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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-FIFTH DAY--MONDAY, December 19, 1864.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Doggett.
The Speaker signed, as correctly enrolled,
The Chair laid before the House a communication from the Secretary of the Treasury relative to funds paid in under the sequestration laws; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
The House resumed the consideration of the unfinished business, viz:
The resolution of Mr. Turner, "tendering negotiations for peace and the mitigation of the horrors of the war."
Mr. McMullin submitted the following amendment to the amendment of Mr. Barksdale (in the nature of a substitute):
Strike out the whole of the same and insert in lieu thereof the following, viz:
"Whereas according to the Declaration of Independence of the United States and the Constitution of the Confederate States, the people of each of said States, in their highest sovereign capacity, have a right to alter, amend, or abolish the government under which they live, and establish such other as they may deem most expedient; and
"Whereas the people of the several Confederate States have thought proper to sever their political connection with the people and Government of the United States, for reasons which it is not needful here to state; and
"Whereas the people of the Confederate States have organized and established a distinct government for themselves; and
"Whereas because the people of the Confederate States have thus exercised their undoubted right in this respect, the people and Government of the United States have thought proper to make war upon them; and
"Whereas there seems to be a difference of opinion on the part of the respective Governments and people as to which of the contending parties is responsible for the commencement of the present war: Therefore,
"Resolved, That whilst it is not expedient, and would be incompatible with the dignity of the Confederate States, to send commissioners to Washington City, for the purpose of securing a cessation of hostilities, yet it would be, in the judgment of this body, eminently proper that the House of Representatives of the Confederate States should dispatch, without delay, to some convenient point, a body of commissioners, thirteen in number, composed of one representative
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from each of said States, to meet and confer with such individuals as may be appointed by the Government of the United States, in regard to all the outstanding questions of difference between the two Governments, and to agree, if possible, upon the terms of a lasting and honorable peace, subject to the ratification of the respective Governments and of the sovereign States respectively represented therein."
Mr. McMullin moved to refer the whole subject to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Mr. H. W. Bruce called the question; which was ordered, and the motion to refer prevailed.
On motion of Mr. Baldwin,
The House resumed consideration of the special order for the morning hour, viz:
The bill "to provide for sequestrating the property of persons liable to military service who have departed, or shall depart, from the Confederate States without permission."
Pending which,
The morning hour having expired,
On motion of Mr. Atkins, the consideration of the Calendar was postponed.
A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary, as follow's, viz:
Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed, without amendment, bills of this House of the following titles, viz:
They have passed, with an amendment, a bill of this House (H. R. 214) to define and punish conspiracy against the Confederate States.
They have passed a bill (S. 146) making an appropriation for the removal and erection of the naval ropewalk.
In which bills and amendment I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.
The House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole to consider the special order, viz:
The bill "to provide more effectually for the reduction and redemption of the currency,"
Mr. Clopton in the chair; and having spent some time therein, the committee rose and reported, through their Chairman, that the committee had had the subject referred to them under consideration and had come to no conclusion thereon.
Mr. Cruikshank, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported as correctly enrolled
And the Speaker signed the same.
Under a suspension of the rules, Mr. Colyar, from the Committee on Ways and Means, to whom had been referred a Senate bill (S. 110) "to amend the twelfth section of the act entitled 'An act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of notes and bonds,' approved FebrUary seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four," reported back the same with the recommendation that it do pass with the following amendment (in the nature of a substitute):
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Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following, viz:
"That the several States shall be allowed until the first day of July, eighteen hundred and sixty-five, to comply with and receive the benefits of the twelfth section of the act entitled 'An act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of notes and bonds,' approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four; and also that the several States shall have until the same time to comply with and receive the benefits of the act approved fourteenth June, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, entitled 'An act to amend the act entitled "An act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of notes and bonds," approved February seventeenth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four.'"
The question being on postponing the bill and placing it on the Calendar,
It was decided in the negative.
The question recurring on the amendment of the committee,
It was decided in the affirmative, and the bill as amended was read a third time and passed.
Mr. Swan moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed, and called the question; which was ordered.
The motion to reconsider was lost.
Mr. Colyar submitted the following amendment to the title:
Strike out the whole of the title and insert in lieu thereof the following, viz:
"A bill to amend the laws allowing States to fund the old issue in six per cent bonds, and to exchange one-half the old notes for new issue."
The amendment was agreed to, and the title as amended was read and agreed to.
On motion of Mr. Elliott,
The House adjourned until 12 o'clock m. to-morrow.
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