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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 --THIRD DAY--WEDNESDAY, May 4, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Duncan.
Several other members appeared, were sworn to support the Constitution of the Confederate States, and took their seats in the House, viz:
From the State of--
Mr. Hanly submitted the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be, and they are hereby, instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill to this House providing for the consolidation of regiments reduced below the legal standard of numbers, and prescribing a rule by which supernumerary officers occasioned by such consolidation may be equitably and fairly retired and disposed of.
Mr. Rogers introduced
A bill "supplemental to an act entitled 'An act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of notes and bonds;'"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Hilton submitted the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the Committee on Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of amending the tax act of February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, so as to harmonize the provisions of the first and second sections by conforming the basis of valuation of property embraced in the one to that embraced in the other, or if they shall deem this unwise, to report the reasons why property mentioned in the second section should be assessed on the basis of its valuation in eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and that mentioned in the first section, on the basis of its valuation in eighteen hundred and sixty.
Mr. Bell submitted the following resolution; which was adopted:
Whereas by the ninth clause of the ninth section, article first of the Constitution of the Confederate States, it is made the duty of Congress to establish by law a tribunal for the investigation of claims against the Government; and
Whereas applications are made to Congress for the establishment and payment of claims of various sorts, contrary to the true intent and meaning of said provision of the Constitution: Therefore,
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be, and it is hereby, instructed to report a bill providing for the establishment of a court to investigate the justice of claims against the Confederate States.
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Mr. Hartridge submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the papers in reference to the claim of George White, of Georgia, referred to the Committee on Claims at the last session of Congress, and not acted on, be withdrawn and referred to the Committee on Claims of the present Congress;
which was adopted.
Mr. Blandford submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads be instructed to inquire into the propriety of establishing a post route from Americus, in Sumter County, Georgia, by way of Ellaville, in Schley County, and Buena Vista, in Marion County, to Geneva, in Talbot County, and report by bill or otherwise;
which was adopted.
Mr. Blandford introduced
A bill "to authorize persons who have been detailed to work for the Confederate States to receive the same rations as are allowed to soldiers in the Army;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Akin submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into and report to this House as early as practicable, what legislation, if any, is necessary to provide for the payment of officers appointed to the staff duties required of them without being commissioned; and that they report by bill or otherwise;
which was adopted.
Mr. Akin also submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs are hereby directed to inquire into the propriety of so amending the second section of an act entitled "An act to abolish supernumerary offices in the Commissary and Quartermaster's Departments," approved the first day of May, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, as to give the rank and pay of second lieutenant to the noncommissioned officer or private who is detailed to perform the office of commissary-sergeant, and to allow him to draw forage for one horse, and that they report, by bill or otherwise, as early as practicable.
Mr. William E. Smith introduced
A bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act to fund, limit, and tax the currency;'"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Also, a bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act to provide an invalid corps,' 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. Read submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of so amending the law retiring from service wounded and disabled soldiers (with their pay proper) so as to make the provisions of said law apply to persons so disabled and retired from the service before the passage of said law.
Mr. Perkins introduced
A bill "to continue in force the provisions of an act approved January thirtieth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, increasing the compensation of certain officers and employees in the civil and legislative departments in Richmond;"
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which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Also, a bill "to amend the law levying additional taxes for the support of the Government, approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, so as to protect refugees from the enemy who have purchased property for their own use and not for speculation;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Also, a bill "to provide a fund to be employed for the relief of disabled soldiers and seamen after the termination of the existing war;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Also, a bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act to provide for transportation of persons who have been mustered into the service for the war,' approved February seventh, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, so as to allow the commutation provided for the soldier who reenlisted after twelve months' service;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Commissary and Quartermaster's Departments.
Also, a bill "to establish a bureau of foreign supplies in the War Department, with an agency in the Trans-Mississippi Department;" which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Smith of North Carolina submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be requested to inform this House--
Mr. J. T. Leach submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the President be requested to transmit to this House the number of officers and privates each State of the Confederacy has furnished, either by volunteering or under the conscript acts, the number that have been killed or have died of wounds received upon the battlefield, the number that have died of disease, and the number now in the service of the Confederate Government; also the number of deserters from each State;
which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Farrow presented a communication from Capt. Samuel C. Means, of the Commissary Department, upon the present system of impressments; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Simpson submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs to inquire and report what relief, if any, should be afforded to those persons who, by the payment of five hundred dollars into the Treasury, obtained exemption from military service for their overseers for twelve months, and whose overseers have subsequently, and before the expiration of the twelve months, been called
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into service by virtue of the "Act to organize forces to serve during the war," approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four;
which was adopted.
Mr. Miles introduced
A bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act to continue in force an act entitled "An act to provide for the compensation of certain persons therein named," approved May first, eighteen hundred and sixty-three,' approved January sixth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Also, a bill "to authorize the appointment of commissaries for regiments of cavalry;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Miles submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing by law the appointment of quartermasters and commissaries for divisions and army corps;
which was adopted.
Mr. Menees presented the memorial of Charles W. Wilkinson, asking compensation for services as drillmaster; which was referred to the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Swan submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That it would be inexpedient to pass any act placing five-dollar notes of the old issue on an equality with Treasury notes of the new issue.
Mr. J. M. Leach moved that the resolution be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Swan demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Anderson, Baldwin, Bell, Branch, Burnett, Conrad, Cruikshank, Dickinson, Farrow, Foote, Fuller, Gaither, A. H. Garland, Gilmer, Hartridge, Hilton, Holder, Johnston, Lamkin, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Lester, Logan, Marshall, Menees, Montague, Ramsay, Rives, Rogers, Shewmake, Smith of North Carolina, Triplett, and Turner.
Nays: Akin, Atkins, Barksdale, Blandford, Boyce, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Chambers, Chilton, Chrisman, Clopton, Colyar, De Jarnette, Dupré, Echols, Funsten, Gholson, Goode, Hanly, Heiskell, Holliday, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, McCallum, McMullin, Miles, Miller, Moore, Murray, Orr, Perkins, Pugh, Read, Russell, Sexton, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Staples, Swan, Villeré, Welsh, and Whitfield.
So the motion to refer was lost.
The question recurring on the adoption of the resolution,
Mr. Swan demanded the yeas and nays thereon;
Which were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Anderson, Atkins, Baldwin, Barksdale, Blandford, Boyce, Bradley, Eli M. Bruce, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chambers, Chilton, Chrisman, Clopton, Colyar, Conrad, Cruikshank, De Jarnette, Dickinson, Dupré, Echols, Farrow, Foote, Fuller, Funsten,
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Gaither, A. H. Garland, Gholson, Goode, Hanly, Hartridge, Heiskell, Hilton, Holder, Holliday, Keeble, Lester, Lyon, Machen, McCallurn, McMullin, Menees, Miles, Miller, Montague, Moore, Murray, Orr, Perkins, Pugh, Read, Rives, Rogers, Russell, Sexton, Shewmake, Simpson, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Smith of North Carolina, Staples, Swan, Turner, Villeré, Welsh, and Whitfield.
Nays: Bell, Gilmer, Johnston, J. M. Leach, J. T. Leach, Logan, Ramsay, and Triplett.
So the resolution was adopted.
Mr. Sexton introduced
A joint resolution "of thanks to the Texas Brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia;"
which was read a first and second time.
The rule having been suspended requiring it to be referred to a committee, the joint resolution was engrossed, read a third time, and passed unanimously.
The Chair laid before the House a communication from the Treasurer of the Confederate States relative to the pay of members; which was referred to the Committee on Pay and Mileage.
Mr. Sexton introduced
A bill "to allow commissioned officers of the Army to purchase rations;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Sexton also presented a joint resolution of the legislature of Texas in regard to the purchasing of beeves and other Government supplies in Texas by the Messrs. Payne & Co., on Government account, with counterfeit Confederate money; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Also, a joint resolution of the legislature of Texas in relation to the war; which was laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Russell introduced
A bill "to provide means for the needful expenditures of the Government without increasing the amount of Treasury notes;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Gholson presented the memorial of H. D. Taliaferro and others, asking a repeal or modification of the act of 15th February. 1864, entitled "An act to allow commissioned officers rations;" which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Goode introduced
A bill "to provide for the payment of horses killed, captured, lost, or permanently disabled in the Confederate States service;"
which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Commissary and Quartermaster's Departments.
Mr. Goode submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of so amending the act entitled "An act to organize forces to serve during the war," approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, as to exempt from military service such State officers as may be exempted by State law:
which was adopted.
And the House. on motion of Mr. Read,
Adjourned until 19 o'clock to-morrow.
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