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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 SEVENTH DAY--THURSDAY, March 16, 1865.

Journal of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861-1865 [Volume 7]
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH DAY--THURSDAY, March 16, 1865.

OPEN SESSION.

On motion of Mr. Ewing, the unfinished business was postponed.

Mr. Ewing moved that the rules be suspended to enable him to offer a resolution.

No quorum voting,

Mr. Sexton moved a call of the House; which was ordered.

Upon the call of the roll the following gentlemen answered to their names:

Messrs. Anderson, Baldwin, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Branch, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrow, Darden, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Farrow, Gaither, Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, Menees, Miles, Miller, Moore, Perkins, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Snead, Staples, Triplett, Turner, Villeré, Welsh, Wickham, Wilkes, Witherspoon, and Mr. Speaker.

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A quorum having been found to be present,

On motion of Mr. Sexton, all further proceedings under the call were dispensed with.

On motion of Mr. Rogers, the Speaker was authorized to make temporary appointments to the Committee on Enrolled Bills in place of Mr. Cruikshank and Mr. Fuller, absent.

The Speaker appointed Mr. Hatcher of Missouri.

The question recurring on the motion to suspend the rules,

Mr. Blandford demanded the yeas and nays;

Which were ordered,

And recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 50
• Nays ... 5

Yeas: Anderson, Baldwin, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Branch, Eli M. Bruce, Carroll, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Darden, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Farrow, Gaither, Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Herbert, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, McMullin, Menees, Miles, Miller, Moore, Perkins, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Snead, Staples, Swan, Triplett, Villeré, Welsh, Wickham, and Witherspoon.

Nays: Horatio W. Bruce, Conrow, Hatcher, Wilkes, and Mr. Speaker.

So the rules were suspended.

Mr. Ewing offered the following resolution; which was adopted:

Resolved (the Senate concurring), That the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives adjourn their respective Houses sine die on Saturday, the eighteenth instant, at one o'clock postmeridian.

Mr. Anderson moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was adopted.

The motion was lost.

Mr. Cluskey offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Speaker of the House will hereafter issue his warrant for the arrest of any member about to absent himself without leave.

Mr. McMullin moved to lay the resolution on the table.

Mr. Swan demanded the yeas and nays thereon;

Which were ordered,

And recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 25
• Nays ... 32

Yeas: Baldwin, Blandford, Branch, Eli M. Bruce, Chambers, Chrisman, Clopton, Colyar, Darden, Elliott, Farrow, Goode, Hanly, Lyon, Marshall, McMullin, Perkins, Pugh, Russell, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Snead, Staples, and Wickham.

Nays: Batson, Baylor, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Clark, Cluskey, Conrow, Dickinson, Dupré, Ewing, Gaither, Gholson, Gray, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Machen, Miles, Miller, Moore, Rogers, Sexton, Swan, Triplett, Turner, Villeré, Welsh, Wilkes, and Witherspoon.

So the House refused to lay the resolution on the table.

Mr. Cluskey moved that the rule be suspended requiring the resolution to lie over two days.

Mr. Swan demanded the yeas and nays thereon; which were not ordered, and the motion was not agreed to.

So the resolution lies over.

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On motion of Mr. Herbert, the unfinished business was again postponed, the rules were suspended, and Mr. Herbert offered the following resolution; which was adopted:

Resolved, That the Clerk of this House be empowered and directed to pay out of the contingent fund of the House, to the several officers of the House, mileage to their respective places of residence according to the rates now allowed by law to members.

On motion of Mr. Pugh, the unfinished business was again postponed, the rules were suspended, and Mr. Pugh, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom had been referred that portion of the late message of the President relating to military affairs, submitted a written report.

Mr. Hartridge offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the report presented by the Committee on Military Affairs expresses the sense of this House in reference to the subjects contained in that report.

On motion of Mr. Hartridge, the consideration of the resolution was postponed until the bill "to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia of the Confederate States, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the Confederate States, and for calling them forth to execute the laws of the Confederate States, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions," be disposed of.

On motion of Mr. Marshall, the report of the committee was ordered to be printed.

On motion of Mr. Chambers, it was ordered to be recorded in the Journal that, had he been present yesterday when the vote was taken on the passage of the bill "to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus," he would have voted in the negative.

The House resumed the consideration of the unfinished business, viz:

The bill "to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia of the Confederate States, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the Confederate States, and for calling them forth to execute the laws of the Confederate States, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions."

The question being on laying the bill on the table,

Mr. Blandford demanded the yeas and nays;

Which were ordered,

And recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 31
• Nays ... 33

Yeas: Anderson, Baldwin, Blandford, Branch, Chambers, Clopton, Colyar, Conrad, Darden, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Farrow, Gaither, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Herbert, Miles, Pugh, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Snead, Turner, Villeré, Welsh, and Wickham.

Nays: Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Carroll, Chrisman, Clark, Cluskey, Conrow, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gholson, Hatcher, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Miller, Moore, Perkins, Staples, Swan, Triplett, and Wilkes.

So the House refused to lay the bill on the table.

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Mr. Conrad submitted the following amendment:

Strike out the first section; which reads as follows, viz:

"The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That every able-bodied white male resident of the respective States not in the military service or the Confederate States, who is, or shall be, of the age of seventeen years and under the age of fifty years, who shall not be exempted by this act, shall be enrolled in the militia."

Mr. Blandford moved that the rule be suspended to enable the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Conrad, to proceed with his remarks.

No quorum voting,

Mr. Blandford moved that the House adjourn.

The motion was lost.

Mr. Swan moved a call of the House, and demanded the yeas and nays thereon; which were ordered.

Mr. Blandford moved that the House adjourn.

The motion was lost.

The question recurring on the motion for a call of the House,

The yeas and nays are recorded,

And are as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 27
• Nays ... 21 [24]

Yeas: Batson, Baylor, Bradley, Branch, Eli M. Bruce, Carroll, Chambers, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, Conrow, Dickinson, Elliott, Ewing, Gholson, Holliday, Lyon, Perkins. Russell, Sexton, Swan, Triplett, Turner, and Wilkes.

Nays: Anderson, Barksdale, Blandford, Darden, Dupré, Funsten, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Johnston, Marshall, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Miles, Miller, Pugh, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Villeré, and Wickham.

So the call of the House was ordered.

Upon the call of the roll the following gentlemen answered to-their names:

Messrs. Anderson, Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Branch, Eli M. Bruce, Burnett, Carroll, Chambers, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrad, Conrow, Darden, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gaither, Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Miles, Miller, Moore, Murray, Perkins, Pugh, Rogers, Russell, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Swan, Triplett, Turner, Villeré, Wickham, and Wilkes.

A quorum being present,

On motion of Mr. Machen, all further proceedings under the call were dispensed with.

On motion of Mr. Lyon, the House resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, resolved itself into open session.

On motion of Mr. Wickham, leave of absence was granted to Mr. Lyon from and after to-morrow afternoon.

Mr. Barksdale called up his motion to reconsider the vote by which the bill (S. 204) "to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to receive specie from the several States of the Confederacy and use the same for the benefit of said States" was passed.

The motion to reconsider prevailed.

Mr. Barksdale moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was ordered to a third reading; which motion prevailed.

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Mr. Barksdale submitted the following amendment:

Add at end of section 2 the following, viz: "Provided, That if any part of the funds acquired under the provisions of this act, from any State, be applied as a credit against the taxes levied upon the property thereof, the proportion so credited shall not exceed in amount one-half the taxes imposed by 'An act to levy additional taxes for the year eighteen hundred and sixty-five for the support of the Government,' approved eleventh March, eighteen hundred and sixty-five;"
which was agreed to.

The bill as amended was read a third time and passed, and the title was read and agreed to.

Mr. Lyon moved to postpone the unfinished business, to enable him to move a suspension of the rules, in order to offer a resolution.

No quorum voting,

Mr. Blandford moved that the House adjourn.

Mr. Marshall demanded the yeas and nays thereon;

Which were ordered,

And recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 16
• Nays ... 41

Yeas: Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Burnett, Cluskey, Darden, De Jarnette, Dupré, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Herbert, Pugh, Rogers, J. M. Smith, and Snead.

Nays: Anderson, Baldwin, Barksdale, Batson, Branch, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Chambers, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Colyar, Conrad, Conrow, Dickinson, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gaither, Gholson, Goode, Hatcher, Holliday, Johnston, Lyon, Machen, Marshall, McMullin, Miles, Moore, Perkins, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, Staples, Swan, Triplett, Villeré, Wickham, and Wilkes.

So the House refused to adjourn.

A quorum being present, the unfinished business was postponed.

Mr. Lyon moved that the rules be suspended to enable him to offer a resolution.

Mr. Conrow demanded the yeas and nays thereon; which were not ordered.

The rules were suspended, and Mr. Lyon offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the House of Representatives having disposed of the business before it, it will, with the consent of the Senate, be ready to adjourn to-morrow at three o'clock postmeridian, and that a committee of three be appointed on the part of the House to act in conjunction With such committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate to wait upon the President and inform him the two Houses will be ready to adjourn to-morrow at three o'clock postmeridian, if he has no further communication to make.

The resolution was not adopted.

Mr. Clopton moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was not adopted.

The motion prevailed.

Mr. Clopton submitted the following amendment:

Strike out the first clause of the resolution and insert the following:

"Resolved (the Senate concurring), That the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House adjourn their respective Houses sine die on Friday, the seventeenth instant, at three o'clock postmeridian."

Mr. Chambers moved to amend the amendment by striking out "Friday" and inserting "Saturday."

The amendment to the amendment was agreed to.

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Mr. Hanly moved to amend the amendment by striking out "three o'clock postmeridian" and inserting "twelve o'clock meridian;"
which was agreed to.

Mr. Clopton moved to amend the resolution by striking out, in the second clause, the words "to-morrow at three o'clock postmeridian" and inserting "Saturday at twelve o'clock meridian;"
which was agreed to.

The question recurring on the resolution as amended,

Mr. Clark demanded the yeas and nays;

Which were ordered,

And recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 38
• Nays ... 17

Yeas: Anderson, Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Branch, Carroll, Chambers, Chrisman, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Darden, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gholson, Goode, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge, Herbert, Holliday, Lyon, Machen, McMullin, Miller, Moore, Pugh, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Snead, Staples, and Villeré.

Nays: Baldwin, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Clark, Conrad, Conrow, De Jarnette, Hatcher, Johnston, Marshall, McCallum, Miles, Swan, Triplett, Wickham, and Wilkes.

So the resolution was adopted.

Mr. Clopton moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was adopted.

The motion was lost.

Mr. Chambers moved that the unfinished business be postponed to enable him to move a suspension of the rules, in order to report from the Committee on Military Affairs.

Pending which,

Mr. Chambers moved that the House take a recess until half past 7 o'clock.

Pending which,

Mr. Wickham moved that the House adjourn; which motion was lost.

The motion of Mr. Chambers prevailed, and

The House took a recess until half past 7 o'clock.

Having reassembled,

A message was received from the President, by Mr. Harrison, his Private Secretary, notifying the House that on the 13th instant he approved and signed

• H. R. 307. An act authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to borrow specie, to be applied to the redemption and reduction of the currency;
• H. R. 324. An act to authorize the appointment of certain tax officers for the Trans-Mississippi Department;
• H. R. 367. An act to increase the military force of the Confederate States;
• H. R. 384. An act for the relief of bonded agriculturists in certain cases;
• H. R. 385. An act making additional appropriations for the support of the Government of the Confederate States of America from January 1 to June 30, 1865;
• H. R. 387. An act to amend an act entitled "An act to establish and

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  organize two bureaus in connection with the agency of the Treasury," etc., approved February 17, 1864, and to provide for the more efficient organization of the agency of the Treasury for the Trans-Mississippi Department;

• H. R. 390. An act for the relief of taxpayers in certain cases;
• H. R. 394. An act to authorize the President to appoint a commissioner to take proof as to expenditures made by the State of Tennessee for the benefit of the Confederacy previous to the transfer of her troops to the Confederate Government;
• H. R. 401. An act to amend and extend the provisions of an act entitled "An act fixing the salaries of certain civil officers in the Trans-Mississippi Department," approved February 18, 1865;
• H. R. 402. An act to make rules concerning captures on land;
• H. R. 405. An act to establish certain post routes therein named;
• H. R. 406. An act to amend the acts to regulate the assessment and collection of taxes in kind;
• H. R. 416. An act to increase the compensation of tax collectors and assessors in the cities of Richmond and Petersburg;
• H. R. 423. An act to prevent improper communication of intelligence to the enemy;
• H. R. 424. An act for furnishing bagging and rope for the packing of tithe cotton; and
• H. R. 425. An act 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.

And that on the 14th instant he approved and signed

• H. R. 413. An act to amend the sequestration laws;
• H. R. 414. An act making an additional appropriation for the redemption of a temporary loan, made in the year 1861, of sundry banks in the Confederate States, to supply funds to the Treasury;
• H. R. 428. An act to authorize the Postmaster-General to purchase United States postage stamps for certain purposes;
• H. R. 30. Joint resolution expressing the sense of Congress on the subject of the late peace commission; and
• H. R. 31. Joint resolution respecting a census.

Mr. Rogers, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled

• H. R. 174. An act for the relief of Maj. John Reid, of Missouri;
• H. R. 429. An act making appropriations for the support of the Government of the Confederate States of America from July 1 to December 31, 1865, and to supply deficiencies:
• H. R. 35. Joint resolution for the relief of Stephen B. Marshall, jr., tax collector of Putnam County, Ga.;
• H. R. 437. An act to grant transportation to discharged and disabled soldiers;
• H. R. 431. An act for the relief of the officers and employees of the Treasury Note Bureau;
• H. R. 435. An act to establish a certain post route therein named;
• H. R. 36. Joint resolution for the relief of William C. Hagan;
• H. R. 418. An act relative to the impressment of slaves;
• H. R. 37. Joint resolution of thanks to, and for the relief of, Maj. Gaspar Tochman, formerly of the Polish army;

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• H. R. 434. An act to amend an act entitled "An act to diminish the number of exemptions and details;"
• H. R. 341. An act requiring suit to be brought against persons connected with the Cotton Bureau and Cotton Office in the Trans-Mississippi Department;
• H. R. 419. An act to amend an act providing for the establishment and payment of claims for a certain description of property taken or informally impressed for the use of the Army, approved 14th June, 1864;
• H. R. 437. An act to grant transportation to discharged and disabled soldiers;
• S. 227. All act to amend the act to regulate the business of conscription, approved March 7, 1865; and
• S. 215. An act to appropriate money to pay the expenses of the Joint Select Committee on the Subject of the Treatment and Exchange of Prisoners.

And the Speaker signed the same.

A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary, as follows, viz:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a resolution fixing a time for the adjournment of the present session of Congress; in which they request the concurrence of the House of Representatives.

The question recurring on the motion of Mr. Chambers to postpone the unfinished business, to enable him to move a suspension of the rules, in order to report a bill from the Committee on Military Affairs,

Mr. Clark demanded the yeas and nays thereon;

Which were ordered,

And recorded as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 27
• Nays ... 21

Yeas: Anderson, Baldwin, Baylor, Blandford, Branch, Chambers, Clopton, Colyar, Darden, Dickinson, Gaither, Gholson, Hanly, Hartridge, Herbert, Lyon, McMullin, Miles, Pugh, Rogers, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Villeré, Wickham, and Mr. Speaker.

Nays: Barksdale, Batson, Bradley, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Chrisman, Clark, Conrow, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gray, Hatcher, Holliday, Machen, McCallum, Menees, Moore, Perkins, Triplett, and Wilkes.

No quorum voting,

Mr. Chrisman moved a call of the House.

Pending which,

Mr. Clark moved that the House adjourn.

Mr. Rogers demanded the yeas and nays thereon; which were not ordered, and the motion to adjourn was lost.

The question recurring on the motion for a call of the House,

It was decided in the affirmative.

Upon the call of the roll the following gentlemen answered to their names:

Messrs. Anderson, Baldwin, Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Branch, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Carroll, Chambers, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Colyar, Conrow, Darden, Dickinson, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gaither, Gholson, Gray, Hanly, Hartridge,

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Hatcher, Herbert, Holliday, Lyon, Machen, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Miles, Moore, Perkins, Pugh, Rogers, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Triplett, Villeré, Wickham, Wilkes, and Mr. Speaker.

The following gentlemen were found absent by leave of the House:

Messrs. Akin, Atkins, Ayer, Bell, Chilton, Echols, Foster, Heiskell, Hilton, Holder, Lamkin, Lester, Montague, Norton, Orr, Shewmake, Singleton, W. E. Smith, and Wright.

The following gentlemen were brought before the House in the custody of the Doorkeeper, and on motion excused:

Messrs. Cluskey, Dupré, Farrow, Goode, Read, Russell, Snead, Welsh, and Witherspoon.

Mr. Perkins moved that all further proceedings under the call be dispensed with.

The motion was lost.

Mr. Conrad was brought before the House and excused.

Mr. Perkins moved that all further proceedings under the call be dispensed with.

The motion was lost.

Mr. Swan appeared before the House and was excused.

On motion of Mr. Snead, all further proceedings under the call were dispensed with.

The yeas and nays on the motion to postpone the unfinished business are again recorded,

And are as follows, viz:
• Yeas ... 31
• Nays ... 24

Yeas: Anderson, Baldwin, Baylor, Blandford, Branch, Burnett, Chambers, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Darden, Dickinson, Farrow, Gaither, Gholson, Goode, Hanly, Hartridge, Herbert, Lyon, McMullin, Miles, Pugh, Rogers, Russell, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Villeré, Wickham, and Mr. Speaker.

Nays: Barksdale, Batson, Bradley, Horatio W. Bruce, Carroll, Chrisman, Clark, Conrad, Conrow, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gray, Hatcher, Holliday, Machen, Marshall, McCallum, Menees, Moore, Perkins, Snead, Swan, and Triplett.

So the unfinished business was postponed.

The rules were suspended, and Mr. J. M. Smith, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported

A bill "to amend the act 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.

On motion of Mr. Sexton, the bill was postponed temporarily.

Mr. Sexton moved that the unfinished business be postponed.

Mr. Baldwin demanded the yeas and nays thereon; which were not ordered, and the motion prevailed.

Under a suspension of the rules, 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 President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives adjourn their respective Houses on Saturday, the eighteenth day of March instant, at twelve o'clock meridian.

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The question being on concurring in the resolution,

It was decided in the affirmative.

Mr. Blandford moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was concurred in.

The motion was lost.

On motion of Mr. Chambers, the unfinished business was again postponed.

Mr. Clark moved to reconsider the vote just taken.

The motion was lost.

The House resumed the consideration of the bill "to amend the act to organize forces to serve during the war."

Mr. McCallum submitted the following amendment, viz:

Strike out all after the enacting clause, which read as follows, viz:

• "That hereafter it shall not be lawful to conscribe any person under this or any existing laws until sixty days after the President shall have made his requisition upon the governor of the State where such person resides, which requisition he is hereby empowered and required to make for men liable to the military service of the Confederate States. The governors of the States, in filling such requisitions, are hereby authorized to consider as subject thereto soldiers of the Army of the Confederate States, who, at the date of the passage of this act, were absent from their commands without leave, and may organize the troops so furnished into companies, battalions, and regiments: Provided, That the rank and number of the officers and the complement of men in each organization so formed shall be the same as is required in similar organizations in the Army of the Confederate States; and such companies, battalions, and regiments, when so formed, shall be turned over to, and become a part of, the Provisional Army of the Confederate States.
• "Sec. 2. That soldiers of the Army absent without leave at the date of the passage of this act shall be, and they are hereby, allowed to volunteer in any organization from their respective States: Provided, That the privilege given by this section shall not continue longer than sixty days from and after the date of the passage of this act: And provided further, That no soldier shall be allowed to volunteer, under the provisions of this section, in an arm of the service different from that to which he now belongs.
• "Sec. 3. That the general commanding a department or army in the field may, in his discretion, grant leave of absence to officers of reduced organizations for the purpose of recruiting the same in their respective States from persons liable to conscription or absent without leave from their commands at the date of the passage of this act.
• "Sec. 4. That the President may, in his discretion, authorize such persons as he deems competent to raise new organizations to be composed of persons liable to conscription or absent without leave from their respective commands at the date of the passage of this act,"

• "Section 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That from and after the passage of this act all white men, residents of the Confederate States, between the ages of sixteen and fifty years, shall be in the military service of the Confederate States for the war.
• "Sec. 2. That all persons aforesaid, between the ages of seventeen and eighteen, shall be placed in service in the field with those between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, and shall have thirty days to choose the arm of service and the organizations they may prefer to enter: Provided, That they shall be required to enter organizations from the States in which they respectively reside.
• "Sec. 3. That all persons between the ages of forty-five and fifty shall constitute the first-class reserves for State defense and detail duty, as provided by existing laws, but may be required to perform service out of the State in which they reside.
• "Sec. 4. That all persons between the ages of sixteen and seventeen, and forty-five and fifty-five, shall enroll themselves and be organized into companies, battalions, and regiments, as required by the fifth and sixth sections of an act entitled 'An act to organize forces to serve during the war,' approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and shall be entitled to all the

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  privileges of said act, and, when organized, shall constitute the second-class reserve forces for State defense and detail duty; but they shall not be called into active service except in cases of great emergencies; nor shall they be required to serve out of the States in which they reside, nor longer under any one call, or at any one time, than sixty days: Provided, That not more than one-half of said second-class reserves shall be in actual service at the same time.

• "Sec. 5. Troops of the second-class reserves shall have the privilege of serving in mounted infantry upon their furnishing their own horses and equipments--their horses and equipments being valued as under existing laws, and if lost in the service, to be paid for as those of other mounted men or cavalry.
• "Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of the second-class reserves, after their organization, to meet by companies, at stated times and places, not oftener than once a month, to be designated by their officers, to drill under the superintendence of persons familiar with tactics. They shall, not be put in actual service until specially required by the President, and then he shall designate the number of companies, battalions, and regiments from any given State, and the service upon which they are to enter.
• "Sec. 7. That from and after the passage of this act no white man, resident of the Confederate States, between the ages of seventeen and thirty, shall be exempt from military service by reason of any occupation, trade, calling, or profession, except as provided by the second paragraph of section ten of an act entitled 'An act to organize forces to serve during the war,' approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four: Provided, That no person shall be exempted by reason of being an officer of State militia: Provided further, That nothing in this act shall be so construed as to prevent the President from detailing artisans, mechanics, or persons of scientific skill, or other persons of skill and experience, to perform indispensable duties in the Departments or bureaus, or otherwise, when the exigencies of the Government or the Army may require them: Provided, That persons of the requisite qualifications and skill over the age of thirty years can not be procured to perform the duties required.
• "Sec. 8. That all persons who, by existing laws, are exempted by reason of any occupation, trade, calling, or profession, shall be enrolled in the second-class reserves, and be subject to all duties of said class, except as hereinafter provided.
• "Sec. 9. That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to grant details, under general rules and regulations to be issued by the War Department, of persons between the ages of thirty and fifty-five years, for agricultural or mechanical purposes, in all cases when, in his judgment, the interests of the Government or the necessities of the country demand them: Provided, That no person between the ages of thirty and fifty-five, able to perform military duty, detailed as aforesaid, shall be exempt from service in the second-class reserves, except bonded agriculturists.
• "Sec. 10. That all laws now in force exempting persons from military service on account of religious scruples or opinions be, and the same are hereby, repealed.
• "Sec. 11. That all midshipmen over the age of sixteen years be organized into a company or companies, and required to perform military service, but shall not be put into actual service until specially required by the President, or General in Chief, or the general commanding the department in which they may be situated.
• "Sec. 12. That all State cadets or students in military schools, over the age of sixteen years, be organized into companies, and required to perform military service whenever the President, General in Chief, or the general commanding the department in which they may be situated may require their services.
• "Sec. 13. That all laws now in force authorizing the Secretary of War to grant exemptions to persons liable to military service to attend military schools, or other institutions of learning, be, and the same are hereby, repealed.
• "Sec. 14. That all laws now in force in conflict with the provisions of this act be, and the same are hereby, repealed."

Pending which,

Mr. Chrisman moved that the amendment be printed; which motion prevailed.

Page 785 | Page image

The following messages were received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill of the following title, viz:

• S. 228. An act to amend an act entitled "An act to regulate impressments," approved March 26, 1863, as amended by the act approved February 16, 1864;

In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.

The Senate have passed, without amendment, a bill of this House of the following title, viz:

• H. R. 412. An act to authorize the President of the Confederate States to organize, in the city of Richmond and county of Henrico, a volunteer force for temporary service.

The Senate have rejected the bill of this House (H. R. 441) to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.

And they have also rejected the bill (H. R. 430) to amend an act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of notes and bonds, approved February 17, 1864.

On motion of Mr. Lyon,

The House adjourned until 11 o'clock to-morrow.

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 (H. R. 438) to raise coin for the purpose of furnishing necessary supplies for the Army, with amendments; in which they request the concurrence of this House.

A message was received from the President, by Mr. Harrison, his Private Secretary, notifying the House that, on the 14th instant the President approved and signed

• H. R. 426. An act 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.

The Chair laid before the House a bill (H. R. 438) "to raise coin for the purpose of furnishing necessary supplies for the Army," which had been returned from the Senate with the following amendments:

• 1. In section 2, lines 3 and 4, after the word "event," strike out the words "in addition to the taxes now levied by law."
• 2. In section 3, line 7, after the word "first," strike out "section" and insert "and second sections."
• 3. At the end of the third section insert the following proviso: "Provided further, That the tax of twenty-five per cent levied by the second section of this act shall be in lieu of all other taxes imposed on the same articles by any other act."

The first and second amendments of the Senate were severally agreed to.

Mr. Conrad moved to amend the third amendment of the Senate by adding at the end the words:
and the tax imposed by this act shall be assessed as of the elate of the passage of this act.

The amendment of Mr. Conrad was agreed to, and the amendment of the Senate, as amended, was agreed to.

Mr. Anderson moved to reconsider the vote by which the amendment of the Senate was agreed to.

The motion was lost.

Page 786 | Page image

A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary, as follows, viz:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have agreed to the amendment of the House of Representatives to the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H. R. 438) to raise coin for the purpose of furnishing necessary supplies for the Army.

On motion of Mr. Hatcher,

The House resolved itself into open session.

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