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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 --ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND DAY--THURSDAY, March 9, 1865.
OPEN SESSION.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary; which is as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills of the following titles; in which they request the concurrence of this House:
And they have passed bills of the House of Representatives of the following titles:
The two bills last named with amendments; in which they request the concurrence of this House.
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The Senate have passed a resolution granting to the Committee on the Treatment and Exchange of Prisoners and Conduct of the War, etc., leave to sit during the recess of Congress, and authorizing the said committee to employ a clerk; in which they request the concurrence of this House.
The Senate have agreed to the amendments of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 219) to regulate the payment of clerks employed at the postoffice in the city of Richmond.
The House resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, resolved itself into open session.
Mr. Anderson entered a motion to reconsider the vote by which the bill "relative to the impressment of slaves" was passed.
Mr. Russell presented a series of patriotic resolutions adopted at a meeting of the Nineteenth Regiment of Virginia Cavalry; which were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
The Chair laid before the House a bill (H. R. 402) "to make rules concerning captures on land," which had been returned from the Senate with the following amendments:
The amendments were concurred in.
Also, House joint resolution (H. R. 22) "in regard to the Cotton Bureau in the Trans-Mississippi Department," which had been returned from the Senate with the following amendments:
The amendments were concurred in.
Also, House bill (H. R. 390) "for the relief of taxpayers in certain cases," which had been returned from the Senate with the following amendment:
Strike out the whole of section 2; which reads as follows, viz:
The question being on concurring in the amendment,
It was decided in the affirmative.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 199) "to change the time for the assembling of Congress for its next regular session;" which was read a first and second time.
On motion of Mr. Sexton, the rule was suspended requiring the bill to be referred to a committee.
Mr. Russell moved to amend the bill by striking out the word "November" and inserting in lieu thereof the word "October."
Mr. Sexton moved the previous question; which was ordered.
The question being on the amendment of Mr. Russell,
Mr. Logan demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the amendment was agreed to.
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The bill was read a third time.
The question being put,
Shall the bill pass?
Mr. Sexton demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered.
Yeas: Anderson, Bradley, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chrisman, Clark, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, De Jarnette, Ewing, Farrow, Funsten, Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Holliday, Johnston, J. T. Leach, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, Menees, Murray, Perkins, Pugh, Rogers, Russell, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Snead, Swan, Triplett, and Wickham.
Nays: Atkins, Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Branch, Carroll, Chambers, Cruikshank, Darden, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Fuller, Gaither, Gilmer, Hatcher, Herbert, Keeble, J. M. Leach, Logan, McCallum, McMullin, Miller, Moore, Ramsay, Sexton, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Turner, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.
So the bill was passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Russell moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
Mr. Logan demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Atkins, Baldwin, Barksdale, Batson, Branch, Carroll, Conrow, Cruikshank, Darden, Dickinson, Elliott, Fuller, Gilmer, Hatcher, Herbert, Keeble, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, McMullin, Miller, Moore, Ramsay, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Turner, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.
Nays: Anderson, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Horatio W. Bruce, Chrisman, Clark, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, De Jarnette, Dupré, Ewing, Funsten, Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Johnston, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McCallum, Menees, Murray, Perkins, Pugh, Read, Rogers, Russell, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Snead, Swan, Triplett, Villeré, and Wickham.
So the motion to reconsider was lost.
The Chair laid before the House the bill (H. R. 307) "authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to borrow specie, to be applied to the redemption and reduction of the currency," which had been returned from the Senate with the following amendment:
Insert in section 2, line 2, after the word "within," the word "two."
The question being on concurring in the amendment, of the Senate,
It was decided in the affirmative.
The Chair laid before the House a resolution of the Senate; which was read as follows, viz:
Resolved (the House of Representatives concurring), That the Committee on the Treatment and Exchange of Prisoners and Conduct of the War, etc., have leave to sit during the recess of Congress and report at the next session, and that said committee be authorized to employ a clerk.
Mr. Marshall moved to amend the resolution by striking out the words "and Conduct of the War, etc.;" which amendment was agreed to.
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Mr. McMullin moved to amend the resolution by striking out the words "and that said committee be authorized to employ a clerk."
The amendment was lost, and the resolution as amended was concurred in.
The Chair laid before the House a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting letters from the Register and the chief clerk of his Bureau relative to the issue of registered 4 per cent bonds; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 216) "to appropriate money to pay the Missouri State Guard;" which was read a first and second time.
On motion of Mr. Clark, the rule was suspended requiring the bill to be referred to a committee.
The bill was read a third time.
The question being put,
Shall the bill pass?
The yeas and nays required by the Constitution
Yeas: Anderson, Atkins, Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Branch, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Carroll, Chambers, Chrisman, Clark, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrow, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Fuller, Funsten, Gaither, Gholson, Gilmer, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Johnston, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Perkins, Pugh, Ramsay, Read, Rogers, Russell, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Snead, Swan, Triplett, Turner, Villeré, Wickham, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.
Nays: None.
Two-thirds voting in the affirmative, the bill was passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 222) "supplemental to an act approved on the fourth day of March, eighteen hundred and sixty-five, entitled 'An act 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.'"
On motion of Mr. Marshall, the rule was suspended requiring the bill to be referred to a committee.
The bill was read a third time and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Anderson, from the committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the bill "for the relief of bonded agriculturists in certain cases," submitted the following report:
The committee of conference on the part of the House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the bill (H. R. 384) "for the relief of bonded agriculturists in certain cases," beg leave respectfully to report:
That they have met the managers on the part of the Senate, and, after full and free conference, have agreed to recommend, and do recommend, to their respective Houses as follows:
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The question being on agreeing to the report of the committee,
It was decided in the affirmative.
On motion of Mr. Perkins, the unfinished business was postponed, the rules were suspended, and Mr. Perkins, from the Committee on the Exchange of Prisoners, reported
A bill "to provide for the payment of arrears now due to the Army and Navy;"
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.
On motion of Mr. Perkins, the rule was suspended requiring the bill to be considered in Committee of the Whole.
The bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Perkins moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
The motion was lost.
The House resumed the consideration of the unfinished business, viz:
The bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act to regulate the destruction of property under military necessity, and to provide for the indemnity thereof,' approved March seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-two."
Mr. Conrad moved the previous question; which was ordered.
The question being on ordering the bill to be engrossed and read a third time,
Mr. Conrad demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Baldwin, Barksdale, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chrisman, Clopton, Conrad, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Goode, Gray, Hartridge, Hatcher, Lyon, McMullin, Snead, Staples, Villeré, Wickham, and Wilkes.
Nays: Anderson, Batson, Branch, Carroll, Chambers, Cluskey, Colyar, CruikShank, Darden, Fuller, Gaither, Gholson, Hanly, Herbert, Johnston, J. M. Leach, Logan, Machen, Marshall, Menees, Miles, Miller, Perkins, Pugh, Ramsay, Read, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Triplett, and Turner.
So it was decided in the negative, and the bill was lost.
Mr. Herbert moved to reconsider the vote just taken.
The motion was lost.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Hash, their Secretary, as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have rejected the bill of the House of Representatives (H. R. 323) to provide payment for horses killed or lost in the service of the Confederate States.
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And they have passed the joint resolution of the House of Representatives (H. R. 34) for the relief of Alexander F. Kinney, Confederate Staten depositary at Staunton, Va.
The House proceeded to the consideration of the special order, viz:
The bill "to increase the military force of the Confederate States."
The amendment of the Senate having been read as follows, viz:
Insert at end of the fourth section the following proviso, viz: "Provided, That not more than twenty-five per cent of the male slaves between the ages of eighteen and forty-five in any State shall be called for under the provisions of this act,"
Mr. Barksdale moved that the House concur in said amendment.
Mr. Chambers demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Anderson, Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Clark, Clopton, Conrad, Darden, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gaither, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McMullin, Menees, Miller, Moore, Murray, Perkins, Read, Russell, Simpson, Snead, Staples, Triplett, and Villeré.
Nays: Atkins, Baldwin, Chambers, Colyar, Cruikshank, Fuller, Gholson, Gilmer, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, McCallum, Ramsay, Rogers, Sexton, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Turner, Wickham, Wilkes, Witherspoon, and Mr. Speaker.
So the amendment was concurred in.
Mr. Barksdale moved to reconsider the vote just taken.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Herbert moved that the Calendar be postponed to enable him to move a suspension of the rules, in order that a bill on the table might be taken up for consideration.
The motion was lost.
On motion of Mr. Lyon, the Calendar was postponed, the rules were suspended, and Mr. Lyon, from the Committee on Ways and Means, reported
A bill "for the relief of the Exchange Bank of Virginia, at Norfolk;"
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 called up his motion to reconsider the vote by which the joint resolution (S. 35) "providing for donations to the Treasury of the Confederate States" was passed.
The motion to reconsider prevailed.
Mr. Lyon moved to reconsider the vote by which the joint resolution was engrossed for a third reading.
The motion prevailed.
Mr. Lyon submitted the following amendment:
Add the following as an independent section:
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the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to redeem the same before maturity, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated."
The amendment was agreed to.
The joint resolution was read a third time and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary, as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a joint resolution (S. 37) of thanks to Lieut. Gen. Wade Hampton; in which they request the concurrence of the House of Representatives.
On motion of Mr. Chrisman, the Calendar was again postponed, the rules were suspended, and Mr. Chrisman introduced
A bill "to authorize prisoners of war to fund Treasury notes;" which was read a first and second time.
On motion of Mr. Chrisman, the rule was suspended requiring the bill to be referred to a committee.
Mr. Hanly moved to amend the bill by striking out the word "soldier," wherever it occurs, and inserting in lieu thereof the words "noncommissioned officer or private;" which was agreed to.
Mr. Rogers moved to amend the bill by striking out "thirty" and inserting "ninety;" which was agreed to.
Mr. Clark moved to amend the bill by inserting after the word "private" the words "or his attorney in fact;" which was not agreed to.
Mr. Colyar submitted the following amendment:
After "eighteen hundred and sixty-four," in next to the last line but one, strike out the words "and produce such other proof as may be required by the Secretary of the Treasury" and insert in lieu thereof the words "and shall produce proof thereof."
Mr. Rogers submitted the following amendment to the amendment of Mr. Colyar:
Strike out the whole thereof and insert the following, viz: "Provided, That in case of the death of such officer, noncommissioned officer, or private other evidence shall be admissible, which, when satisfactory to the agent of the Treasury Department, shall entitle the legal representative of such officer, noncommissioned officer, or private to fund such notes."
Mr. J. M. Smith called the previous question; which was ordered.
The amendment of Mr. Rogers to the amendment of Mr. Colyar was agreed to.
The amendment of Mr. Colyar, as amended, was agreed to.
The bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Carroll moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
The motion prevailed.
Mr. Carroll moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading; which motion prevailed.
Mr. Hanly submitted the following amendment:
Add the following proviso: "And provided further, That the prisoners exchanged or returned for exchange at any point in the Trans-Mississippi Department may avail themselves of the provisions of this act within ninety days next after the same shall be promulgated by the general commanding in said department."
The amendment was agreed to.
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The bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Marshall moved that the Calendar be postponed to enable him to move to suspend the rules, in order to report from the Committee on Military Affairs; which motion prevailed.
The rules were suspended, and Mr. Marshall, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom had been referred
A bill "to prevent improper communication of intelligence to the enemy,"
reported back the Same with the recommendation that it do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Marshall, from the same committee, reported
A bill "to prevent improper communication of intelligence to the enemy;"
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.
Mr. Marshall submitted the following amendment:
Strike out section 2, which reads as follows, viz:
"When the party accused of any of the crimes stated in the first section of this act does not belong to the military service of the Confederate States of America, the district court of the Confederate States of America in the district wherein the offense is alleged to have been committed, or the military court sitting in or nearest to said place and within the same State, shall have concurrent jurisdiction to try the party for the alleged offense. And it shall be the duty or the court which assumes the jurisdiction to have a grand jury summoned forthwith to examine into the facts of the case and to indict the accused if there exist sufficient ground therefor; and also it shall be the duty of said court, after indictment found, to cause the petit jury to be summoned forthwith to try the fact of the guilt or innocence of the accused, but for good cause the court may continue the case so long as shall be necessary to answer the demands of justice without regard to the stated terms of such court. When the accused is found guilty by the petit jury in any of the cases mentioned in the first section of this act, the court shall determine the degree of the punishment to be inflicted according to this act, and if it be a military court shall certify the proceedings and sentence to the President for his approval, and it shall be the duty of the President if he approves the sentence to cause the same to be carried into effect through the military authorities; if it be the district court, the sentence shall be carried into effect according to the practice in similar criminal cases arising in the administration of justice,"
and insert in lieu thereof the following, viz:
"When the party accused of any of the crimes stated in the first section of this act does not belong to the hind or naval forces of the Confederate States of America, the district court of the Confederate States of America in the district wherein the offense is alleged to have been committed shall have jurisdiction to try the party accused, and it shall be the duty of the court to have a grand jury summoned forthwith to examine into the facts and to indict the accused if there exists sufficient cause therefor, and after indictment found, it shall be the duty of said court to have the petit Jury summoned forthwith to try the fact of the guilt or innocence of the accused; but for good cause the case may be continued from day to day without regard to the stated terms of said court so long as may be necessary to answer the purposes of justice. The court shall have power to grant new trials for cause and to carry the sentence into effect as is provided by law in similar criminal cases arising in the administration of justice: Provided, That nothing in this act shall be construed to deprive the military authorities of their right to try spies arrested within their lines in the limits of their command."
Mr. Gray moved that the bill and amendment be indefinitely postponed.
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The motion was lost, and the amendment of Mr. Marshall was agreed to.
Mr. Marshall submitted the following amendment:
Add the following as an independent section:
"Nothing herein shall be construed to repeal or modify any of the articles of war applicable to cases specified in this act."
The amendment was agreed to.
The bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Marshall moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
The motion was lost.
Mr. Miles entered a motion to reconsider the vote by which the report of General Hood was ordered to be printed.
Mr. Conrow moved that the House take a recess until 7 o'clock.
Mr. Keeble moved that the House adjourn.
The motion to adjourn was lost.
Mr. Rogers moved to amend the motion of Mr. Conrow by striking out "seven" and inserting "half past seven."
The amendment was agreed to.
The motion as amended prevailed, and
The House took a recess until half past 7 o'clock.
Having reassembled,
The Chair laid before the House a message from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Executive Office,
Richmond, Va., March 9, 1865.
To the House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your consideration a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, covering estimates of appropriations required for the support of the Government during the year 1865.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
On motion of Mr. Sexton, the Calendar was again postponed, the rules were suspended, and the special order, viz:
The bill "to authorize the appointment of certain tax officers for the Trans-Mississippi Department,"
was taken up for consideration.
The bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Sexton moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
The motion was lost.
On motion of Mr. Dupré, the Calendar was again postponed, the rules were suspended, and Mr. Dupré, from the Committee on Printing, to whom had been referred a Senate bill (S. 217) "in relation to printing and binding, in pamphlet form, the acts, resolutions, and treaties adopted at each session of Congress," 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 third time and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
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On motion of Mr. Machen, the Calendar was again postponed, the rules were suspended, and Mr. Machen, from the Committee on the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments, to whom had been referred
A bill "for furnishing bagging and rope for the packing of tithe cotton,"
reported back the same with the recommendation that it do pass.
The question being on postponing the bill, 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. Machen, from the same committee, to whom had been referred
A resolution "of inquiry into complaints from the Army arising from the issuing of tobacco rations,"
submitted a written report and the evidence taken upon said inquiry; which were laid upon the table.
The report was ordered to be printed.
On motion of Mr. Herbert, the Calendar was again postponed, the rules were suspended, and
A bill "requiring suit to be brought against persons connected with the Cotton Bureau and Cotton Office in Texas,"
which had been laid upon the table, was taken up for consideration.
Mr. Carroll submitted the following amendment:
In section 1, line 2, after the word "district," strike out the words "attorney of the Confederate States for the western district of Texas" and insert in lieu thereof the following: "attorneys of the several Confederate States district courts in the States west of the Mississippi River;"
which was agreed to.
The bill was engrossed and read a third time.
Mr. Herbert moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was ordered to be engrossed.
The motion prevailed.
Mr. Herbert moved to amend the bill by filling up the blank in the third section with the word "ten."
The amendment was agreed to.
The question recurring on ordering the bill to be engrossed for a third reading,
Mr. Conrad demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered.
The bill was engrossed and read a third time.
The question being put,
Shall the bill pass?
Mr. Darden demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Barksdale, Batson, Blandford, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Chambers, Clark, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Cruikshank, Dupré, Fuller, Gray, Herbert, Keeble, Logan, McCallum, McMullin, Miller, Moore, Pugh, Ramsay, Read, Russell, Smith of North Carolina, Swan, Turner, Villeré, and Wickham.
Nays: Anderson, Baldwin, Baylor, Bradley, Branch, Burnett, Chrisman, Conrad, Conrow, Darden, Dickinson, Ewing, Farrow,
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Funsten, Gaither, Gholson, Hartridge, Holliday, Lyon, Machen, Miles, Perkins, Sexton, J. M. Smith, Snead, Staples, and Triplett.
So the bill was passed.
Mr. Herbert moved to amend the title of the bill by striking out "Texas" and inserting "the Trans-Mississippi Department."
The amendment was agreed to, and the title as amended was read and agreed to.
Mr. Herbert moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
The motion was lost.
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 House of Representatives of the following titles, viz:
With amendments; in which I am directed to ask the concurrence or this House.
The President of the Confederate States has notified the Senate that he did, on the 8th instant, approve and sign the following acts, viz:
The Senate disagree to the amendment of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 199) to change the time for the assembling of Congress for its next regular session.
A message was received from the President, by Mr. Harrison, his Private Secretary, notifying the House that on the 6th instant he approved and signed
On motion of Mr. Smith of North Carolina, the Calendar was again postponed, the rules were suspended, and
Mr. Smith of North Carolina, from the Special Committee on the Claims of the States, reported
A bill "to authorize the settlement of the claim of the State of North Carolina for expenses incurred in executing the acts of Congress to further provide for the public defense and to organize forces to serve during the war;"
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.
Mr. Rogers submitted the following amendment:
Strike out the words "State of North Carolina" and insert in lieu thereof the words "several States of the Confederacy."
Mr. Moore moved the previous question; which was ordered.
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The question being on the amendment of Mr. Rogers,
Mr. Swan demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the amendment was lost.
The bill was engrossed and read a third time.
Mr. McMullin moved to lay the bill on the table.
The motion was lost.
The bill was passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Moore moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
The motion was lost.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary, as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill of the House of Representatives (H. R. 423) to prevent improper communication of intelligence to the enemy.
Mr. Cluskey moved that the House resolve itself into secret session.
The motion was lost.
The Chair laid before the House a message from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Confederate States of America:
Having been this day informed that the two Houses of Congress have concurred in fixing Saturday next as the day for their adjournment, I deem it proper and advisable to notify you that I expect, at an early day, to send a communication which may require your deliberation and action, and therefore to request that you will prolong your session for a few days.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Richmond, March 9, 1865.
On motion, the message was laid upon the table.
Mr. Russell offered the following resolution:
Resolved (the Senate concurring), That the concurrent resolution appointing a time for the adjournment of the two Houses sine die on Saturday next, be, and is hereby, rescinded, and the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives shall adjourn their respective Houses sine die at two o'clock postmeridian, on Tuesday next, the fourteenth day of March.
The resolution was adopted.
Mr. Sexton moved that when the House adjourn it adjourn to meet at 11 o'clock on Saturday.
Mr. H. W. Bruce moved to amend the motion of Mr. Sexton by striking out "at eleven o'clock on Saturday" and inserting "tomorrow evening at seven o'clock."
Mr. Rogers moved to amend the amendment of Mr. H. W. Bruce by striking out "to-morrow evening at seven o'clock" and inserting "at twelve o'clock to-morrow."
The amendment of Mr. Rogers was lost.
The amendment of Mr. H. W. Bruce was lost, and the motion of Mr. Sexton prevailed.
Mr. Conrad moved that the Calendar be postponed to enable him to move a suspension of the rules, in order to introduce a joint resolution.
The motion was lost.
On motion of Mr. Clopton, the House resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, resolved itself into open session.
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The Chair laid before the House the bill (H. R. 405) "to establish certain post routes therein named," which had been returned from the Senate with the following amendments:
The amendments were concurred in.
The Chair also laid before the House the bill (H. R. 413) "to amend the sequestration laws," which had been returned from the Senate with the following amendments:
"That the first proviso of the fourteenth section of the act approved February fifteenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, to alter and amend an act entitled 'An act for the sequestration of the estates, property, and effects of alien enemies, and for indemnity of citizens of the Confederate States and persons aiding the same in the existing war with the United States,' approved August thirtieth, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, be, and the same is hereby, repealed, and in all cases of debts due to alien enemies and sequestrated according to law, executions may be issued immediately upon the judgments or decrees for the payment thereof, and the principal and interest may be collected without delay by any lawful proceedings, notwithstanding anything contained in any former law."
The amendments of the Senate were concurred in.
The Chair also laid before the House the joint resolution (H. R. 30) "expressing the sense of Congress on the subject of the late peace commission," which had been returned from the Senate with the following amendments:
The amendments of the Senate were concurred in.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 199) "to change the time for the assembling of Congress for its next regular session," which had been amended by the House, and returned from the Senate with the message that the Senate disagreed to the amendment of the House.
Mr. Chambers moved that the House recede from its amendment; which motion prevailed.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 228) "for the relief of the Exchange Bank of Virginia;" which was read a first and second time.
On motion of Mr. Baldwin, the rule was suspended requiring the bill to be referred to a committee.
The bill was read a third time and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate joint resolution "of thanks to Lieutenant-General Wade Hampton,"
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On motion of Mr. Miles, the rule was suspended requiring the joint resolution to be referred to a committee.
The joint resolution was read a third time and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.
Mr. Miles moved to reconsider the vote by which the joint resolution was passed.
The motion was lost.
The Chair laid before the House a message from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., March 9, 1865.
To the House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your information a copy of the report of Lieut. Gen. S. D. Lee of the operations of his corps of the Army of Tennessee during the recent campaign under command of Gen. John B. Hood, whose report in response to your resolution of the 23d ultimo was submitted the 6th instant.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying document were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
On motion of Mr. Marshall, leave was granted him, on leaving copies, to withdraw from the files the claim of White Fowler and accompanying papers.
On motion of Mr. Baldwin, leave was granted him, on leaving copies, to withdraw from the files the petition of the citizens of Hampshire County, Va., in regard to the restoration of lost bonds.
Under a suspension of the rules, Mr. Elliott offered the following resolution:
Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Confederate States, That the authority of the committee appointed by this House at its last session to investigate outrages committed by the Confederate States soldiery in southwestern Virginia and eastern Tennessee be, and the same is, so far enlarged as to enable them to investigate any frauds, peculations, or other illegal acts committed by any assistant commissary, quartermaster, or other Confederate States agent in said district, and that the said committee have leave to sit during the recess of this Congress, and to report to Congress during its next session their actions and doings in the premises.
The resolution was adopted.
Mr. Cruikshank, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled
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And the Speaker signed the same.
On motion of Mr. Read,
The House adjourned until 11 o'clock Saturday.
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SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary, as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill of the House of Representatives (H. R. 417) 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, with amendments; in which they request the concurrence of this House.
The Chair laid before the House the bill (H. R. 417) "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 had been returned from the Senate with the following amendments:
Strike out all after the enacting clause, which reads as follows, viz:
Amend the title by striking out all after "to," line 1, and inserting as follows: "increase, for a limited period, the compensation and mileage of Senators, Representatives, and Delegates in Congress, and the compensation of the officers of both Houses of Congress."
Mr. Blandford moved to amend the amendment of the Senate by striking out the word "eighty," in section 2, and inserting "one hundred."
The amendment was lost.
Mr. Snead moved that the amendment of the Senate be concurred in; which motion prevailed.
Mr. Snead moved to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was concurred in.
The motion was lost.
The amendment to the title was agreed to, and the title as amended was read and agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Clopton,
The House resolved itself into open session.
Being again in secret session,
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Mr. Clopton, from the select committee to whom had been referred
A joint resolution "providing for the removal of the seat of government,"
reported back the same with the recommendation that it do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Clopton, from the same committee, reported
A bill "to provide for the safety of the archives of the Government and for the assembling of Congress at any place other than the seat of government;"
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. Cruikshank, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled
And the Speaker signed the same.
On motion of Mr. Read,
The House resolved itself into open session.
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