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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 --FIFTH DAY--FRIDAY, December 11, 1863.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Leyburn.
Mr. Chilton offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the President do cause to be communicated to this House, at as early a day as practicable, the names of all disbursing agents in the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments, of the public moneys, who have failed to render an account as required by law or the regulations of the department to which such officer or agent may belong. That the information thus sought be furnished in tabular form, showing the names of such officer or agent; the date of his last accounting; the amount of public money in his hands at such date; the amount which has since been placed in his hands for disbursement; the time next after his accounting when he was required by law or the regulations of his department to account; whether he has been dismissed from office or retained; and if retained, what steps have been taken to obtain an account, and what excuse, if any, exists for his failure to account.
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Mr. Clopton presented the memorial of the Alabama Artillery Battalion, praying to be discharged, with the privilege of choosing their own regiments, or retained in the service, with the privilege of electing their own officers; which, without being read, was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Clopton also presented the claim of Baker & Caswell for Johnson & Phillips, for thirty-nine hogsheads of sugar seized by the Confederate Government; which, without being read, was referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Hanly presented the claim of T. S. N. King, executor of W. F. Newsom, deceased, for property destroyed by the United States; which was referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Hartridge introduced
A bill to be entitled "An act regulating the fees of marshals;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Gartrell offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency and necessity of further and more efficient legislation to put in the Army all able-bodied men in the Quartermaster's Commissary, hospitals, Niter Bureau, and all other departments of the Government, and supply their places by disabled officers and soldiers.
Mr. Perkins introduced
A bill to be entitled "An act to raise a tax to support the Government;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Currency.
On motion of Mr. Bridgers, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. Lander, who was detained from his seat by indisposition.
Mr. McLean presented the memorial of the president and members of the literary board and the superintendent of the public schools of the State of North Carolina, praying that all persons engaged in printing and binding schoolbooks be exempted from military service; which, without being read, was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Miles introduced the following bills:
A bill to be entitled "An act to allow commissioned officers of the Army rations and the privilege of purchasing clothing from the Quartermaster's Department;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
A bill to be entitled "An act regulating tonnage duties;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
And a bill to be entitled "An act regulating the duties on imports;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Swan offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the President be respectfully requested to communicate to this House the number of exempts in the Confederate States, the States in which they reside, and the reasons for the exemption from military service.
Mr. Heiskell offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the President of the Confederate States be requested to cause to be furnished to this House copies of the reports of military operations received since
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the former call of this House for similar reports, and all such reports which may be received during the present session.
Mr. Foote offered the following preamble and resolutions; which were postponed until Wednesday next and ordered to be printed:
Whereas the Government of the United States has already called into the field nearly two millions of men, and has announced an intention to exert its entire military resources for our subjugation; and
Whereas, although the Government of the Confederate States has maintained a defense against the invader with less than one-fourth his numbers, the time has arrived when this Government must summon to the field its whole military strength to drive back the tide of war: Therefore, be it
Resolved, That the meaning and intent of the act of April sixteenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, calling into the military service all residents not legally exempt between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five years, and the subsequent act extending the age to forty-five years, contemplated the performance of the civil functions of the Government by citizens not embraced within the ages enumerated and by others not capable of performing service in the field.
Resolved, That the provisions of the act of October eleventh, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, did not contemplate the exemption of civilians of conscript age, subsequently appointed to perform clerical duty in the departments or elsewhere, or to act as assistant adjutant and inspector generals, or quartermasters and assistant quartermasters, or commissaries and assistant commissaries, or their agents and employees, if not actually engaged with the armies in the field; and therefore all such appointments ought to be revoked.
Resolved, That there is a sufficient number of capable and patriotic citizens not liable to military service, from age or from wounds, in the existing exigency of affairs to perform the civil functions of the Government; and that it is the dictate of duty and of patriotism for all capable of bearing arms, not being constrained by extreme necessity, to abandon official position and repair to the scene of danger and of honor.
Mr. Foote offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate to this House what number of men liable to conscription have been removed from the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments and their places filled by disabled soldiers in pursuance of an order issued by the Adjutant-General to carry into effect a law on this subject passed by the Congress of the Confederate States.
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 invite the concurrence of the House of Representatives.
Mr. Foote offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments inquire into the truth or falsehood of the allegation that the Yankee prisoners in our hands have not been adequately supplied with food, and report to this House as soon as practicable, to the end that the character of our Government may be effectually vindicated in the premises, and censure, if such be due, be visited upon those who deserve it; and also why our own soldiers have not been better provided with food.
Mr. Swan moved to amend the resolution by adding the following:
Resolved further, That the committee also inquire and report whether the same rations have been furnished prisoners captured from the enemy that have been furnished our own soldiers.
The amendment was agreed to, and the resolution as amended was adopted.
Mr. Foote offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That a committee of five members shall be appointed who shall diligently inquire into the causes which led to the late disastrous defeat of our army at Chattanooga; whether such defeat was owing to a want of "valor" on the part of
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our troops, or any particular portion thereof, or whether it was owing chiefly or altogether to other causes, in order that justice may be done to all concerned, and censure be bestowed upon all deserving it, whoever they may be.
The question being on the adoption of the resolution,
Mr. Foote demanded the yeas and nays.
The demand was not sustained, and the resolution was not agreed to.
Mr. Foote offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed whose duty it shall be to inquire diligently into the causes which led to the surrender of Vicksburg into the hands of the enemy, and report their proceedings herein as early as practicable, and that said committee have power to send for persons and papers, and to take depositions on oath, if found most convenient, and that a clerk be allowed them at a fair recompense for his services in attending upon said committee.
Mr. Gray moved to suspend the rules so as to allow general debate on the resolution.
The motion did not prevail.
The question being on the adoption of the resolution,
Mr. Foote demanded the yeas and nays.
The demand was not sustained, and the resolution was disagreed to.
Mr. Foote also offered the following preamble and resolutions; which were adopted:
Whereas painful rumors have been for some time prevalent in relation to enormous corruptions alleged to exist in the Departments of the Quartermaster-General and Commissary-General, as well as touching various flagrant abuses of power charged to have been perpetrated and gross neglect of official duty asserted to have occurred: Therefore,
Resolved, That the Committee on Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments inquire promptly and rigidly into all said matters, whether in the chief departments located in Richmond or in subordinate officials connected with said departments, located elsewhere, and report their proceedings herein to the House at as early a day as possible, to the end that suitable legislation may be adopted to prevent a recurrence of similar acts and for the bringing of all offenders herein to justice.
Resolved, That said committee have power to visit and examine said departments severally; have authority to examine witnesses and to send for persons and papers; that a clerk shall be allowed them, who shall receive a fair compensation for such services as he shall render herein.
Mr. Chambliss offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the President be requested to furnish to this House the number of officers and men, including the police and mounted guard, employed in executing the conscription law, distinguishing the number in each Congressional district.
Mr. Goode offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That fifty additional copies of the report of the Secretary of War be, and are hereby, ordered to be printed for the use of the War Department.
On motion of Mr. Goode, the rule was suspended requiring the resolution to be referred to a committee, and the resolution was adopted.
Mr. Goode offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of repealing the act entitled "An act to exempt certain persons from military service," approved October eleventh, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, for enrolling for military service all able-bodied white male residents between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, and authorizing the detail of such as may be absolutely needed in other pursuits.
Mr. Boyce, by unanimous consent, offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs to inquire and
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report whether the comfort of our officers and men, prisoners in the hands of the enemy, can be promoted by any act of legislation.
Mr. Welsh, by unanimous consent, offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be requested to inquire into the expediency of conscribing one hundred thousand male slaves, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, to be placed in the service of the Confederate States in the capacity of teamsters, cooks for our soldiers, waiters in hospitals, laborers on fortifications, and in such other capacity as they can be profitably employed.
Also, the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the President, if in his opinion not in conflict with the public interest, be requested to transmit to this House the report of General Joseph E. Johnston, touching his operations in Mississippi during the months of May, June, and July, eighteen hundred and sixty-three.
Mr. Smith of North Carolina, by unanimous consent, introduced
A bill to be entitled "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to lay taxes for the common defense and carry on the Government of the Confederate States,' approved April twenty-fourth, eighteen hundred and sixty-three;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Special Committee on the Currency.
The Speaker laid before the House a bill to be entitled
Mr. Gray, by unanimous consent, offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate to this House, if not incompatible with the public interest, the orders given to and correspondence held with General Joseph E. Johnston during the months of May, June, and July, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, concerning his command and the operations in his department.
Mr. Burnett moved that the House adjourn.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Boyce moved that when the House adjourn it adjourn until Monday next, at 12 o'clock.
Pending the consideration of which motion,
The House,
On motion of Mr. Curry,
Adjourned until 12 o'clock to-morrow.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
Mr. Conrow presented the memorial of John P. Halligan, the inventor of a submarine boat for the purpose of attaching torpedoes to the enemy's vessels, praying aid in the construction of such a boat, and that a committee be appointed to investigate the merits of his invention; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.
And on motion,
The House resolved itself into open session.
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