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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 --TENTH DAY--THURSDAY, May 12, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Moore.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 4) "to provide means of transit across the Mississippi River for members of Congress residing west of said river in going to and returning from the Confederate States Congress;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Heiskell moved that the House resolve itself into secret session.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Lyon, from the Committee on Ways and Means, reported
A bill "to make an appropriation for a return of certain money paid into the Treasury by the Navy Department;"
which was read a first and second time and laid upon the table.
Mr. Ayer, member from the State of South Carolina, appeared, was sworn to support the Constitution of the Confederate States, and took his seat in the House.
Mr. Russell, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom had been referred the petition of sundry citizens of Alabama, asking relief for Lieut. Col. Isaac B. Feagin, reported back the same with the recommendation that it do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Russell, from the same committee, also reported back
A bill "to prevent the malicious arrest of officers of the Army," with the recommendation that the committee be discharged from its further consideration, and that it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs; which was agreed to.
Also, a bill "to provide for the settlement of claims for property illegally impressed in the Trans-Mississippi Department," with the recommendation that it do pass with sundry amendments.
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The bill was postponed, placed on the Calendar, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Russell, from the same committee, also reported back
A bill "providing for the repeal of the act suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus,"
with the recommendation that the committee be discharged from its further consideration, and that it do lie upon the table.
The question being on laying the bill on the table,
Mr. J. M. Leach demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Anderson, Atkins, Barksdale, Blandford, Boyce, Bradley, Branch, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chambers, Chilton, Chrisman, Clopton, Colyar, Conrad, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Foster, Funsten, Gaither, A. H. Garland, Gholson, Goode, Hanly, Hartridge, Heiskell, Hilton, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Miles, Miller, Montague, Moore, Perkins, Pugh, Rives, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, Shewmake, Singleton, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Swan, Triplett, Turner, Villeré, Whitfield, and Witherspoon.
Nays: Ayer, Baldwin, Bell, Cruikshank, Echols, Farrow, Foote Fuller, Gilmer, Holder, Lamkin, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Lester, Logan, Murray, Orr, Ramsay, Simpson, and Smith of North Carolina.
So the bill was laid upon the table.
Mr. Russell, from the same committee, also reported back
A bill "to authorize the revision of the criminal statutes,"
with the recommendation that the committee be discharged from its further consideration, and that it do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Also, a bill "to provide for the speedy adjustment of the accounts of disbursing officers an d agents who are charged with checks alleged to be forged or erroneously paid," with the recommendation that it do pass.
The bill was postponed and placed on the Calendar.
Mr. Perkins, from the Committee on Commerce, to whom had been referred
A bill "to establish a bureau of foreign supplies in the War Department, with an agency in the Trans-Mississippi Department," reported back the same with the recommendation that it do pass with sundry amendments.
The bill was postponed, placed upon the Calendar, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Lyon, from the Committee on Ways and Means, to whom had been referred a Senate bill (S. 12) "to authorize the withdrawal from the treasury of money contributed to build an ironclad gunboat by ladies of the State of South Carolina and deposited therein,"
reported back the same with the recommendation, that it do pass.
The question being on postponing the bill and placing it on the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The bill was read a thirst time and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
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The House then resumed the consideration of unfinished business of yesterday; which was the bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act to allow commissioned officers of the Army rations and the privilege of purchasing clothing from the Quartermaster's Department.'"
Mr. McMullin moved that the bill be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs; which motion prevailed.
Mr. Rogers introduced a bill with the same title; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Akin introduced
A bill "to provide for the appointment of commissioners in the several States of the Confederacy to inquire into and report upon the claims of citizens against the Government of the Confederate States for property taken, used, injured, or destroyed by the Army, or any part of it, of the Confederate States, and to provide for the punishment of perjury and for presenting fraudulent claims;"
which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee on Claims, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. E. M. Bruce introduced
A bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of notes and bonds,' approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Perkins introduced
A bill "to transfer the feeding of prisoners from the Quartermaster's to the Commissary Department;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Commissary and Quartermaster's Departments and Military Transportation.
Mr. Orr submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of requiring the officers and agents of the Treasury Department to issue four per cent bonds in sums corresponding with the amount of tax due from the depositor, on his request, and making affidavit as to the amount of his tax;
which was adopted.
Also, the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill providing that the four per cent bonds shall never be transferable or assignable;
which was adopted.
Mr. Orr also presented joint resolutions of the legislature of Mississippi in relation to the recent act of Congress suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus; which were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Orr also submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to report a bill repealing the act of the last Congress suspending the writ of habeas corpus.
Mr. Russell moved that the resolution be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Hartridge moved to lay the resolution on the table; which latter motion prevailed.
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A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary; which is as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed, without amendment, a bill of this House of the following title, viz:
Mr. Lamkin introduced
A bill "to amend an act of the Provisional Congress entitled 'An act relating to the prepayment of postage in certain cases,' approved July twenty-ninth, eighteen hundred and sixty-one;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
Mr. Smith of North Carolina introduced
A bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of notes and bonds,' approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Logan introduced
A bill "to repeal the tenth and eleventh sections of chapter sixty-six of the acts passed at the fourth session of the First Congress of the Confederate States of America, known as 'the tithing law;'"
which was read a first and second time.
Mr. Logan moved that the bill be referred to the Joint Committee on Impressments, when appointed.
Mr. Akin moved to amend the motion of Mr. Logan by striking out "Joint Committee on Impressments, when appointed," and inserting in lieu thereof "Committee on Ways and Means."
The amendment was agreed to, and the motion as amended prevailed.
Mr. Witherspoon submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads to inquire and report upon the expediency of establishing a daily mail route from Camden to Lancaster Court-House, South Carolina;
which was adopted.
Mr. Miles introduced the following bills:
A bill "to regulate the pay of men detailed from the Army, or after enrollment, on special or extra duty;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
A bill "for the appointment of quartermasters and commissaries for armies in the field and for corps and divisions, and as purchasing and transportation agents, and to increase the number of chaplains for the Army;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
A bill "to authorize the President to confer temporary rank and command upon officers of the Provisional Army who may be assigned for special service:"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Atkins submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Special Committee on Impressments be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill to this House amending the impressment
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law so as to require the impressment commissioners to meet in convention quarterly, and that said commissioners shall fix the prime cost of all articles included in the schedule, and that in no case shall a greater per centum than fifty per centum be allowed upon the prime cost thus fixed;
which was adopted.
Mr. Foote submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That in accordance with the preamble and resolutions recently adopted by the legislature of the State of Mississippi, and just presented in this House, it be declared as the sense of this body that the act of the Congress of the Confederate States providing for the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in certain cases is, for the reasons stated in said preamble and resolutions, "dangerous to the liberty of the citizens, unconstitutional in some of its features, tends to make the civil power subordinate to the military, establishes a precedent of a doubtful and dangerous character, and should be repealed."
On motion of Mr. Miles, the consideration of the resolution was postponed until Thursday morning next, and made the order of the day for the morning hour.
The Speaker announced the Special Committee on Deceased Soldiers' Claims as follows, viz:
Mr. Perkins of Louisiana, Mr. Clopton of Alabama, Mr. Farrow of South Carolina, Mr. Orr of Mississippi, and Mr. Foster of Alabama.
On motion of Mr. Goode,
The House adjourned until 12 o'clock to-morrow.
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