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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 --EIGHTIETH DAY--SATURDAY, February 11, 1865.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Duncan.
The Chair laid before the House a message from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., February 10, 1865.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your consideration a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, covering an estimate for an additional appropriation required by the Navy Department.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The message and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and ordered to be printed.
The Chair also laid before the House another communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., February 8, 1865.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to your resolution of the 25th ultimo. I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, covering a list of the quartermasters and assistant quartermasters now in the service, and indicating the rank of each officer and the duty on which he is employed.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying documents were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
The Chair also laid before the House another message from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., February 8, 1865.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to your resolution of the 11th ultimo. I herewith transmit a communication from the Postmaster-General, which conveys the information requested relative to the number of persons exempted as contractors to carry the mails on routes less than 50 miles in length, so far as the records of his office enable him to furnish it.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
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The communication and accompanying documents were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
The Chair also laid before the House another, message from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., February 8, 1865.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to your resolution of the 31st December last, I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, covering copies of the reports of Generals Taylor, Price, and Magruder, with the report of General Smith appended, of their military operations in the Trans-Mississippi Department during the last eighteen months.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
The House resumed the consideration of the motion of Mr. Chambers to reconsider the vote by which the joint resolution "for the relief of Nathaniel Moore" was rejected.
Mr. J. M. Smith called the question; which was ordered, and the motion to reconsider was lost.
Mr. Welsh, from the Committee on Claims, to whom had been referred the memorial of R. D. Post, asking to be paid for certain articles furnished the steamer Arrow, 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.
Mr. Welsh, from the same committee, to whom had been referred the memorial of Lieut. Col. William Allan, asking to be relieved from responsibility for certain money stolen from him, 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.
Mr. Welsh, from the same committee, to whom had been referred the memorial of James Sykes, asking to be refunded the sum of $500 paid for the exemption of an overseer, reported
A bill "for the relief of James Sykes, agent of James W. Sykes;" which was read a first and second time.
The question being on postponing the bill and placing it on the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The rule having been suspended requiring the bill to be considered in Committee of the Whole,
Mr. Hilton moved the previous question; which was ordered.
The bill was engrossed and read a third time.
The question recurring on the passage of the bill,
The yeas and nays required by the Constitution were recorded,
Yeas: Akin, Atkins, Barksdale, Branch, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Clark, Clopton, Conrow, Cruikshank, Darden, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Ewing, Farrow, Foster, Fuller, Funsten, Gaither, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, Lamkin, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Lyon, Norton, Orr, Pugh, Ramsay, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Smith of Alabama,
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Smith of North Carolina, Snead, Triplett, Turner, Welsh, and Wilkes.
Nays: Anderson, Batson, Baylor, Bell, Blandford, Chrisman, Dupré, Garland, Gholson, Hilton, Keeble, Machen, Marshall, McCallum, McMullin, Miles, Perkins, Villeré, and Witherspoon.
Two-thirds having voted in the affirmative, the bill was passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Welsh, from the same committee, to whom had been referred
A bill "for the relief of Major John Reid, of Missouri,"
reported back the same with the recommendation that it do pass.
The question being on postponing the bill and placing it on the Calendar,
Mr. Marshall demanded the yeas and nays thereon; which were not ordered, and the bill was placed on the Calendar.
On motion of Mr. Perkins,
The House resumed the consideration of the report of the Committee on Rules.
On motion of Mr. J. M. Smith, the report was laid upon the table.
Mr. Perkins, from the Committee on Rules, reported the following resolution:
Resolved, That a standing committee, to be composed of one member from each State, to be styled "a committee on the conduct of the war," be appointed by the Speaker, who shall continue their session at the Capitol during the recess of Congress and discharge such duties as may be devolved upon them by the House.
Mr. Dickinson called the question; which was ordered, and the resolution was not adopted.
Mr. McMullin entered a motion to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was not adopted.
Mr. Machen, from the Committee on the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments, to whom was referred a resolution instructing the committee to inquire whether the commissary paid $30 or $40 a bushel for wheat in the months of July and August last, etc., submitted a written report thereon.
Pending which,
The morning hour having expired,
The House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole to consider the special order, viz:
The bill "to levy additional taxes for the year eighteen hundred and sixty-five for the support of the Government,"
Mr. Clopton in the chair; and having spent some time therein, the committee rose and reported, through their Chairman, that the committee had, according to order, had the subject referred to them under consideration, and had instructed him to report back the bill and the amendments proposed with the recommendation that the whole subject be referred to a special committee of one from each State.
Mr. Dickinson called the question; which was ordered.
Mr. Garland demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered?
Yeas: Akin, Atkins, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Chambers, Dickinson, Dupré, Ewing, Foster, Funsten,
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Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hatcher, Holliday, Lamkin, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Moore, Murray, Norton, Perkins, Pugh, Read, Rogers, Russell, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E, Smith, Smith of Alabama, Snead, Triplett, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.
Nays: Anderson, Barksdale, Bell, Boyce, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Clark, Clopton, Conrad, Cruikshank, Darden, Farrow, Fuller, Gaither, Garland, Gilmer, Hartridge, Herbert, Hilton, Holder, Johnston, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Machen, Miles, Miller, Orr, Ramsay, Sexton, Smith of North Carolina, Turner, Villeré, and Wickham.
So the bill and amendments were referred to a select committee of one from each State.
Mr. Russell moved to reconsider the vote just taken, and called the question; which was ordered, and the motion was lost.
On motion of Mr. Chambers, the bill "to provide means to carry on the Government" was taken up from the table and referred to the same committee.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary, as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate insist upon their amendments, disagreed to by this House, to the bill (H. R. 229) to provide more effectually for the reduction and redemption of the currency, agree to the conference asked by this House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses thereon, and have appointed Mr. Semmes, Mr. Graham, and Mr. Oldham managers at the said conference on the part of the Senate.
The Senate insist upon their amendments, disagreed to by this House, to the bill (H. R. 304) to increase the efficiency of the cavalry of the Confederate States, agree to the conference asked by this House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses thereon, and have appointed Mr. Wigfall, Mr. Johnson of Missouri, and Mr. Haynes managers at the said conference on their part.
The Senate insist upon their disagreement to the amendment proposed by this House to the bill (S. 117) to authorize the commanders of the reserves in each State to order general courts-martial and to revise the proceedings of courts-martial and military courts, agree to the conference asked by this House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses thereon, and have appointed Mr. Henry, Mr. Dortch, and Mr. Simms managers at the said conference on their part.
The Senate insist upon their disagreement to the amendment proposed by this House to the bill (S. 129) to provide for the employment of free negroes and slaves to work upon fortifications and perform other labor connected with the defenses of the country, agree to the conference asked by this House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses thereon, and have appointed Mr. Burnett, Mr. Graham, and Mr. Caperton managers at the said conference on the part of the Senate.
Mr. Cruikshank, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled
And the Speaker signed the same.
Under a suspension of the rules, Mr. Sexton introduced
A joint resolution "for the relief of postmasters in certain cases;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
Mr. Baldwin presented the proceedings of a meeting of the Fifty-second Regiment Virginia Infantry; which were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
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Mr. Bell introduced
A joint resolution "to construe an act approved June fourteenth. eighteen hundred and sixty-four, increasing the compensation of certain officers;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Bell offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Whereas many executors, administrators, guardians, trustees, etc., have invested the money of orphans, minors and other cestuis que trust in four per cent Confederate bonds, which are worth only forty cents in the dollar in currency; and
Whereas incalculable injury and irreparable loss is likely to ensue to orphans and minors in consequence thereof: Therefore,
Resolved, That the Committee on Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the propriety of devising some means to secure them against loss, by authorizing them to exchange said bonds for other securities, or by such other means as will most likely prevent such loss, and report, by bill or otherwise, at the earliest practicable moment.
Under a suspension of the rules, Mr. Miller, from the Select Committee on the Pay and Clothing of the Soldiers, submitted a written report; which was laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Miller, from the same committee, reported the following resolutions; which were adopted:
Resolved, That so much of this report as refers to the pay of the officers and soldiers be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, with earnest instructions that they will immediately take official action and report such legislation as is necessary to promptly pay all arrearages due the soldiers, and as will insure their future prompt payment.
Resolved, That so much of this report as refers to the evil of soldiers bartering and selling their clothing be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, with instructions to report a bill for the punishment of all not in the military service for purchasing or trading for Government clothing from soldiers and others, and making the possession of such articles prima facie evidence of such offense.
Resolved, That the committee be discharged from the further consideration of this subject.
The Chair announced the appointment of the select committee of one from each State on the bill "to increase the military force of the Confederate States" as follows, viz:
Mr. Barksdale of Mississippi, Mr. Marshall of Kentucky, Mr. Gholson of Virginia, Mr. Hartridge of Georgia, Mr. Miles of South Carolina, Mr. Smith of North Carolina, Mr. Rogers of Florida, Mr Gray of Louisiana, Mr. Batson of Arkansas, Mr. Snead of Missouri, Mr. Atkins of Tennessee, Mr. Darden of Texas, and Mr. Dickinson of Alabama.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills and a joint resolution of the following titles, viz:
In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
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The Senate have passed, without amendment, a bill of this House (H. R. 364) appropriating $10,000 to pay claims in the recruiting service of the Confederate States.
Under a suspension of the rules, Mr. Akin presented a series of resolutions adopted at a meeting of Anderson's (Georgia) brigade: which were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Farrow presented a series of resolutions adopted at a meeting of Hampton Legion (South Carolina); which were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Gilmer moved that the House adjourn; which motion did not prevail.
Mr. Herbert moved that the rules be suspended for the purpose of taking up and making a special order a bill on the Calendar.
The motion was lost.
On motion of Mr. Clark,
The House adjourned until 11 o'clock Monday.
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