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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 --FORTY-THIRD DAY--THURSDAY, March 5, 1863.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Reed.
Mr. Collier moved to suspend the rules to allow him to introduce a memorial.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Boteler moved to suspend the rules to allow him to introduce a bill.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Ralls moved to suspend the rules to allow him to introduce a resolution in reference to the hour of meeting.
The motion was lost.
The Chair presented the following communication from the President, viz:
Richmond, Va., March 4, 1863.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit a communication from the Secretary of War, covering an estimate of additional funds required for the service of the Ordnance Bureau for the period ending June 30, 1863.
I recommend an appropriation of the amount for the purpose specified.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
which was read and, with its accompanying documents, was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and ordered to be printed.
The following message was received from the Senate, by their Secretary, Mr. Nash, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill entitled
They have also passed a joint resolution of the following title, viz:
In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
The House then resolved into secret session; and having spent some time therein, again resolved into open session;
When, on motion,
The House adjourned until 12 o'clock to-morrow.
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SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
Mr. E. M. Bruce moved that a committee, to be composed of one member from each State, be appointed by the Chair to investigate his conduct in relation to contracts with the Government, and also in relation to the foreign loan.
Mr. Foote moved to amend the motion of Mr. Bruce by striking out the whole thereof and inserting in lieu of the same the following, to wit:
Resolved, That a committee of one member from each State be appointed to examine into the facts this moment disclosed by an honorable member from Kentucky, and that said committee be instructed to inquire into the propriety of members of Congress and other official functionaries, to whom the facts connected with the loan lately effected with certain French bankers had become confidentially known, taking advantage of said knowledge by becoming either directly or indirectly interested in said loan; and that said committee do further inquire whether or not such participation in said loan on the part of members of this House or other public functionaries has actually occurred; and that said committee do inquire further as to the propriety of any member of this House supplying advice to any individual not a member of the same as to the expediency of participating in said loan, and that said committee report their proceedings herein to this House.
Mr. Hodge moved to amend the resolution of Mr. Foote by striking out the whole of the same and inserting in lieu thereof the following, to wit:
Resolved, That a committee of three members be appointed by the Chair, who shall investigate and make inquiry into the charges or rumors against the Honorable E. M. Bruce, and report to this House whether there is any foundation for any charge involving the integrity of the Honorable E. M. Bruce, or any other member of this House, in connection with improper contracts with the Government, and that said committee have power to send for persons and papers.
Mr. Garland moved to lay the resolution and amendments on the table.
Upon which Mr. Foote demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Arrington, Ashe, Atkins, Baldwin, Batson, Boyce, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Chrisman, Clark, Conrad, Conrow, Currin, Curry, Dargan, Dupré, Freeman, Gardenhire, Garland, Garnett, Graham, Hartridge, Heiskell, Herbert, Hodge, Jones, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, McDowell, McLean, McQueen, McRae, Munnerlyn, Pugh, Royston, Russell, Simpson, Smith of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Strickland, Trippe, Wright of Tennessee, and Wright of Texas.
Nays: Boteler, Breckinridge, Eli M. Bruce, Chambers, Chilton, Clopton, Collier, Crockett, Davidson, Ewing, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Gartrell, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Harris, Hilton, Kenner, Marshall, Menees, Miles, Miller, Perkins, Preston, Ralls, Swan, Tibbs, Villeré, Welsh, Wilcox, and Wright of Georgia.
So the motion prevailed.
Mr. Ralls offered the following resolutions:
Whereas the Honorable E. M. Bruce has stated that he did at one time order funds to be invested in the French loan, and subsequently revoked the same: Therefore,
Resolved, That this House is satisfied from the full, frank, and voluntary statement made in regard to the matter that the honorable member had no evil or improper design in the matter.
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Resolved, That, while expressing the opinion as above, this House does not mean to declare that it is proper for the members of the House to engage in loans that have been authorized in secret session by the body of which they are members.
Mr. Chambers moved to amend the resolutions of Mr. Ralls by striking out the whole of the same and inserting in lieu thereof the following, viz:
Resolved, That, in the opinion of this House, the statement of the Honorable E. M. Bruce, touching certain contracts with the Confederate Government mentioned by him freely, acquits him from every charge of improper conduct, and that this House holds him blameless in his connection with the French loan, and also for his investments in cotton.
Mr. Garnett moved that the further consideration of the subject be indefinitely postponed.
Upon which Mr. Foote demanded the yeas and nays;
Which are recorded,
Yeas: Arrington, Ashe, Atkins, Baldwin, Batson, Boteler, Boyce, Bridgers, Burnett, Chrisman, Clopton, Conrow, Currin, Curry, Davidson, Ewing, Freeman, Gardenhire, Garland, Garnett, Graham, Hartridge, Jones, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, McLean, McQueen, McRae, Preston, Pugh, Royston, Sexton, Smith of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina, Strickland, Wright of Tennessee, and Wright of Texas.
Nays: Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Chambers, Chilton, Collier, Conrad, Crockett, Farrow, Foster, Gartrell, Goode, Hanly, Harris, Heiskell, Herbert, Hilton, Hodge, Holcombe, Kenner, Marshall, Menees, Miles, Miller, Perkins, Ralls, Russell, Simpson, Smith of Virginia, Swan, Tibbs, Trippe, Villeré, Welsh, and Wright of Georgia.
So the motion prevailed.
Mr. Machen moved to reconsider the vote just taken, and called the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Breckinridge, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Chambers, Chilton, Chrisman, Conrad, Crockett, Currin, Dargan, Ewing, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Gartrell, Goode, Hanly, Harris, Heiskell, Herbert, Hilton, Holcombe, Kenner, Machen, Marshall, McQueen, McRae, Miles, Moore, Perkins, Ralls, Russell, Simpson, Smith of Virginia, Strickland Swan, Tibbs, Trippe, Villeré, and Wright of Georgia, and Wright of Texas.
Nays: Arrington, Ashe, Atkins, Baldwin, Batson, Boteler, Boyce, Bridgers, Clark, Clopton, Conrow, Curry, Davidson, Dupré, Freeman, Gardenhire, Garland, Garnett, Gray, Hartridge, Jones, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, McLean, Menees, Munnerlyn, Preston, Pugh, Royston, Sexton, Smith of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina, Welsh, and Wright of Tennessee.
So the motion prevailed.
And the question being on the indefinite postponement of the resolution and amendment.
The same was lost.
And the question recurring upon agreeing to the amendment of Mr. Chambers to the resolution of Mr. Ralls,
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Mr. Collier demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Baldwin, Barksdale, Boteler, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chambers, Chrisman, Conrow, Currin, Ewing, Freeman, Garnett, Graham, Hartridge, Herbert, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lewis, Machen, McRae, Menees, Moore, Strickland, and Wright of Texas.
Nays: Arrington, Ashe, Atkins, Batson, Boyce, Chilton, Clark, Clopton, Collier, Conrad, Crockett, Curry, Dargan, Davidson, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Gardenhire, Gartrell, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Harris, Heiskell, Hilton, Holcombe, Lander, Marshall, McLean, McQueen, Miles, Miller, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Ralls, Royston, Sexton, Simpson, Smith of North Carolina, Smith of Virginia, Swan, Tibbs, Trippe, Villeré, Welsh, Wilcox, and Wright of Georgia.
So the amendment was lost.
And the question being upon agreeing to the resolution of Mr. Ralls,
Mr. Chilton demanded a division of the question; which was ordered.
And the question being on agreeing to the first resolution,
Mr. Chilton demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Atkins, Baldwin, Barksdale, Batson, Boyce, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chambers, Chilton, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Collier, Conrad, Conrow, Crockett, Currin, Curry, Dargan, Davidson, Ewing, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Freeman, Gardenhire, Garland, Garnett, Gartrell, Goode, Graham, Gray, Hanly, Harris, Hartridge, Heiskell, Herbert, Hilton, Holcombe, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McDowell, McQueen, McRae, Miles, Miller, Moore, Munnerlyn, Ralls, Royston, Sexton, Simpson, Smith of North Carolina, Smith of Virginia, Strickland, Swan, Tibbs, Trippe, Villeré, Welsh, Wilcox, Wright of Georgia, Wright of Tennessee, Wright of Texas, and Mr. Speaker.
Nays: Arrington, Lander, and McLean.
So the resolution was agreed to.
And the question being upon agreeing to the next resolution,
Mr. Hanly demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Arrington, Atkins, Batson, Bridgers, Burnett, Chambers, Chilton, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Collier, Conrad, Crockett, Currin, Curry, Dargan, Davidson, Ewing, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Garland, Gartrell, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Harris, Hartridge, Heiskell, Hilton, Holcombe, Kenan of North Carolina, Lander, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McLean, McQueen, McRae, Miles, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Pugh, Ralls, Royston, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, Smith of North Carolina, Smith of Virginia, Strickland, Swan, Tibbs, Trippe, Villeré, Welsh, Wilcox, Wright of Georgia, Wright of Tennessee, and Mr. Speaker.
Nays: Baldwin, Conrow, Freeman, Gardenhire, Garnett, Graham, Herbert, Kenan of Georgia, Lewis, Miller, and Wright of Texas.
So the resolution was passed.
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And the question being on agreeing to the preamble,
The same was agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Kenner, an amendment of the Committee on Ways and Means to the tax bill was ordered to be printed.
And on motion of Mr. Collier,
The House resolved itself into open session.
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