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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 --SIXTY-THIRD DAY--MONDAY, March 30, 1863.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment.
The Chair appointed as the special committee, under the resolution offered by Mr. Perkins on Saturday, Messrs. Perkins of Louisiana, Staples of Virginia, Curry of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina, and Singleton of Mississippi.
Mr. McDowell moved that the rules be suspended to enable him to introduce a resolution in relation to the adjournment of Congress.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Miles, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to which was referred a bill of the Senate entitled "An act defining who shall be exempt from serving in the armies of the Confederate States," reported the same back, with the recommendation that the further consideration of the bill be postponed until 12 o'clock m. to-morrow; which was agreed to.
Mr. Harris, from the same committee, to which was referred
A bill for the relief of the families of the noncommissioned officers and privates of the Confederate Army,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from its further consideration, and that the bill do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Harris, on the part of the Military Committee, moved that the bill introduced, during the last session of Congress on the same subject be transferred to the Calendar of the present session; which was agreed to.
Mr. Swan, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to which was referred
A bill in relation to the enrollment of foreigners in the armies of the Confederate States,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from its further consideration, and that the bill be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary; which was agreed to.
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Mr. Miles, from the same committee, to which was referred
A bill continuing in pay all discharged soldiers by reason of wounds and injuries received in the service,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from the further consideration of the bill, and that it do lie upon the table.
The question being on discharging the committee,
Mr. Read demanded the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered,
Yeas: Boyce, Conrad, Conrow, Heiskell, Lewis, Miles, Perkins, Royston, and Villeré.
Nays: Arrington, Ashe, Atkins, Baldwin, Barksdale, Batson, Bell, Boteler, Breckinridge, Horatio W. Bruce, Chambliss, Chilton, Clapp, Clark, Clopton, Collier, Crockett, Currin, Dargan, Davidson, De Jarnette, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Farrow, Foster, Freeman, Gaither, Garland, Garnett, Gartrell, Graham, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Herbert, Hodge, Holt, Jones, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lander, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McDowell, McLean, McQueen, McRae, Menees, Miller, Moore, Munnerlyn, Preston, Pugh, Read, Sexton, Simpson, Singleton, Smith of North Carolina, Strickland, Trippe, Vest, Welsh, Wilcox, Wright of Tennessee, and Wright of Texas.
So the House refused to discharge the committee from the consideration of the bill.
Mr. Read moved that the regular Calendar business be postponed to enable him to offer a motion to reconsider the vote refusing to discharge the committee.
The motion was agreed to, and
Mr. Read moved that the House reconsider the vote by which the House refused to discharge the committee; which was agreed to, and
The committee was discharged from the further consideration of the bill.
On motion of Mr. Read, the bill was taken up.
And the question being on postponing and placing the same upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
On motion of Mr. Chambliss, the further consideration of the bill was postponed, and it was made the special order of business for 12 o'clock m. on Wednesday next.
Mr. Miles, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to which was referred
A bill to increase and strengthen the Army of the Confederate States, reported the same back, with the recommendation that it do not pass and that it be placed upon the Calendar; which was agreed to.
Mr. Miles, from the same committee, to which was referred
A bill to prevent the conscription of officers resigning their commands on account of wounds received or diseases contracted in the service of their country,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from its further consideration, and that the bill do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
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Mr. Miles, from the same committee, to which was referred
A joint resolution of thanks to Lieut. Col. Joseph A. Yates and the officers and men under his command,
reported the same back, with the recommendation that it pass.
The question being on postponing and placing the same upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative, and the joint resolution was taken up, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Miles, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to which was referred
A bill in relation to the enrollment of foreigners in the armies of the Confederate States,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from its further consideration, and that the same be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Miles also, from the same committee, to which was referred
A resolution in relation to the official reports of Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge,
reported the same back, with the recommendation that it do pass with an amendment.
The question being on the postponement and placing the same upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The resolution was taken up, and having been read as follows, to wit:
Resolved, That the Adjutant-General be requested to call upon Major-General John C. Breckinridge for his official report of the operations of his command at the battles of Shiloh, Baton Rouge, and Murfreesboro, and that when received, copies thereof shall be sent to this House and shall be printed.
The committee moved to amend the same by striking out all after the word "Resolved" and inserting in lieu thereof the following, viz:
That the President be requested, if not incompatible with the public interest, to communicate to this House copies of such official reports of general officers of the battles of Shiloh, Baton, Rouge, Murfreesboro, Fort Pillow, Island No. 10, and New Madrid as have not yet been communicated to Congress.
The amendment was agreed to, and the resolution as amended was adopted.
Mr. Miles also, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported the following resolution, to wit:
Resolved, That the President be requested, if not incompatible with the public interests, to furnish this House, in secret session, with a tabular statement of the number of troops from each State, of all arms, now in the service; the number of troops from each State prior to the passage of the first conscription law; the number prior to the passage of the second conscription law, from each State; the number of conscripts received into the Army by the operation of each of these laws, from each State; the number of volunteers received prior to and since the passage of these laws, from each State; the number of soldiers lost in battle, disabled, discharged, died in hospitals, etc., from each State; and such other information of a statistical character, with reference to the Army, as may seem to him judicious and proper.
The question being on postponing and placing the same upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The resolution was taken up and agreed to.
Mr. Miles also, from the same committee, to which was referred
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A bill to provide for the payment of officers acting under temporary appointments from the commanders of any department, corps, division, or brigade,
reported the same back and asked to be discharged from its further consideration, which was agreed to; and
On motion of Mr. Machen, the same was laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Miles, from the same committee, to which was referred
A resolution abolishing camps of instruction,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from its further consideration, and that it do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Miles, from the same committee, to which was referred
A bill to provide for the appointment of additional quartermasters in the Provisional Army,
reported the same back, with the recommendation that it pass with an amendment.
The question being on postponing and placing the same upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The bill was taken up, and having been read as follows, to wit:
The Congress of the Confederate States do enact, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to appoint, during the continuance of the present war, such an additional number of quartermasters in the Provisional Army as in his judgment the good of the service may require, who may be assigned to duty as quartermasters of armies, army corps, divisions, camps of instruction, prisons, or to such other appropriate duties as the Secretary of War may direct,
Mr. Miles, on the part of the committee, moved to amend the bill by striking out all thereof after the word "require."
The amendment was agreed to, and the bill as amended was engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Miles also, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to which was referred
A bill to declare what persons shall be exempt from the military service, and to repeal all acts of exemption heretofore passed,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from its further consideration, and that the bill do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Miles also, from the same committee, to which was referred two petitions on the subject of exemption, reported the same back, asked to be discharged from their further consideration, and that the same lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Conrad, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to which was referred a bill of the Senate entitled "An act to provide for continuing in service seamen and ordinary seamen now in the service of the Confederate States," reported the same back, with the recommendation that it pass.
The question being on postponing and placing the same upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The bill was taken up, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Smith of North Carolina moved that the House reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
Mr. Gartrell demanded the question; which was ordered.
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Mr. Gray demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Ashe, Baldwin, Bell, Clark, Curry, Davidson, Davis, Farrow, Foster, Graham, Gray, Hanly, Herbert, Holt, Jones, Kenan of Georgia, Lyon, Perkins, Preston, Simpson, Smith of North Carolina, Strickland, Villeré, and Welsh.
Nays: Arrington, Atkins, Batson, Boteler, Breckinridge, Horatio W. Bruce, Chambliss, Chilton, Clopton, Conrad, Conrow, Crockett, Currin, Dupré, Ewing, Freeman, Gaither, Garland, Garnett, Gartrell, Heiskell. Hodge, Johnston, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lander, Lewis, Machen, Martin, McLean, McRae, Miles, Miller, Moore, Pugh, Ralls, Read, Royston, Russell, Sexton, Smith of Alabama, Smith of Virginia, Swan, Trippe, and Vest.
So the motion to reconsider was lost.
Mr. Conrad also, from the same committee, to which was referred a bill of the Senate entitled "An act to change the title of engineers in the Navy," reported the same back, with the recommendation that it pass.
The question being on postponing and placing the same upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative, and the bill was taken up, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Conrad also, from the same committee, to which was referred a memorial of sundry clerks at Charlotte, N. C., praying an increase of compensation, together with a bill entitled "An act to increase the pay of the clerks at the naval station at Charlotte, North Carolina," reported the same back, asked to be discharged from their further consideration, and that the same do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Garnett, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to which was referred
A bill to allow commutation for clothing to the militia,
reported the same back, together with the memorial of Lieut. Col. William H. Seawell on the same subject, asked that they be discharged from the further consideration of the memorial, that the same do lie upon the table, and recommended the passage of the bill.
The committee was discharged from the consideration of the memorial and the same laid upon the table.
And the question being on postponing and placing the bill upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The bill was then taken up, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
And the title of the bill being under consideration,
Mr. Perkins moved to amend the same by adding thereto the words "in actual service of the Confederate States."
The amendment was agreed to, and the title as amended was agreed to.
Mr. Chambliss, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to which was referred
A bill to amend an act entitled "An act to authorize the Secretary of the Navy to make certain contracts without advertising for proposals," approved August 29, 1861,
reported the same back, with the recommendation that it pass.
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The question being on postponing and placing the bill upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The bill was taken up, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Chambliss, from the same committee, reported
A bill to regulate the pay of the officers formerly belonging to the revenue service of the United States and now in the employment of the Confederate States;
which was read the first and second times.
The question being on postponing and placing the same upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The bill was taken up, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Chambliss, from the same committee, to which was referred a bill of the Senate for the relief of certain officers of the Navy and of the Marine Corps, reported the same back, with the recommendation that it pass.
The question being on postponing and placing the same upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The bill was taken up, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Gartrell, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to which was referred
A bill to amend an act entitled "An act to organize the Department of State," approved February 21, 1861,
reported the same back, with the recommendation that it pass.
The question being on postponing and placing the same upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The bill was taken up, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Gartrell also, from the same committee, to which was referred
A bill to repeal the laws of naturalization,
reported the same back, with the recommendation that it do not pass.
The question being on postponing and placing the same upon the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The bill was taken up, and having been read as follows, to wit:
The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That all laws and parts of laws of the United States establishing a uniform rule of or relating to naturalization, and which are in force in the Confederate States by virtue of an act entitled "An act to continue in force certain laws of the United States of America," adopted February ninth, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, are hereby repealed,
Mr. Gray moved to amend the same by adding thereto the following, to wit:
Provided, That this act shall not impair the right of resident aliens who have made their declaration of intention to become citizens, but they may be naturalized and become citizens at any time within three years from the passage of this act.
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Chambliss moved further to amend the same by adding the following words, to wit:
Provided, That they do not claim exemption from military service on account of not being citizens.
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Mr. Gartrell moved that the further consideration of the bill and amendments be postponed and made the special order of business for Monday next, at 12 o'clock m., and that the same be printed.
Mr. Machen demanded the question; which was ordered, and the motion was lost.
Mr. Freeman demanded the question; which was ordered, and the amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Royston demanded the previous question; which was not ordered.
Mr. Dupré demanded the question.
The question was ordered, and the bill as amended was engrossed and read a third time.
Mr. Dupré demanded the question; which was ordered, and was upon the passage of the bill as amended.
Mr. Curry demanded the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
Yeas: Arrington, Ashe, Atkins, Barksdale, Batson, Boteler, Breckinridge, Horatio W. Bruce, Chambers, Chambliss, Chilton, Clapp, Clark, Clopton, Collier, Conrad, Conrow, Crockett, Currin, Curry, Dargan, Davidson, Davis, De Jarnette, Dupré, Ewing, Farrow, Foster, Freeman, Gaither, Gardenhire, Garland, Garnett, Gartrell, Graham, Gray, Hanly, Heiskell, Herbert, Holt, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, Machen, Martin, McDowell, McLean, McQueen, Menees, Miles, Miller, Munnerlyn, Preston, Pugh, Ralls, Read, Royston, Sexton, Simpson, Smith of Virginia, Strickland, Trippe, Vest, Villeré, Welsh, Wilcox, and Wright of Texas.
Nays: Baldwin, Boyce, Johnston, Jones, Marshall, Moore, Perkins, and Russell.
So the bill as amended was passed.
Mr. Gartrell, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to which was referred
A bill directing the Secretary of the Treasury to audit and pay claims for the use and occupation of and damages to lands,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from the further consideration of the same, and that it do lie upon the table.
The question being on discharging the committee,
Mr. Crockett demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Ashe, Atkins, Barksdale, Batson, Boyce, Breckinridge, Horatio W. Bruce, Chambers, Chambliss, Chilton, Clapp, Clark, Clopton, Conrad, Conrow, Crockett, Currin, Curry, Dargan, Davidson, Davis, Dupré, Ewing, Farrow, Foster, Gaither, Gardenhire, Garland, Gartrell, Graham, Gray, Hanly, Heiskell, Herbert, Holt, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lander, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, Martin, McDowell, McLean, McQueen, McRae, Miles, Miller, Moore, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Preston, Pugh, Ralls, Read, Royston, Sexton, Simpson, Singleton, Smith of North Carolina, Strickland, Swan, Trippe, Vest, Villeré, Welsh, Wilcox, Wright of Tennessee, and Wright of Texas.
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Nays: Arrington, Baldwin, Boteler, Collier, De Jarnette, Garnett, Lewis, and Lyon.
So the House discharged the committee, and the bill was laid upon the table.
Mr. Garland, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to which was referred the petition of certain citizens of Kentucky, asking remuneration for provisions, etc., furnished the Confederate Army, and the memorial of J. W. Cooley, of the county of Frederick, Va., in reference to the impressment of his cattle, reported the same back, asked to be discharged from their further consideration, and that the same be referred to the Committee on Claims; which was agreed to.
A message was received from the Senate, by their Secretary, Mr. Nash; which is as follows:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills of the following titles, viz:
In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
Leave was granted Mr. Perkins to have printed an amendment to the exemption bill.
Mr. Garland, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to which was referred
A resolution in relation to an increase of the pay of the pages of this House,
reported the same back, with the recommendation that it pass.
Mr. Breckinridge demanded the question; which was ordered, and the resolution was agreed to.
Mr. Gartrell, from the same committee, to which was referred
A bill providing for the punishment of pecuniary fraud in public officers, their aiders and abettors, and to punish the fraudulent reception or retention of public money by public officers beyond what they may be entitled to receive,
reported the same back, asked to be discharged from its further consideration, and that the same be referred to the Committee on Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments; which was agreed to.
Mr. Chambers, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled
A bill to be entitled "An act to alter and amend an act entitled 'An act for the sequestration of the estates, property, and effects of alien enemies, and for indemnity of citizens of the Confederate States and persons aiding the same in the existing war with the United States,' approved August thirtieth, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, and an act altering and amending the same, approved on the fifteenth day of February, eighteen hundred and sixty-two."
And the Speaker signed the same.
On motion of Mr. Chambers, the rules were suspended to enable him to offer a motion to enlarge the Committee on Enrolled Bills, and
Mr. Chambers moved that the Speaker be authorized to appoint two additional members upon said committee.
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The motion was agreed to, and
The Chair appointed thereon Messrs. Garland of Arkansas and Wilcox of Texas.
The Chair laid before the House a bill of the Senate entitled "An act to exempt contractors for carrying the mails of the Confederate States and the drivers of post coaches and hacks from military service;" which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
The Chair also laid before the House a bill of the Senate entitled "An act to amend the several acts prescribing the mode of publishing the laws and resolutions of the Confederate States;" which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Printing.
The Chair also presented a bill of the Senate to be entitled "An act to establish the court for the investigation of claims against the Government of the Confederate States;" which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
The Chair also presented a bill of the Senate entitled "An act in relation to certain bonds and Treasury notes issued under the provisions of the act approved sixteenth May, eighteen hundred and sixty-one;" which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
The Chair also presented a bill of the Senate entitled "An act to declare the mode of paying salaries to officers in foreign parts;" which was read the first and second times and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
On motion of Mr. Boteler, leave of absence was granted to Mr. Goode, on account of sickness.
Mr. Lyons moved that the rules be suspended to enable him to present a memorial; which was agreed to, and
Mr. Lyons presented the memorial of P. Bargamin, of Richmond, Va., in relation to the impressment of a house by the Government, without compensation; which was referred to the Committee on Claims, without being read.
On motion of Mr. Moore, leave of absence was granted to Mr. Burnett, on account of urgent business.
On motion of Mr. Read,
The House adjourned until 11 o'clock to-morrow.
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