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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 --NINETY-FIRST DAY--FRIDAY February 24, 1865.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Peterkin.
The Chair, presented
On motion of Mr. Gilmer, the rule requiring the bill and amendment to be referred to a committee was suspended, and the question being on concurring in the amendment of the Senate, which is as follows, to wit:
Add at the end of section 1 the following: "Provided, That the consent of the State for the establishment of said arsenal and armory shall be obtained: And provided further, That the State shall not impose taxes upon said property,"
The same was agreed to.
The Chair laid before the House
A bill (H. R. 382) "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 had been returned from the Senate with amendments.
On motion, the rule requiring the bill and amendments to be referred to a committee was suspended, and the amendment of the Senate, which is as follows, to wit, was concurred in:
Insert, in line 3, after the words "under the" the word "fourteenth."
And the amendment of the Senate to the title of the bill, which is as follows, to wit: "Strike out, in line 1 of the title, the word 'thirteenth' and insert in lieu thereof the word 'fourteenth,'" was concurred in.
On motion of Mr. Lyon, the rules were suspended to enable him to report from the Committee on Ways and Means; and Mr. Lyon reported
A bill "making further regulations for the taxation of banks and bank notes, and for the confiscation of such notes held by alien enemies;"
which was read first and second times, postponed, made the continuing special order after the consideration of the present special orders, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Lyon, from the same committee, reported and recommended the passage of
A bill "to authorize the First Auditor to receive and keep all accounts of the Navy Department;"
which was read first and second times.
The question being on postponing the bill and placing it on the Calendar,
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It was decided in the negative, and the bill was engrossed, read third time, and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Lyon, from the same committee, reported and recommended the passage of
A bill "to amend an act to authorize the appointment of assistants to the Register in signing bonds and certificates;"
which was read first and second times.
The question being on postponing the bill,
It was decided in the negative.
Mr. Blandford moved to amend the bill by adding at the end thereof the following:
Provided, That the appointments under this act shall be of persons not liable to military service.
The amendment was agreed to, and the bill as amended was engrossed, read a third time, and passed, and the title was read and agreed to
Mr. Lyon, from the same committee, reported and recommended the passage of
A bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act to establish and organize two bureaus in connection with the Treasury Department,' approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and to provide for the more efficient organization of the agency of the Treasury for the Trans-Mississippi Department;"
which was read first and second times.
The question being upon postponing the bill and placing it on the Calendar,
The same was decided in the negative.
Mr. Dupré moved to amend the bill by filling the blank therein with the words "one hundred thousand dollars."
The amendment was agreed to, and the bill as amended was engrossed, read a third time, and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Lyon, from the same committee, reported
A bill "making additional appropriations for the support of the Government of the Confederate States of America from January first to June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and sixty-five;"
which was read first and second times, postponed, made the continuing special order after the present special orders, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Lyon, from the same committee, reported and recommended the passage of
A bill "for the relief of taxpayers in certain cases;"
which was read first, and second times.
The question being on postponing the bill,
It was decided in the negative.
Mr. De Jarnette moved to amend the bill by adding at the end thereof the following, to wit:
That the Secretary of the Treasury, on the recommendation of the boards of police, county courts, or suck other county, district, or parish tribunal as may be prescribed by the State collectors, respectively, transmitted through said collectors, is hereby authorized to suspend the collection of taxes now due, or hereafter to be imposed; in those districts where depredations have been committed by the enemy in all cases when, in his judgment, the resources of the
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taxpayer have been so seriously damaged as to render the payment of taxes impossible or excessively oppressive, such suspension to continue so long as the exigency may exist.
The amendment was agreed to, and the bill as amended was engrossed, read a third time, and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Anderson moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
The motion did not prevail.
Mr. McMullin moved to suspend the rules, to enable him to offer a resolution to request the Senate to return the tax bill passed by the House.
Upon which motion Mr. Ramsay demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Anderson, Atkins, Barksdale, Baylor, Boyce, Branch, Bridgers, Clark, Clopton, Colyar, Cruikshank, De Jarnette, Farrow, Foster, Fuller, Funsten, Gilmer, Herbert, Johnston, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Marshall, McMullin, Menees, Moore, Perkins, Pugh, Ramsay, Read, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, W. E. Smith, Staples, Swan, Turner, Wickham, Witherspoon, and Mr. Speaker.
Nays: Baldwin, Batson, Blandford, Bradley, Burnett, Carroll, Chrisman, Cluskey, Conrad, Conrow, Dickinson, Dupré, Ewing, Goode, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Holliday, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, McCallum, Miles, Miller, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Snead, Triplett, and Villeré.
And the motion did not prevail.
The House resumed the consideration of the unfinished business; which was the joint resolution "expressing the sense of Congress on the subject of the late peace commission."
On motion of Mr. Baldwin, the joint resolution was transferred to the Secret Calendar.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, the Secretary of that body; which is as follows, to wit:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have disagreed to the amendment of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 166) to amend an act entitled "An act to provide and organize a general staff for armies in the field, to serve during the war," approved June 14, 1864, ask a conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses thereon, and have appointed Mr. Wigfall, Mr. Orr, and Mr. Maxwell managers at said conference on their part.
The Senate have passed bills of the following titles, viz:
In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
They have also passed bills of this House of the following titles, viz:
The first named with an amendment; in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
Mr. Cruikshank, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled
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And the Speaker signed the same.
And on motion of Mr. Clark, the House resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, resumed business in open session.
On motion, the House adjourned to to-morrow morning at the usual hour.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session.
Proceeded to the consideration of the joint resolution "expressing the sense of Congress on the late peace commission."
Mr. Blandford withdrew his demand for the previous question.
Mr. Barksdale moved to postpone indefinitely the further consideration of the joint resolution and amendment.
Upon which Mr. Perkins demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Anderson, Atkins, Barksdale, Blandford, Boyce, Bridgers, Clopton, Colyar, Cruikshank, Dickinson, Dupré, Foster, Fuller, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, McMullin, Menees, Ramsay, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Swan, Turner, and Wickham.
Nays: Batson, Bradley, Branch, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Carroll, Chrisman, Clark, Conrad, Conrow, Ewing, Farrow, Funsten, Gaither, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McCallum, Miles, Miller, Moore, Perkins, Pugh, Read, Rogers, Sexton, Simpson, Snead, Triplett, Villeré, Wilkes, Witherspoon, and Mr. Speaker.
So the motion to postpone indefinitely was not agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Hanly, leave of absence was granted Mr. W. E. Smith.
Mr. Snead demanded the previous question.
The main question was ordered, and the question being upon agreeing to the amendment of Mr. Gilmer to the joint resolution.
Mr. Marshall demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Barksdale, Foster, Fuller, Garland, Gilmer, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, McMullin, Ramsay, Smith of North Carolina, Turner, and Witherspoon.
Nays: Anderson. Atkins, Batson, Blandford, Boyce, Bradley, Branch, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Carroll, Chrisman,
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Clark, Clopton, Colyar, Conrow, Cruikshank, Dickinson, Dupré, Ewing, Farrow, Funsten, Gaither, Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McCallum, Menees, Miles, Miller, Moore, Murray, Perkins, Read, Rogers, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Staples, Swan, Triplett, Villeré, Wickham, and Wilkes.
So the amendment was not agreed to.
The question recurring on ordering the joint resolution to be engrossed for a third reading,
Mr. Gaither demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Anderson, Barksdale, Batson, Blandford, Boyce, Bradley, Branch, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Carroll, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Colyar, Conrad, Conrow, Dickinson, Dupré, Ewing, Farrow, Funsten, Gaither, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Miles, Miller, Moore, Perkins, Pugh, Rogers, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Snead, Staples, Swan, Triplett, Villeré, Wilkes, Witherspoon, and Mr. Speaker.
Nays: J. T. Leach.
So the joint resolution was engrossed and read a third time.
The question recurring on the passage, and being put,
Shall the bill pass?
Mr. J. T. Leach demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Anderson, Atkins, Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Boyce, Bradley, Branch, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, Conrow, Dickinson, Dupré, Ewing, Farrow, Gaither, Garland, Gholson, Gilmer, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Hilton, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Miles, Miller, Moore, Perkins, Pugh, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Snead, Staples, Swan, Triplett, Villeré, Wilkes, Witherspoon, and Mr. Speaker.
Nays: J. T. Leach.
So the joint resolution was passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Sexton, the injunction of secrecy was removed from the joint resolution and the vote by which the same was passed.
Mr. Smith of North Carolina moved to take up his motion to reconsider the vote by which the House refused to remove the injunction of secrecy from the proceedings on a bill "to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in certain cases for a limited period."
Upon which Mr. Ramsay demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Anderson, Atkins, Baldwin, Branch, Horatio W. Bruce,
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Clopton, Cruikshank, Darden, Farrow, Fuller, Gaither, Gilmer, Goode, Herbert, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Marshall, Miles, Ramsay, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Turner, Witherspoon, and Mr. Speaker.
Nays: Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Burnett, Carroll, Chrisman, Clark, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, Conrow, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gholson, Hartridge, Hatcher, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Moore, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, Snead, Swan, Triplett, Villeré, and Wilkes.
So the motion of Mr. Smith did not prevail.
Mr. Swan moved that the House resolve itself into open session.
The motion did not prevail.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary; which is as follows, to wit:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill of the following title, viz:
In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
The Chair presented
A bill (S. 200) "to provide transportation for Senators, Representatives, and Delegates in Congress to their respective places of residence, and to increase, for a limited time. their salaries;" which was read first and second times.
Mr. Clark moved to suspend the rule requiring the bill to be referred to a committee.
Upon which motion Mr. McMullin demanded the yeas and nays: which were not ordered, and the motion of Mr. Clark was agreed to.
Mr. McMullin moved to postpone indefinitely the further consideration of the bill.
The motion did not prevail.
Mr. Dupré moved to amend the first section of the bill by inserting after the words "Delegate in Congress" the words "and the officers of the respective Houses."
Mr. Atkins called the question; which was ordered, and the amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Colyar moved to amend the bill by striking out the first section; which is as follows, to wit:
The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That upon the adjournment of the present session of Congress transportation in kind shall be supplied by the Quartermaster-General to Senators and Representatives and Delegates in Congress from Richmond to their respective places of residence; and if such transportation can not be furnished in kind at any points or places on the route of travel, then the amount actually expended for transportation (including expenses and necessary detention) by such Senator, Representative, or Delegate shall be paid him by any quartermaster of the Confederate States on his certificate of honor of the amount thus expended.
Mr. Moore called the question; which was ordered.
Upon which Mr. McMullin demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered.
Mr. McMullin moved that the House resolve itself into open session; which motion was lost.
Mr. Gray moved to lay the bill on the table.
The motion did not prevail.
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Mr. Cluskey moved to amend the bill by adding at the end of section 2 the following words, to wit:
And the percentage of increase in compensation allowed by this section be extended to the officers of the Senate and House of Representatives.
Mr. Dupré moved to amend by striking out section 2; which reads as follows, to wit:
That the compensation of Senators, Representatives, and Delegates in Congress, for the months of February and March, eighteen hundred and sixty-five, shall be increased to twelve hundred dollars per month, said increase of compensation to be payable on the adjournment of the present session of Congress,
and to insert in lieu thereof the following, to wit:
That Senators, Representatives, and Delegates in Congress, and the officers of the respective Houses shall, at the expiration of this session of Congress, be entitled to receive the amount of compensation which would accrue to them from the adjournment to the next meeting of Congress.
Mr. Clopton demanded the previous question.
The main question was ordered, and the amendment of Mr. Dupré was lost.
The question recurring upon the amendment of Mr. Cluskey,
The same was agreed to, and the bill was read a third time.
The hour of 4 o'clock p. m. having arrived,
The Speaker, in accordance with a resolution of the House,
Announced the House adjourned until to-morrow at 11 o'clock a. m.
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