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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-EIGHTH DAY--THURSDAY, June 2, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Doggett.
The Chair laid before the House a bill (H. R. 125) "to establish certain post routes therein named;" which had been returned from the Senate with the following amendment:
After the word "Georgia," line 31, insert "Also, from Reidsville, in Rockingham County, North Carolina, via Wentworth and Leaksville, in said county, to Ridgeway, in Henry County, Virginia."
Mr. Sexton moved that the rule requiring amendments of the Senate to be referred to a committee be suspended for the remainder of the session.
The motion prevailed, and the amendment of the Senate was concurred in.
The Chair also laid before the House
A bill (H. R. 8) "to authorize the judge of the district court for the northern district of Georgia to change the place of holding said court;"
which had been returned from the Senate with the following amendments:
"Whereas the court-house and other public buildings in the town of Marietta, the place now fixed by law for holding the district court of the Confederate States for the northern district of Georgia, are now used as hospitals and for other military purposes."
"That the judge of the said district court for the northern district of Georgia be, and he is hereby, authorized to hold said court at such other place in the district as near as practicable to the said town of Marietta as be shall deem desirable and proper.
"That the judges of the district courts of the Confederate States have power and authority to appoint and change the times and places of holding the courts in their respective districts whenever, in their judgment, the public exigencies may require, and they shall have power, in term time or chambers, to pass all necessary orders to effect such appointment or change of time or place, and to provide for the removal of the records and files of the court."
Amend the title by striking out all after the word "authorize" and inserting the words "the judges of the district courts of the Confederate States to appoint and change the times and places of holding the courts in their respective districts."
The amendments of the Senate were concurred in.
Mr. Montague, under a suspension of the rules, submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on the Medical Department inquire into the expediency of increasing the allowance now allowed to the patients in hospitals, and report at once by bill or otherwise;
which was adopted.
Mr. Garland, under a suspension of the rules, submitted the following resolution:
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Resolved, That the Clerk of this House be authorized to employ such assistants as may be necessary for the balance of the session, whose compensation shall be fixed by the Committee on Accounts;
which was adopted.
Mr. Clopton, from the Committee on the Medical Department, to whom had been referred
A bill "to repeal an act entitled 'An act regulating the granting of furloughs and discharges in hospitals,' approved May first, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, and for other purposes,"
reported back the same with the recommendation that the committee be discharged from its further consideration, and that it do lie upon the table; which was agreed to.
Mr. Clopton, from the same committee, reported
A bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act regulating the granting of furloughs and discharges in hospitals,' approved May first, eighteen. hundred and sixty-three;"
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. Ramsay moved to amend the bill by inserting before the word "wounded" the words "sick and."
Pending which,
The morning hour having expired,
Mr. Ramsay moved that the consideration of the special order be postponed.
Mr. J. T. Leach demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the motion was lost.
The House then proceeded to the consideration of the special order, viz:
The bill to amend the tax laws.
The question being on ordering the main question,
Mr. McMullin demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered.
The main question was ordered.
The following amendment of the Committee of the Whole, left out through mistake yesterday, was agreed to:
Amend paragraph 2, section 1, by adding after the word "shares," in line 33, the words "except the tax imposed by the third section of this act."
The question being on the amendment of Mr. Whitfield,
Mr. Whitfield demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Atkins, Ayer, Barksdale, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Branch, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, Chambers, Chilton, Clopton, Colyar, Conrad, Cruikshank, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Echols, Elliott, Foster, Fuller, Funsten, Gaither, A. H. Garland, R. K. Garland, Gilmer, Goode, Hanly, Hartridge, Heiskell, Hilton, Holliday, Kenner, Lamkin, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Lester, Logan, McMullin, Miles, Montague, Moore, Morgan, Murray, Orr, Perkins, Pugh, Ramsay, Rives, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, Singleton, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Triplett, Turner, Villeré, Whitfield, Witherspoon, and Wright.
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Nays: Anderson, Baldwin, Boyce, Eli M. Bruce, Chrisman, Ewing, Foote, Gholson, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Marshall, McCallum, Menees, and Shewmake.
So the amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Conrad moved to reconsider the vote just taken.
The motion was lost.
The question recurring on the amendment of Mr. Anderson to the amendment of Mr. Colyar,
Mr. Perkins demanded the yeas and nays.
Mr. McMullin moved that he be excused from voting.
The motion prevailed.
The yeas and nays were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Anderson, Baldwin, Barksdale, Baylor, Bell, Blandford, Branch, Bridgers, Chambers, Chilton, Conrad, Cruikshank, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Echols, Elliott, Fuller, Gaither, A. H. Garland, Gilmer, Goode, Hanly, Hartridge, Hilton, Holliday, Johnston, Kenner, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Lester, Logan, Lyon, Miss, Miller, Montague, Moore, Pugh, Ramsay, Read, Rives, Sexton, Shewmake, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Triplett, and Whitfield.
Nays: Atkins, Ayer, Boyce, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Clopton, Colyar, Dupré, Ewing, Foote, Foster, Funsten, R. K. Garland, Gholson, Keeble, Marshall, McCallum, Menees, Morgan, Murray, Orr, Perkins, Rogers, Singleton, Swan, Villeré, Witherspoon, and Wright.
So the amendment was agreed to; which, by unanimous consent, had been modified as follows, by striking out the following words:
Upon the amount of all solvent credits and of all bank bills and other paper issued as currency, exclusive of noninterest-bearing Confederate Treasury notes and bonds exempt by law from taxation, and not employed in a registered business the income from which is taxed five per cent, except interest-bearing Treasury notes and bonds other than those excluded as aforesaid, which are taxed three per cent upon the amount thereof.
and inserting in lieu thereof the following, to wit:
Upon the amount of all solvent credits and bank bills and all other paper issued as currency, exclusive of noninterest-bearing [sic], and not employed in a registered business the income derived from which is taxed five per cent upon the par value thereof: Provided, That the income derived from Confederate bonds and interest-bearing Confederate Treasury notes shall be taxed as other income:
and by adding as an additional section the following, to wit:
That this act shall not be so construed as to subject to taxation corn, bacon, and other agricultural products which were produced in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-three and in the possession of the producer on the seventeenth February, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and necessary for the support of himself and family during the present year, and from and on which taxes in kind had been deducted and delivered or paid;
and
That section four, paragraphs one and two, of the act approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, entitled "An act to levy additional taxes for the common defense and support of the Government," be so amended as to levy an additional tax of fifty per cent upon the amount of all profits made by selling the articles mentioned in the said paragraphs between the seventeenth day of February, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and the first day of July next, which additional tax shall be collected under said act.
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The question recurring on the amendment of Mr. Colyar, as amended,
Mr. Atkins demanded the yeas and nays; which were not ordered, and the amendment as amended was agreed to.
The bill was then engrossed and read a third time, and the question recurring on its passage,
Mr. Montague demanded the yeas and nays;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Anderson, Baldwin, Barksdale, Baylor, Bell, Blandford, Boyce, Branch, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Chambers, Chilton, Chrisman, Clopton, Conrad, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Echols, Elliott, Farrow, Foster, Fuller, Gaither, Gilmer, Goode, Hartridge, Hilton, Johnston, Kenner, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Lyon, Miles, Push, Read, Rives, Sexton, Shewmake, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Triplett, Turner, and Whitfield.
Nays: Atkins, Ayer, Bradley, Horatio W. Bruce, Colyar, Cruikshank, Dupré, Ewing, Foote, Funsten, A. H. Garland, R. K. Garland, Gholson, Hanly, Heiskell, Holder, Holliday, Keeble, Lamkin, Lester, Logan, Marshall, McCallum, McMullin, Menees, Miller, Montague, Morgan, Murray, Orr, Perkins, Ramsay, Rogers, Russell, Singleton, Swan, Villeré, Witherspoon, and Wright.
So the bill was passed.
Mr. Hartridge moved to reconsider the vote just taken, and called the question; which was ordered, and the motion was lost.
The title was read and agreed to.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary; which is as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have concurred in the amendments of this House to the bill (S. 15) to furnish transportation to officers of the Army and Navy while traveling under orders.
They have passed bills of the following titles, viz:
In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
On motion of Mr. Rives, the House 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, their Secretary; which is as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills of the following titles, viz:
They have passed a resolution appointing a joint committee to collect authentic information concerning the treatment by the Federal authorities of such slaves as have fallen into the hands of the enemy during the present war.
In which bills and resolutions I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
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Mr. H. W. Bruce moved that the House do now adjourn.
Upon which Mr. Foster demanded the yeas and nays; which were ordered.
Pending which,
The hour of 3 having arrived,
The House took a recess until 8 o'clock;
And having reassembled,
Yeas: Akin, Atkins, Baldwin, Bell, Bridgers, Horatio W. Bruce, De Jarnette, Echols, Funsten, Gholson, Goode, Hilton, Hodge, Lamkin, Lester, Miles, Miller, Montague, Orr, Perkins, Simpson, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, and Triplett.
Nays: Ayer, Barksdale, Baylor, Blandford, Boyce, Branch, Eli M. Bruce, Chambers, Chilton, Clopton, Colyar, Conrad, Cruikshank, Dickinson, Dupré, Farrow, Foote, Foster, Fuller, Gaither, A. H. Garland, Gilmer, Hanly, Heiskell, Holder, Holliday, Keeble, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Lyon, Marshall, McMullin, Menees, Morgan, Murray, Ramsay, Rives, Shewmake, Singleton, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Swan, Villeré and Wright.
So the motion to adjourn was lost.
The Chair laid before the House a communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., June 1, 1864.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to your resolution of the 5th ultimo, I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War relative to the organization and disbanding of the Palmetto Battalion of Light Artillery.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
The Chair laid before the House another communication from the President; which was read as follows:
Richmond, Va., June 1, 1864.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to your resolution of the 25th ultimo, I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War relative to the tobacco ration authorized to be furnished to the Army.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
The Chair laid before the House another communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., June 1, 1864.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to your resolution of the 3d ultimo, I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, stating that "no instructions have been issued to impressing officers and agents in addition to or different from those contained in General Orders, No. 30, bearing date March 7, 1864."
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying document were referred to the Joint Committee on Impressments.
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The Chair laid before the House another communication from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., June 1, 1864.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit for your information a communication from the Secretary of War, covering copies of additional reports of military operations in the year 1862.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The communication and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 59) "to authorize the owners of the registered eight per cent ten-year convertible bonds issued under the provisions of the act approved May sixteenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, to exchange the same for coupon bonds;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Also, a Senate bill (S. 58) "to authorize the appointment of quartermasters and assistant quartermasters and commissaries and assistant commissaries in the Provisional Army in certain cases;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Also, a Senate bill (S. 61) "to amend an act entitled 'An act to organize military courts to attend the Army of the Confederate States in the field, and to define the powers of said courts;'" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Also, a Senate bill (S. 51) "to provide supplies for the Army and to prescribe the mode of making impressments."
Mr. Chambers moved to suspend the rule requiring the bill to be referred to a committee.
Mr. Blandford demanded the yeas and nays thereon; which were not ordered, and the motion was lost.
The bill was referred to the Joint Committee on Impressments.
Mr. Chambers moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was referred to a committee.
The motion prevailed.
Mr. Chilton moved to suspend the rule requiring the bill to be referred to a committee.
The motion prevailed.
On motion of Mr. Lester, the bill was made the special order after the pending special orders, and ordered to be printed.
The House then resolved itself into Committee of the Whole to consider the special order, viz:
The bill to amend an act approved 17th February, 1864, entitled "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to lay taxes for the common defense and carry on the Government of the Confederate States,' approved twenty-fourth April, eighteen hundred and sixty-three,"
Mr. Smith of North Carolina in the chair; and having spent some time therein, the committee rose and reported, through their Chairman, that they had had the subject referred to them under consideration and recommended the passage of the bill with the following amendment:
Add the following as an independent section:
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for the use of the family of the owner, nor upon fruit raised for domestic use and not for sale."
Mr. Sexton demanded the previous question; which was ordered.
The amendment of the committee was agreed to.
The bill was engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
Mr. Baldwin moved to amend the title by striking out the whole thereof and inserting the following, viz:
A bill to amend the laws relating to the tax in kind.
The amendment was agreed to, and the title as amended was agreed to.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, the Secretary of that body; which is as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate disagree to the amendment of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 31) to promote the efficiency of the cavalry of the Provisional Army, and to punish lawlessness and irregularities of any portions thereof, ask a conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses thereon, and have appointed Mr. Sparrow, Mr. Haynes, and Mr. Johnson of Missouri managers at said conference on their part.
On motion of Mr. Bridgers,
The House adjourned until 11 o'clock to-morrow.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
Mr. Foote, by unanimous consent, modified his amendment to the resolution of Mr. Rives, proposing a joint committee to prepare a manifesto, so as to read as follows, viz:
Joint resolutions on the subject of peace.
Whereas at various times and in various forms it has heretofore been made known to those now administering the Government of the United States that whilst prepared for war and all its vicissitudes, and inflexibly resolved never to discontinue our struggle for separate independence until this great and sacred object shall have been fully achieved, yet that we prefer, and have ever preferred, peace to war; and
Whereas the most dishonest and unmanly efforts have been constantly made by the unprincipled usurpers now wielding power in Washington City to impress the popular mind of the North, and that of the civilized world in general, with the opinion that the people and Government of the Confederate States are alone responsible both for the origin and continued prosecution of the present unchristian, unnatural, and sanguinary contest; and
Whereas the Government of the Confederate States could not heretofore at any time within the last two years have attempted to initiate negotiations for peace without its action in this respect being subject to serious misconstruction; and
Whereas it has pleased Divine Providence since the beginning of the present year to vouchsafe to our noble armies such a succession of victories as have never heretofore marked the history of any struggle of arms similar to that which is now in progress, demonstrating in the most unmistakable manner the utter impossibility of our ultimate subjugation; and
Whereas it is now becoming manifest that large numbers of the people of the North are beginning to understand and to feel the gross injustice and impolicy of further prosecuting hostilities against us, and the danger which so evidently threatens themselves of becoming the subjects of a heartless military despotism, should the war on their part be much longer continued: Therefore,
Resolved, That it is now the deliberate judgment of the Congress of the Confederate States that whenever the two armies of the enemy at this moment confronting the Confederate armies under the command of Generals Lee and Johnston shall have been subjected to signal defeat, it will be eminently wise and expedient on the part of our Government to dispatch commissioners to
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Washington City for the purpose of opening negotiations for peace upon the basis of Southern independence, the reception of whom by the Government of the United States and the setting on foot of a temporary armistice it is confidently believed would eventuate in the restoration of peaceful and amicable relations between those now waging war upon each other, whilst the refusal on the part of the Government at Washington City to entertain the proposition thus made for the opening of negotiations for peace would infallibly have the effect of still more clearly putting our adversaries in the wrong, secure to us our objects and motives, the universal respect and sympathy of the civilized world, and inspire our own people everywhere with renewed and greatly intensified energy and determination.
Mr. Barksdale rose to a point of order, viz:
That the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Perkins, having yielded the floor to the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Rives, for the purpose of enabling that gentleman to read a manifesto and address the House, did not deprive the gentleman from Louisiana of the floor upon the conclusion of the remarks of the gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. Chilton (in the chair) overruled the point of order.
Mr. Barksdale appealed from the decision of the Chair.
The question being put,
Shall the decision of the Chair stand as the judgment of the House?
It was decided in the negative.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary; which is as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The President of the Confederate States has notified the Senate that he did, on the 31st ultimo, approve and sign an act (S. 57) to provide for the appointment of officers with temporary rank and command.
Mr. Baldwin moved the indefinite postponement of the resolution and amendment.
Pending which,
The House, on motion of Mr. Lester,
Resolved itself into open session.
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