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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 --EIGHTY-SEVENTH DAY--MONDAY, February 20, 1865.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Peterkin.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 195) "to authorize the Secretary of War to negotiate with the governors of the several States for slave labor;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Also, a Senate bill (S. 84) "to regulate, for a limited period, the compensation of the officers, clerks, and employees of the civil departments of the Government in the city of Richmond," which had been returned from the Senate with amendments to the amendment of the House.
On motion of Mr. Wickham, the rule was suspended requiring the amendments to be referred to a committee.
The amendments were read as follows, viz:
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"The chief clerks in the several Executive Departments, the chief clerk in the Adjutant and Inspector General's Office, the chief of the Bureau of War, the disbursing clerks of the War, Navy, and Treasury Departments, the law clerk in the Department of Justice, the examiner of patents, the principal clerk in charge of the inspection office of the Post-Office Department, the Private Secretary of the President, and the Register of the Navy, each six thousand dollars.
"All clerks, artisans, and employees, civil, detailed, or retired, in the President's office and in the several Executive Departments, bureaus, offices, workshops, posts, and places, and their respective branches in and about the city of Richmond, fifty per cent in addition to the amount now paid them: Provided, That no clerk shall be paid an annual compensation exceeding five thousand five hundred dollars: And provided further, That this act shall not be construed to embrace any of the persons entitled to the benefits of an act entitled 'An act to regulate the pay and allowances of certain female employees of the Government,' approved eighth day of February, eighteen hundred and sixty-five."
The question being on concurring in said amendments of the Senate,
It was decided in the affirmative on each amendment, respectively.
The House resumed the consideration of the unfinished business, viz:
The bill "to regulate the business of conscription."
Mr. Perkins moved that the bill be postponed to allow him to move a suspension of the rules, in order to report from the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Blandford moved that the bill be postponed to enable him to move a suspension of the rules, in order to offer a resolution; which motion prevailed.
The rules being suspended,
Mr. Blandford offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That during the remainder of the session no member shall be allowed to speak more than once nor longer than ten minutes on any question without the unanimous consent of the House.
On motion of Mr. Anderson, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. Bell.
Mr. Lyon moved that the bill "to regulate the business of conscription" be again postponed to enable him to move a suspension of the rules, in order to report from the Committee on Ways and Means; which motion prevailed.
The rules being suspended, Mr. Lyon, from the Committee on Ways and Means, reported
A bill "to amend the thirteenth section of an act entitled 'An act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of notes and bonds;'"
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 bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Lyon moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed:
The motion was lost.
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The House resumed the consideration of the bill "to regulate the business of conscription."
Mr. Cluskey moved to suspend the rule limiting debate, to allow the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Rogers, to proceed with his remarks.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Moore moved the previous question; which was ordered.
The question being on agreeing to the amendment of Mr. Rogers,
Mr. Rogers demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the amendment was not agreed to.
The bill was engrossed and read a third time.
Mr. Blandford called the question; which was ordered.
The question being put,
Shall the bill pass?
Mr. Miles demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Anderson, Atkins, Batson, Baylor, Bell, Blandford, Bradley, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Chrisman, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrow, Cruikshank, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Ewing, Farrow, Foster, Fuller, Funsten, Gaither, Garland, Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hatcher, Herbert, Johnston, Keeble, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Lyon, Machen, Menees, Miller, Moore, Push, Ramsay, Russell, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Triplett, Villeré, Wickham, and Wilkes.
Nays: Baldwin, Boyce, Clark, Elliott, Gilmer, Hilton, Holliday, Marshall, Miles, Perkins, Rogers, Snead, and Staples.
So the bill was passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Blandford moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
The motion was lost.
Under a suspension of the rules, Mr. Perkins, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, to whom had been referred the President's message and accompanying documents on the subject of the recent peace commission, reported back the same with the recommendation that they do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Perkins. from the same committee, reported
A joint resolution "expressing the sense of Congress on the subject of the late peace commission;"
which was read a first and second time.
The question being on postponing the joint resolution and placing it on the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
Mr. Carroll moved the previous question; which was not ordered.
The morning hour having expired.
Mr. H. W. Bruce moved that the Calendar be postponed until the bill under consideration be disposed of; which motion prevailed.
Mr. McMullin submitted the following amendment:
After word "cause," in first line, fourth resolution, insert the words "aided and sustained by the God of Battles;"
which was agreed to.
Mr. Gilmer submitted the following amendment:
At the end of the joint resolution add the following:
"Resolved further, That notwithstanding all this, we believe that the Confederate States would consent and agree to the following:
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On motion of Mr. Gilmer, the joint resolution and amendment were ordered to be printed.
On motion of Mr. Baldwin, the House resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, resolved itself into open session.
Mr. Blandford presented a series of resolutions adopted at a meeting of Cooks (Georgia) brigade; which were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
The following messages were received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills of the following titles; in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House:
They have passed a bill of this House (H. R. 373) to provide for the more efficient transportation of troops, supplies, and munitions of war upon the railroads, steamboats, and canals in the Confederate States, and to control telegraph lines employed by Government.
And they have rejected the bill of this House (II. R. 365) for the relief of Maj. D. W. Hinkle, quartermaster of Finegan's and Perry's brigades.
The Senate have passed, with amendments, a bill of this House of the following title, viz:
In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
Mr. Hilton moved that, the House take a recess until half past 6 o'clock.
Mr. Sexton moved to amend the motion by striking out "half past 6" and inserting "half past, 7."
The amendment was agreed to, and the motion as amended prevailed.
The House having reassembled,
On motion of Mr. Russell, the Calendar was postponed, and the special order, viz:
The bill "to provide for the immediate payment of arrears due to the Army and Navy,"
was taken up for consideration.
Mr. Lyon moved that the bill be postponed and that, the bill "to provide means to support the Government and carry on the war" be taken up for consideration.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Blandford called the question; which was ordered.
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The bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Russell moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
The motion was lost.
On motion of Mr. Russell, the Calendar was again postponed, and the special order, viz:
The bill "to provide means to support the Government and carry on the war,"
was taken up for consideration.
On motion of Mr. Russell, the rule was suspended requiring the bill to be considered in Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Russell submitted the following amendment:
In line 8, before the word "bonds," in section 1, insert the word "coupon;"
which was agreed to.
Mr. Smith of North Carolina submitted the following amendment:
In section 1, line 7, strike out the words "in specie."
Mr. Akin called the question; Which was ordered, and the amendment was rejected.
Mr. Colyar submitted the following amendment:
At the end of section 1 add the following: "And one-half of all the gold and silver coin in the Confederacy may be taken upon the same terms."
Mr. Akin called the question; which was ordered.
Mr. Hilton demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Atkins, Baldwin, Bell, Burnett, Clopton, Colyar, Conrow, Cruikshank, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Farrow, Foster, Funsten, Garland, Hartridge, Hilton, Keeble, Lyon, Menees, Miller, Sexton, and Wilkes.
Nays: Akin, Barksdale, Batson, Blandford, Bradley, Bridgers, Carroll, Darden, Ewing, Fuller, Gaither, Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hatcher, Herbert, J. M. Leach, Machen, McMullin, Miles, Moore, Perkins, Ramsay, Russell, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Snead, Staples, Villeré, and Witherspoon.
So the amendment was rejected.
Mr. Hilton submitted the following amendment:
Strike out the first section; which reads as follows, viz:
"That all raw cotton and all tobacco, manufactured or unmanufactured, now in the Confederacy may be purchased, borrowed, or impressed for public use under the direction of the President on the following terms: Either just compensation to be paid to the owner for the same, at a price agreed or appraised according to the value thereof, in specie, such payment being made in bonds of the Government at par, which bonds shall be issued by the Secretary of the Treasury and shall be redeemable five years after the end of the present war. and shall bear interest at the rate of six per centum per annum, payable in specie semiannually; or, at the option of the owner, the cotton or tobacco to be returned in kind of equal quantity and quality at the same place, one-third thereof within two years after the end of the present war and one-third in each of the two succeeding years, with an addition to the quantity at the rate of six per centum per annum, the owner being furnished with an assignable certificate to that effect: but not more than one-half of the cotton or tobacco belonging to said owner shall be impressed under this act and the cotton now owned by any
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manufacturer of cotton and held by him bona fide for his manufacturing operations, not exceeding a proper supply for two years of such operations, shall be exempt from such impressment."
Pending which,
On motion of Mr. Dupré,
The House adjourned until 11 o'clock to-morrow.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session, resumed the consideration of the bill "to increase the military force of the Confederate States."
Mr. Anderson called the question; which was ordered, and the amendment of Mr. Moore was lost.
Mr. Atkins submitted the following amendment:
At the end of section 1 add the following: "But after forty days, if the President shall be satisfied that the volunteer system is not bringing into the service the number of troops which the exigencies of the service may demand, then he may order the conscription of as many slaves as can be armed and equipped, and which shall be done under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of War."
Mr. Akin submitted the following amendment to the amendment of Mr. Atkins:
Strike out the whole thereof and insert the following, viz: "That if, under the previous sections of this act, the President shall not be able to raise a sufficient number of troops to prosecute the war successfully and maintain the sovereignty of the States and the independence of the Confederate States, then he is hereby authorized to call on each State, whenever he thinks it expedient, for her quota of three hundred thousand troops, or so many thereof as the President may deem necessary for the purposes herein mentioned, to be from such classes of population in each State, irrespective of color, as the proper authorities thereof may determine."
Mr. Garland moved the previous question.
Mr. Smith of North Carolina demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Anderson, Barksdale, Batson, Bell, Blandford, Boyce, Bradley, Branch, Bridgers, Carroll, Clopton, Conrow, Cruikshank, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Ewing, Foster, Fuller, Funsten, Gaither, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, Miles, Moore, Pugh, Ramsay, Read, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Snead, Swan, Villeré, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.
Nays: Atkins, Baldwin, Baylor, Horatio W. Bruce, Clark, Colyar, Conrad, Darden, Farrow, Hilton, Johnston, Keeble, McMullin, Menees, Miller, Murray, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, W. E. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Triplett, and Wickham.
So the main question was ordered.
Mr. Barksdale moved that all further proceedings on the bill be had in open session and that the injunction of secrecy be removed from past proceedings.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Smith of North Carolina moved that all further proceedings on the bill be had in open session.
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Mr. Garland demanded the yeas and nays thereon; which were not ordered, and the motion was lost.
The question being on the amendment of Mr. Akin to the amendment of Mr. Atkins,
Mr. Clark demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Anderson, Baldwin, Barksdale, Baylor, Bell, Blandford, Clopton, Darden, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Farrow, Foster, Hatcher, Hilton, Lyon, Machen, McMullin, Pugh, Read, Russell, Sexton, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, and Triplett.
Nays: Atkins, Batson, Bradley, Branch, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Clark, Colyar, Conrad, Conrow, Cruikshank, Dupré, Ewing, Fuller, Funsten, Gaither, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Herbert, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Marshall, Menees, Miles, Miller, Moore, Perkins, Ramsay, Rogers, Simpson, Smith of North Carolina, Snead, Swan, Villeré, Wickham, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.
So the amendment was lost.
The question recurring on the amendment of Mr. Atkins,
Mr. Barksdale demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Atkins, Baylor, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Clark, Colyar, Conrad, Conrow, Dupré, Ewing, Funsten, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Machen, Marshall, Menees, Moore, Murray, Read, Simpson, W. E. Smith, Snead, Triplett, and Villeré.
Nays: Akin, Anderson, Baldwin, Barksdale, Batson, Bell, Blandford, Branch, Bridgers, Carroll, Clopton, Cruikshank, Darden, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Farrow, Foster, Fuller, Gaither, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Hartridge, Hatcher, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Lyon, McMullin, Miles, Miller, Perkins, Pugh, Ramsay, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Swan, Wickham, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.
So the amendment of Mr. Atkins was lost.
The question recurring on the amendment of Mr. Marshall to the amendment of Mr. Swan.
Mr. Marshall demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Atkins, Blandford, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Colyar, Conrad, Conrow, Darden, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Foster, Funsten, Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hilton, Johnston, Machen, Marshall, Menees, Miller, Moore, Murray, Pugh, Read, Rogers, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Snead, Triplett, and Villeré.
Nays: Akin, Anderson, Baldwin, Barksdale, Batson, Bell, Branch, Bridgers, Carroll, Cluskey, Cruikshank, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Farrow, Fuller, Gaither, Garland, Gilmer, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert,
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Holliday, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Lyon, McMullin, Miles, Perkins, Ramsay, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Swan, Wickham, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.
So the amendment of Mr. Marshall was lost.
The question recurring on the amendment of Mr. Swan,
Mr. Goode demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Atkins, Baylor, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Clark, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, Conrow, De Jarnette, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing Funsten, Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hatcher, Hilton, Holliday, Keeble, Marshall, Menees, Miller, Moore, Murray, Pugh, Read, Simpson, W. E. Smith, Snead, Staples, Swan, Triplett, and Villeré.
Nays: Akin, Anderson, Baldwin, Barksdale, Batson, Bell, Blandford, Branch, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Clopton, Cruikshank, Darden, Dickinson, Farrow, Foster, Fuller, Gaither, Garland, Gilmer, Hartridge, Herbert, Johnston, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Lyon, Machen, McMullin, Miles, Perkins, Ramsay, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Wickham, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.
So the amendment of Mr. Swan was lost.
The question recurring on ordering the bill to be engrossed for a third reading,
Mr. Blandford demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Anderson, Atkins, Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Clark, Clopton, Colyar, Conrad, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Farrow, Foster, Funsten, Gaither, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hilton, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, McMullin, Menees, Miller, Moore, Read, Simpson, W. E. Smith, Snead, Staples, Triplett, and Villeré.
Nays: Baldwin, Bell, Blandford, Branch, Bridgers, Chrisman, Cluskey, Conrow, Cruikshank, Darden, Ewing, Fuller, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Marshall, McCallum, Miles, Perkins, Pugh, Ramsay, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Swan, Wickham, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.
So the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.
Mr. Conrad moved to reconsider the vote just taken; which motion prevailed.
Mr. Moore entered a motion to reconsider the vote by which his amendment was rejected.
Mr. Conrad submitted the following amendment to the bill:
Insert the following as an independent section, to come in after section 3:
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so many thereof as the President may deem necessary for the purposes herein mentioned, to be raised from such classes of the population, irrespective of color, in each State as the proper authorities thereof may determine."
Mr. Marshall demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Anderson, Atkins, Baldwin, Barksdale, Baylor, Blandford, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, Darden, Dickinson, Elliott, Ewing, Farrow, Foster, Funsten, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Hilton, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, McMullin, Menees, Miller, Moore, Perkins, Pugh, Read, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Snead, Triplett, and Villeré.
Nays: Batson, Bell, Bradley, Branch, Bridgers, Carroll, Chrisman, Clark, Cruikshank, Dupré, Fuller, Gaither, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Herbert, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Marshall, McCallum, Miles, Ramsay, Rogers, Smith of North Carolina, Swan, Wickham, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.
So the amendment of Mr. Conrad was agreed to.
Mr. Barksdale moved the previous question; which was ordered.
The question being on the motion of Mr. Moore to reconsider the vote by which his amendment was rejected,
Mr. Moore demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the motion was lost.
The question recurring on ordering the bill to be engrossed for a third reading,
Mr. Darden demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Anderson, Atkins, Barksdale, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Farrow, Foster, Funsten, Gaither, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hilton, Johnston, Lyon, Machen, McMullin, Menees, Miller, Moore, Pugh, Read, Russell, Simpson, Snead, Triplett, and Villeré.
Nays: Baldwin, Batson, Bell, Branch. Bridgers, Carroll. Chrisman, Conrow, Cruikshank, Darden, Fuller, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Marshall, McCallum, Miles, Perkins, Ramsay, Rogers, Sexton, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Swan, Wickham, Wilkes, Witherspoon, and Mr. Speaker.
So the bill was engrossed and read a third time.
Mr. Foster called the question; which was ordered.
The question being put,
Shall the bill pass?
Mr. Marshall demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Anderson, Atkinson, Barksdale, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar,
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Conrad, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Farrow, Foster, Funsten, Gaither, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hilton, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, McMullin, Menees, Miller, Moore, Pugh, Read, Russell, Simpson, W. E. Smith, Snead, Triplett, and Villeré.
Nays: Baldwin, Batson, Bell, Branch, Bridgers, Carroll, Chrisman, Clark, Conrow, Cruikshank, Darden, Ewing, Fuller, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Marshall, McCallum, Miles, Perkins, Ramsay, Rogers, Sexton, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Swan, Wickham, Wilkes, Witherspoon, and Mr. Speaker.
So the bill was passed.
Mr. Barksdale moved to reconsider the vote just taken.
Mr. Smith of North Carolina demanded the yeas and nays.
Pending which,
Mr. Wickham moved a call of the House, and demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Baldwin, Bell, Branch, Clark, Conrow, Cruikshank, Fuller, Gholson, Gilmer, Herbert, J. M. Leach, Logan, Marshall, Perkins, Ramsay, Smith of North Carolina, Swan, Wickham, and Witherspoon.
Nays: Akin, Anderson, Atkins, Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, Darden, Dickinson, Dupré, Ewing, Farrow, Foster, Funsten, Gaither, Garland, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Hilton, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, J. T. Leach, Lyon, Machen, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Miles, Miller, Moore, Pugh, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Snead, Triplett, Villeré, and Wilkes.
So the call of the House was refused.
Mr. Gholson moved that the House resolve itself into open session.
Mr. Wickham demanded the yeas and nays thereon; which were not ordered, and the motion was lost.
Mr. Fuller moved that the House take a recess until 8 o'clock.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Atkins moved that the House resolve itself into open session.
Mr. Fuller demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Atkins, Baldwin, Bell, Blandford, Carroll, Clark, Fuller, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Hanly, Herbert, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Marshall, Miller, Perkins, Ramsay, Smith of North Carolina, Wickham, and Witherspoon.
Nays: Akin, Anderson, Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Bradley, Branch, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, Conrow, Cruikshank, Darden, Dickinson, Dupré, Ewing, Farrow, Foster, Funsten, Gaither, Goode, Gray, Hartridge, Hatcher, Hilton, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, McCallum, McMullin, Miles, Moore, Pugh, Read, Russell, Sexton, Simpson,
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J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Snead, Staples, Triplett, Villeré, and Wilkes.
So the House refused to resolve itself into open session.
The question recurring on the motion to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed,
The yeas and nays were ordered,
Yeas: Baldwin, Batson, Bell, Branch, Bridgers, Carroll, Clark, Conrow, Cruikshank, Darden, Fuller, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, J.M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Marshall, Miles, Perkins, Ramsay, Smith of North Carolina, Swan, Wickham, Wilkes, Witherspoon, and Mr. Speaker.
Nays: Akin, Anderson, Atkins, Barksdale, Blandford, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, Dickinson, Dupré, Ewing, Farrow, Foster, Funsten, Gaither, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hilton, Johnston, Lyon, Machen, McMullin, Miller, Moore, Pugh, Read, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Snead, Staples, Triplett, and Villeré.
So the motion to reconsider was lost, and the title was read and agreed to.
The Chair laid before the House a message from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
To the House of Representatives of the Confederate States of America:
I submit herewith to your honorable body a report from the Secretary of War, dated the 18th instant, exhibiting the condition to which the public service is now reduced by the want of means in the Treasury to furnish the supplies needful for the Army and for the public defense.
The urgency for the passage of some revenue bill has now become so pressing as to threaten the gravest consequences. I am fully aware of the embarrassments which have retarded the action of the House in the performance of its exclusive constitutional function of originating a bill for raising revenue, and that the great diversity of opinion which must exist on so complex and difficult a subject has prevented the adoption of measures recommended by the Committee on Ways and Means of the House as well as of those recommended by the Secretary of the Treasury. I would, however, respectfully suggest that our affairs are now in a position so critical that objections which under other circumstances would be regarded as insurmountable may well be waived in favor of any scheme of finance or taxation that will enable the Treasury promptly to meet our most pressing wants, and that immediate legislation, even if somewhat imperfect, is preferable to wiser measures if attended with delay.
In connection with this subject I would invite your attention to the need of prompt action for adding to our strength in the field. Very few weeks now remain for preparation and we are threatened by a concentration of forces around us which can not be successfully resisted without the aid of large reenforcements to our armies.
It is with trust in your wisdom and patriotism that I obey the behests of the Constitution in placing before you this information of the state of the country, confident that you will need no further stimulus than the knowledge of these facts to induce such action as will avert the evils which now menace our country.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Executive Office,
Richmond, February 20, 1865.
The communication and accompanying document were laid upon the table.
On motion of Mr. Russell,
The House resolved itself into open session.
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