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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 --TWENTY-FOURTH DAY--SATURDAY, May 28, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Jeter.
Mr. Garland, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted a minority report on the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus; which was laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
On motion of Mr. Singleton, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. Barksdale (detained from his seat by indisposition).
The House then, on motion of Mr. Rives, resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, resumed business in open session.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, the Secretary of that body; which is as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills of the following titles, viz:
In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
They have concurred in the amendments of this House to bills of the following titles, viz:
They have passed, with amendments, a bill of this House (H. R. 52) to amend
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an act of this Congress entitled "An act to provide for holding elections of Representatives in the Congress of the Confederate States in the State of Tennessee;" in which amendments I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
Mr. Chambers moved to reconsider the vote by which the Senate bill "to regulate the compensation and mileage of members of Congress for the present session" was ordered to its third reading.
The Chair laid before the House a communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., May 28, 1864.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 15th January last, I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, covering a list of those who have been retired from the military service "in accordance with the provisions of the 'Act for ridding the Army of ignorant, disabled, and incompetent officers.'"
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying documents were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Atkins moved that the House do now adjourn.
Mr. Swan demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Atkins, Baldwin, Bradley, Branch, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Clopton, Conrad, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Ewing, Foote, Funsten, Gaither, A. H. Garland, Goode, Hanly, Hartridge, Hilton, Holder, Holliday, Keeble, Kenner, Lamkin, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Marshall, McCallum, Menees, Miles, Miller, Montague, Pugh, Rives, Russell, Simpson, Staples, Welsh, and Witherspoon.
Nays: Akin, Bell, Blandford, Chilton, Chrisman, Colyar, Cruikshank, Echols, Farrow, Foster, Fuller, R. K. Garland, Gilmer, Heiskell, Lester, Logan, Machen, McMullin, Morgan, Murray, Orr, Perkins, Ramsay, Rogers, Sexton, Shewmake, Singleton, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Smith of Alabama, Swan, Triplett, Turner, Villeré, Whitfield, and Wright.
So the motion prevailed, and
The Speaker announced that the House stood adjourned until 11 o'clock Monday.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
Mr. Rives submitted the following resolution:
Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to bless the arms of the Confederate States with a series of signal successes since the opening of the present campaign, demonstrating their unquestionable ability to maintain the integrity of their political organization, and enabling them, therefore, to express the desire they have ever felt for peace without danger of their sentiments being ascribed to weakness or apprehension,
Resolved (the Senate concurring), That a joint committee of the two Houses be appointed to prepare a manifesto, setting forth briefly but distinctly the true character of the war on the part of the Confederate States, the principles, disposition, and purposes by which they have ever been actuated with regard to it, and their sincere wish, on terms consistent with honor and the permanent
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security of their rights, to put an end to a sanguinary strife so afflictive to humanity, so contrary to the spirit of the age, and so injurious to the interests and repose of the civilized world.
Mr. Baldwin moved that the rule be suspended restricting debate upon the resolution; which motion prevailed.
Mr. Foote moved to amend the resolution by adding the following, viz:
Resolved, That whenever the President shall have reason to believe that by the repeated victories achieved by our armies such a change of public sentiment in the North in regard to the expediency of continuing the prosecution of the present war has been effected as to evince clearly that our said enemy has been beaten out of his vain confidence in our subjugation, and he shall, in order to encourage the friends of peace in the North and distract and divide these who are now making war upon us, decide to send commissioners to Washington City, for the purpose of proposing the opening of negotiations with a view to the effectuation of peace, upon the basis of Confederate independence, the two Houses of Congress will cordially support him in that movement.
Pending which,
The Chair laid before the House a communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., May 28, 1864.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, covering copies of several reports of military operations, together with a copy of a letter from Gen. R. E. Lee, in which he expresses his disapproval of the publication of such reports, and to which I invite your special attention.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
The Chair also laid before the House a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, inclosing an estimate of appropriation required for the redemption of the public debt due on the Erlanger loan; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
On motion of Mr. Atkins,
The House resolved itself into open session.
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