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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 --NINETEENTH DAY--WEDNESDAY, November 30, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Burrows.
On motion of Mr. Montague, the absence of his colleague, Mr. Whitfield, until the present time, was excused, his colleague having been detained from his seat by sickness in his family and the difficulty of reaching the capital, his home being within the lines of the enemy.
The Chair announced the appointment of the select committee to memorialize the legislatures and governors of the several States on the subject of lessening the number of exempts as follows, viz:
Also, the select committee to take into consideration the claims of the several States against the Confederate Government as follows, viz:
Mr. Smith of North Carolina, Mr. Perkins of Louisiana, Mr. Clopton of Alabama, Mr. Johnston of Virginia, Mr. Barksdale of Mississippi, Mr. Vest of Missouri, Mr. Farrow of South Carolina, Mr. Akin of Georgia, Mr. Hanly of Arkansas, Mr. Darden of Texas, Mr. Burnett of Kentucky, Mr. Rogers of Florida, and Mr. McCallum of Tennessee.
Also, the select committee to investigate the condition of the Stewart Hospital:
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Mr. Welsh of Mississippi, Mr. Farrow of South Carolina, Mr. Blandford of Georgia, Mr. Turner of North Carolina, and Mr. Herbert of Texas.
The Chair also appointed Mr. Morgan of Texas a member of the Committee on the Judiciary; Mr. Baylor of Texas, member of the Committee on Indian Affairs, and Mr. Norton of Missouri, member of the Committee on Claims.
Mr. Farrow, under a suspension of the rules, offered the following resolution; which was adopted, viz:
Resolved, That the resolution of this House asking for the ages of the clerks employed in the various Government offices was not intended to apply to the lady clerks.
The House resumed the consideration of the unfinished business; which was the resolution on the subject of the "Monroe doctrine."
On motion of Mr. Foote, the resolution was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Foote offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That Congress have no authority to interfere in the emancipation of slaves or in the treatment of them in any of the States, it remaining with the several States alone to provide rules and regulations therein, which humanity and true policy may require.
On motion of Mr. Foote, the resolution was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Foote offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the provost and passport system as now existing in the Confederate States is a great and growing evil; that it is a source of almost boundless oppression and annoyance to our citizens; that as administered for some months past it is wholly incompatible with public liberty, and that no time should be lost in removing this nuisance from among us: Wherefore, the Committee on Military Affairs is instructed to inquire diligently into the operation of this system, and to report to this House as early as practicable what legislation is necessary for the correction of a grievance so overgrown and intolerable.
The resolution was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Foote offered the following resolutions:
Resolved, That however justifiable it might be in a case of "intolerable oppression" for any one or more of these States to withdraw from the existing Confederative Union, yet there is nothing in the present condition of public affairs to justify such extreme action, and that it would be alike unwise and unpatriotic for any one of said States, or any number of them less than the whole, to make a separate peace with the common enemy, or to engage in movements looking to such a result: but that it is unquestionably allowable for said States, in their highest sovereign capacity, to confer together, in general convention or otherwise, in a manner not repugnant to the organic compact, for the purpose of imparting to their common agent, the Confederate Government, such additional powers as may be needed for the efficient prosecution of the pending war for independence, or with a view to amplifying, so far as may be judged needful, the existing treaty-making powers of said Government in order to .secure as early a cessation of hostilities and restoration of peace as would be compatible with the honor, the safety, and the permanent happiness of the people of said Confederate States.
Resolved, That the present condition of the country is such as to render it eminently desirable that, for the purposes specified, a convention of these States, in their highest sovereign capacity, should be convoked without delay, and that if such convocation should be judged for the present impracticable, it would be desirable that each of said States should. "with as little delay as possible," appoint a limited number of commissioners with power to confer freely and fraternally with each other touching the present condition of the country, and of offering such advisory suggestions to said Confederate Government as might
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be calculated to prove advantageous in the further prosecution of the existing war, or conducive to the establishment of an early and honorable peace.
Resolved, That the resolutions be referred to a committee of the House, to be composed of one member from each State, and that said committee be instructed to report thereupon at their earliest convenience.
Mr. Clark moved to amend the resolutions by instructing the committee to report resolutions stating that the idea of separate State action is mischievous and worse than useless, and declaring that we can make no proposition for peace while the enemy continues to invade our soil.
Mr. Foote rose to a point of order, viz:
That the amendment was not germane to the resolution.
Pending which,
On motion of Mr. Russell, the House resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, resolved itself into open session.
On motion of Mr. Chilton,
The House adjourned.
SECRET SESSION.
The House being in secret session,
Mr. Clark, by unanimous consent, introduced
A bill "to provide for the establishment of a bureau of special and secret service;"
which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, and ordered to be printed.
The House resumed the consideration of the bill "to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in certain cases for a limited period."
Mr. Machen, under a suspension of the rules, offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That discussion of the subject of the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus shall close on Saturday next at two o'clock, and the House will then proceed to vote upon the bill and amendments.
Mr. Read moved to amend the resolution by adding the following, viz:
But that this resolution shall not preclude the right of any member to offer an amendment and explain the same in a speech of not more than five minutes.
Mr. Kenner called the question; which was ordered.
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. Kenner called the question; which was ordered, and the resolution as amended was adopted.
On motion of Mr. Clark,
The House resolved itself into open session.
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