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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 --THIRTY-THIRD DAY--FRIDAY, December 16, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Jeter.
On motion of Mr. Kenner, leave of absence was granted Mr. Villeré, who was detained from the House by indisposition.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate joint resolution (S. 20)
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"relating to the manufacture of railroad iron and to new lines of railroad;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments.
Also, a Senate bill (S. 130) "to authorize newspapers to be mailed to soldiers free of postage;" which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads.
On motion of Mr. Foster, the consideration of the unfinished business, which was the bill "to amend an act entitled 'An act providing for the establishment and payment of claims for a certain description of property taken or informally impressed for the use of the Army,'" was postponed until to-morrow morning.
Mr. Turner, under a suspension of the rules, presented a memorial of Cyrus Laws, asking to be retired from the Army; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Turner also, under a suspension of the rules, introduced the following resolution, viz:
Resolved, That the President of the Confederate States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, be, and he is hereby, requested to appoint thirteen commissioners, one from each of the Confederate States, to tender to the Government of the United States a conference for negotiating an honorable peace; and failing in this, the commissioners be instructed to use all proper efforts to obtain an immediate exchange of prisoners; and if possible, to come to such understanding with the enemy regarding the future conduct of the war as may tend, in some degree, to mitigate its horrors and atrocities.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary; which is as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed, without amendment, a bill of this House (H. R. 268) for the relief of Sarah A. Heiskell, wife of the Hon. Joseph B. Heiskell, a Representative from the State of Tennessee; in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
Mr. Barksdale offered the following amendment (in the nature of a substitute) to the resolution of Mr. Turner:
Whereas the people of the Confederate States, having been compelled by the people of the nonslaveholding States to dissolve their connection with those States and to form a new compact in order to preserve their liberties; and
Whereas the efforts made by the Government of the Confederate States immediately on its organization to establish friendly relations between it and the Government of the United States having proved unavailing by reason of the refusal of the Government of the United States to hold intercourse with the commissioners appointed by this Government for that purpose; and
Whereas the Government of the United States having since repeatedly refused to listen to propositions for an honorable peace, and having declared to foreign nations in advance that it would reject any offer of mediation which they might be prompted to make in the interests of humanity for terminating the war, and thus having manifested their determination to continue it with a view to the reduction of the people of these States to degrading bondage or to their extermination: Therefore, be it
Resolved, That while we reiterate our readiness to enter upon negotiations for peace whenever the hearts of our enemies are so inclined, we will pursue without faltering the course we have deliberately chosen, and for the preservation of our liberties we will employ whatever means Providence has placed at our disposal.
Resolved, That the mode prescribed in the Constitution of the Confederate States for making treaties of peace affords ample means for the attainment of that end whenever the Government of the United States abandon their wicked purpose to subjugate them and evince a willingness to enter upon negotiations for the termination of the war.
A message was received from the President, by Mr. Harrison, his Private Secretary, informing the House that on the 13th instant he
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approved and signed an act (H. R. 190) "concerning the emoluments and pay of the clerk of the district court of the Confederate States of America for the eastern district of Virginia," and that on the 15th instant he approved and signed an act (H. R. 970) "to provide for the printing ordered by either House of Congress."
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary; which is as follows, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill (S. 132) to regulate the supplies of clothing to midshipmen of the Navy; in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
The morning hour having expired,
The House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole, Mr. Clopton in the chair, on the bill "to provide more effectually for the reduction and redemption of the currency;" and after spending some time therein, the committee rose and reported, through their-Chairman, that they had had under consideration the bill referred to them and had come to no conclusion thereon.
On motion of Mr. McMullin, The House adjourned.
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