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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 --ELEVENTH DAY--MONDAY, November 21, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Hoge.
On motion of Mr. Hartridge, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. Shewmake, whose home is endangered by the approach of the public enemy.
Messrs. Herbert and Darden, of Texas, and Mr. Norton, of Missouri, appeared, were sworn to support the Constitution of the Confederate States, and took their seats.
On motion of Mr. Smith of Alabama, his absence until the present time was excused, he having been detained from his seat by sickness in his family.
Mr. Russell offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That this House deems it proper, in view of recent events, to repeat the declaration made by Congress in a joint resolution approved March eleventh, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, declaring the sense of Congress in regard to reuniting with the United States. "that it is the unalterable determination of the people of the Confederate States. in humble reliance on Almighty God, to suffer all the calamities of the most protracted war. but that they will never, on any terms, politically affiliate with a people who are guilty of an invasion of their soil and the butchery of their citizens."
Mr. Russell called the question; which was ordered.
Mr. Russell demanded the yeas and nays on the adoption of the resolution:
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Ayer, Baldwin, Barksdale, Batson, Bell, Blandford, Boyce, Bradley, Branch, Bridgers, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chambers, Chilton, Chrisman, Clark, Clopton, Cluskey, Colyar, Conrow, Cruikshank, Darden, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Elliott, Farrow, Foote, Fuller, Gaither, Garland, Gholson, Goode,
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Hanly, Hartridge, Hatcher, Herbert, Hilton, Holder, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Kenner, Lamkin, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Lester, Logan, Lyon, Machen, McMullin, Menees, Miles, Miller, Montague, Moore, Murray, Norton, Orr, Perkins, Ramsay, Read, Rives, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Smith of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina, Snead, Staples, Swan, Triplett, Turner, Vest, Villeré, Welsh, Wickham, Wilkes, Witherspoon, and Mr. Speaker.
Nays: None.
So the resolution was unanimously adopted.
Mr. Russell moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution was adopted, and called the question; which was ordered.
The motion to reconsider was lost.
Mr. Moore moved that the rule be suspended to allow members who were not present when the vote on the adoption of the resolution was taken to record their votes at any time during the day.
The motion prevailed.
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:
In which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
Mr. Wickham offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Claims be instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to issue to John F. Whitfield duplicate bonds of the fifteen million loan in lieu of certain bonds of that description, the property of said Whitfield, which were destroyed on board the steamship Beauregard on the twenty-sixth of June, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy.
Mr. McMullin presented a communication from William Y. C. Hammond, touching certain recommendations of the Secretary of War; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Cruikshank offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to ascertain what legislation, if any, is necessary to carry into immediate effect the agreement recently made with the Federal authorities by which the Government of the Confederate States is authorized to send contributions of food and clothing to prisoners in the hands of the enemy in order that such supplies as are necessary to the health and comfort of our prisoners may be promptly furnished.
Mr. Hilton offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire what legislation, if any, is necessary to secure the regimental and company officers, whose superiors in rank are held in captivity by the enemy, the promotion to which they are justly entitled.
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Mr. Hartridge introduced
A bill "to fix the salary of the judge of the district court of the Confederate States for the district of Georgia;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Bell introduced
A bill "to continue in force an act entitled 'An act to increase the compensation of noncommissioned officers and privates in the Army of the Confederate States,' approved June ninth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Villeré offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of organizing a corps, to be styled the "Corps d'Elite," to which shall be assigned officers without commands, or whose commands, by the chances of war, have been reduced below the minimum number of effective men.
Mr. Lamkin offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of repealing so much of the 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, as authorizes the burning of cotton belonging to parties other than the Confederate States Government, and that they report to this House by bill or otherwise.
Mr. Orr introduced
A bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act to amend the tax laws,' approved fourteenth June, eighteen hundred and sixty-four;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Barksdale introduced
A bill "to prohibit trading with the enemy;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. J. T. Leach introduced
A joint resolution "in favor of female clerks in the Departments of the Confederate Government;"
which was read a firs; and second time.
Mr. J. T. Leach moved that the rule be suspended requiring the joint resolution to be referred to a committee, and demanded the yeas and nays thereon; which were not ordered.
The motion to suspend the rule was lost, and the joint resolution was referred to the Committee on the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments.
Mr. J. T. Leach introduced
A joint resolution "defining the rights of the States in furnishing soldiers for the Confederate service;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Smith of North Carolina introduced
A bill "declaring four per cent bonds and certificates therefor receivable in payment of public taxes, and regulating the transfer thereof;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
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Mr. Smith of North Carolina offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be requested to communicate to the House whether Treasury notes of the new issue are exchanged for those of the old according to the requirements of the currency act of the seventeenth February last; and if not, the reasons therefor, and the arrangements made for such exchange.
Also, the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Ways and Means be directed to ascertain and report whether in the execution of the tax laws instructions have been issued from the Treasury or War Departments to the following effect:
And that they report whether these instructions, if issued, are warranted by law, and what remedy, if any, is required to insure the execution of the law as enacted by Congress.
Also, the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire and report to the House whether any and what legislation is required to prevent the prostration of the industrial interests of the country to ensue from the execution of General Orders, No., of the Adjutant and inspector General's Office, revoking all details of persons between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years not in the employ of the Government; and to secure to the country a sufficient supply of the mechanical skill and labor upon which the successful prosecution of its agricultural and other operations depend.
Mr. Smith of North Carolina presented a communication from the adjutants of the North Carolina regiments, touching their position in the service; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Fuller presented a communication from John W. Hinsdale, captain and assistant adjutant-general, relative to the funding of certain money; which was referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Fuller introduced
A bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act to organize forces to serve during the war,' approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Miles presented the memorial of Mrs. M. A. Snowden and others, of South Carolina, in relation to a bazaar sale in aid of soldiers' homes and hospitals and clothing for the Navy: which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Mr. Simpson introduced
A bill "to provide for filling vacancies in company, battalion, and regimental officers;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
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Mr. Farrow introduced
A bill "to prohibit the improper purchase of furloughs granted for recruits and the arrest of deserters;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Murray introduced
A bill "for the relief of Captain O. P. Schoolfield and others;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Swan offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury he respectfully requested to communicate to this House what requisitions, if any, have been made since April first, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, upon the Treasury for funds wherewith to pay the officers and soldiers of the Army and for the purchase of subsistence; and also, that he furthermore be requested to inform the House whether such requisitions have been met in whole or in part; and if not, why not.
On motion of Mr. Holliday, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. Funsten (called home by sickness in his family).
Mr. Holliday, by leave, offered the following resolution; which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs inquire into the expediency of so amending the act providing for an "invalid corps" as to extend the benefit of the same to those officers and privates who had resigned or been discharged prior to the passage of the act.
On motion of Mr. Lester, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. Echols, whose home is endangered by the approach of the public enemy.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate bill (S. 101) "to authorize the exchange of registered bonds issued under the act of February twenty-eighth, eighteen hundred and sixty-one for coupon bonds of like amounts and times for payment;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Also, a Senate bill (S. 89) "to repeal a part of the twenty-sixth section of an act approved February fifteenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, entitled 'An act 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;'" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
On motion of Mr. Russell, the House resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, resolved itself into open session.
The Chair laid before the House a message from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., November 21, 1864.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to your resolution of the 8th instant, I herewith transmit a communication from the Secretary of War, which conveys the information requested relative to the act of June 14, 1864, "to provide and organize a general staff."
The seventh section of the act invests the Executive with the discretion which has been exercised. The eighth section, by restricting appointments, indicates the course which has been pursued in the attempt to ascertain with accuracy the number of officers in the several staff corps, so as to distribute them in
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accordance with the order from the Adjutant-General's Office, a copy of which is annexed, as well as to ascertain whether there are not supernumerary staff officers now in commission who should be discharged.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
On motion of Mr. Miles, the message and accompanying documents were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
The Chair also laid before the House another message from the President; which was read as follows, viz:
Richmond, Va., November 21, 1864.
To the House of Representatives:
In response to your resolution of the 9th instant, I herewith transmit communications from the Secretaries of the Treasury and of War, covering copies of all instructions now in force which have been issued to the assessors and collectors of taxes.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
On motion of Mr. Clopton, the message and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Cruikshank, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled
And the Speaker signed the same.
On motion of Mr. Bell,
The House adjourned until 12 o'clock m. to-morrow.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
Resumed the consideration of the bill "to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in certain cases for a limited period."
Pending which,
The House, on motion of Mr. McMullin,
Resolved itself into open session.
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