resolved, That, pending the suspension of exchange of prisoners of war, it is the duty of Congress to give expression to their sympathies for the brave citizen soldiers who have, by the fortune of war, been consigned to a foreign prison, and that every effort made by the President to alleviate their condition and supply their necessities will meet the cordial concurrence of Congress.
Resolved, That, until the enemy shall consent to renew the exchange of prisoners under the cartel, the Congress will cheerfully make all necessary appropriations for supplying the wants of our fellow-citizens now in the hands of the enemy.
Resolved, That, in the opinion of Congress, it is advisable to endeavor to make an agreement with the enemy for permitting the prisoners on each side to be attended by a proper number of their own surgeons, to be mutually permitted, under rules to be established, to take charge of the health and comforts of the prisoners; and also to act as commissaries of prisoners, with power to receive and distribute among the prisoners all contributions made by their friends, or by the respective Governments, of articles of food, clothing, and medicine.
Resolved, That the President be respectfully requested to communicate to Congress the present state of the questions pending between the two Governments relative to the exchange of prisoners.
Also, memorial from the female clerks of the Treasury Department, asking increase of compensation; referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Resolved, That the President inform this House, as soon as practicable, what legislation, if any, is necessary to save the productive power of the planting interest from the damages which may ensue from the enforcement of the clauses of the act in relation to the tax in kind, which requires planters within a certain distance of the railroad to deliver the taxes in kind to Government depots.
Page 660 | Page image
Adopted.
The Speaker laid before the House a communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., January 19, 1864.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to your resolution of the 11th instant, I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War relative to the "collection and distribution of the 'tax in kind' under the act approved April 24, 1863."
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying documents were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
The House then, on motion of Mr. Gartrell, resumed the consideration of the unfinished business of yesterday; which was the bill of the Senate to change the time for the assembling of Congress for its next regular session.
Mr. Foote called the question; which was ordered.
The question being on the motion of Mr. Barksdale to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed,
Mr. Miles demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Baldwin, Barksdale, Bridgers, Chambers, Chambliss, Chilton, Chrisman, Collier, Conrow, Crockett, Curry, Davidson, De Jarnette, Dupré, Ewing, Foster, Freeman, Gaither, Hanly, Hartridge, Hilton, Holcombe, Jones, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, Lyons, Machen, McQueen, McRae, Menees, Munnerlyn, Pugh, Ralls, Simpson, Singleton, Smith of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina, Tibbs, and Trippe.
Nays: Atkins, Bell, Boteler, Boyce, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Clapp, Clark, Clopton, Conrad, Dargan, Farrow, Foote, Gardenhire, Garland, Garnett, Gartrell, Goode, Graham, Gray, Heiskell, Ingram, Johnston, Martin, McDowell, Miles, Miller, Perkins, Preston, Read, Russell, Sexton, Staples, Strickland, Swan, Villeré, Welsh, Wilcox, and Wright of Texas.
So the motion to reconsider prevailed.
The question recurring on the passage of the bill,
Mr. Foote called the question; which was not ordered.
Mr. Foster moved that the bill be recommitted to the Committee on the Judiciary, and called the question; which was ordered.
Upon which Mr. Foote demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the motion to recommit prevailed.
Mr. Hilton moved to reconsider the vote just taken, by which the bill was recommitted.
Mr. Hilton called the question; which was ordered, and the motion to reconsider was lost.
The Speaker laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 191) to amend an act entitled "An act to establish a volunteer navy," approved April 18, 1863; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.
Mr. Gardenhire, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled
Page 661 | Page image
And the Speaker signed the same.
The House then, on motion of Mr. Foster, 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 (S. 196) entitled "An act to extend the provisions of an act entitled 'An act in relation to the receipt of counterfeit Treasury notes by public officers,' approved May first, eighteen hundred and sixty-three;" in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
A message was received from the President, by Mr. Harrison, his Private Secretary, informing the House that on the 19th instant the President approved and signed
An act (H. R. 86, secret) entitled "An act to provide for holding elections for Representatives in the Congress of the Confederate States from the State of Missouri."
Mr. Hilton moved that the House take a recess until 7.30 o'clock.
Mr. Garnett moved that the House adjourn.
Upon the motion to adjourn Mr. Hilton demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Arrington, Baldwin, Barksdale, Bell, Boteler, Burnett, Clapp, De Jarnette, Farrow, Gaither, Garland, Garnett, Gartrell, Goode, Graham, Hanly, Ingram, Johnston, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Lewis, Lyons, McDowell, McQueen, McRae, Miller, Preston, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, Smith of Alabama, Welsh, and Wright of Texas.
Nays: Atkins, Boyce, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Chambers, Chambliss, Chilton, Clark, Clopton, Collier, Conrad, Conrow, Curry, Dargan, Davidson, Dupré, Ewing, Foote, Foster, Gray, Hartridge, Heiskell, Hilton, Holcombe, Jones, Lander, Lyon, Machen, Martin, Miles, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Pugh, Ralls, Singleton, Smith of North Carolina, Strickland, Swan, Tibbs, Trippe, Villeré, and Wilcox.
So the House refused to adjourn.
The question recurring on the motion of Mr. Hilton, that the House take a recess until half past 7 o'clock,
It was decided in the affirmative.
Having reassembled,
The House, on motion of Mr. Jones, again resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, again resolved itself into open session, and
On motion of Mr. McQueen,
Adjourned until 11 o'clock to-morrow.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
The Speaker laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 183) to prohibit the importation of luxuries, or of articles not necessaries or of common use.
Mr. Jones moved that the bill be referred to the Committee of the Whole; which motion was lost.
Page 662 | Page image
Mr. Perkins moved that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means; which motion was agreed to.
Mr. Curry moved to reconsider the vote by which the Senate bill to impose regulations upon the foreign commerce of the Confederate States to provide for the public defense was referred to the Committee on Commerce.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. Curry moved that said bill be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means; which latter motion was also agreed to.
The House then resolved itself into Committee of the Whole, to consider the special order, which was 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 said bill under consideration and had come to no conclusion thereon.
On motion of Mr. Garnett,
The House resolved itself into open session.
The House having taken a recess until half past 7 o'clock, and reassembled at that hour, and being in secret session, again resolved itself into Committee of the Whole, on the special order, which was 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 recommended that the bill do pass with sundry amendments.
Mr. Jones demanded the previous question.
The demand was not sustained.
Mr. Atkins moved that the House resolve itself into open session.
Upon which motion Mr. Hartridge demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Arrington, Atkins, Baldwin, Boteler, Boyce, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Burnett, Chambers, Collier, Conrad, Crockett, Dargan, Davidson, De Jarnette, Dupré, Ewing, Gaither, Gartrell, Hanly, Heiskell, Hilton, Ingram, Johnston, Kenan of North Carolina, Lewis, Lyons, Martin, McQueen, McRae, Miller, Munnerlyn, Preston, Ralls, Sexton, Singleton, Smith of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Swan, Trippe, Villeré, Welsh, and Wright of Texas.
Nays: Barksdale, Chambliss, Chilton, Clapp, Clark, Clopton, Conrow, Curry, Farrow, Foote, Gardenhire, Garland, Goode, Gray, Hartridge, Holcombe, Jones, Lander, Lyon, Machen, McDowell, Menees, Miles, Perkins, Pugh, Russell, Simpson, Strickland, Tibbs, and Wilcox.
So the motion prevailed, and
The House resolved itself into open session.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |