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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 --FIFTY-SEVENTH DAY--MONDAY, January 16, 1865.
OPEN SESSION.
The House met according to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Patterson.
Mr. Orr, by leave of the House, rose to a personal explanation, and caused to be read an article from the Sentinel of the 14th instant, headed "Treason."
Upon the conclusion of which,
Mr. Lester moved to suspend the rules, in order to enable him to introduce the following resolution:
Whereas on the fourteenth of this month there appeared in the columns of the Richmond Sentinel a correspondence over the signature of "Q," and headed with the words "Treason!" "Treason!" "Treason!" printed in conspicuous capitals and marked with points of exclamation, in which the writer announced that it was rumored on the street that there was a resolution before Congress, in secret session, to "open irregular negotiations, through commissioners, with Lincoln for peace," and asserting that such a proceeding was "not only treason, but, under the circumstances, treachery of the most infamous character," and avowing that "the people of Virginia, certainly," and, in the opinion of the writer, "the people of the Confederacy generally, would not allow themselves to be sold by traitorous Congressmen after this fashion;" and
Whereas the said correspondence was accompanied by an approving editorial, characterized by the same tone and spirit as the correspondence itself; and
Whereas the said correspondence and editorial headed and paraded as aforesaid are calculated to mislead the public judgment, and in their temper and spirit impute to Congress folly, disloyalty, treason, and treachery: Be it therefore
Resolved, That so far as the statements and imputations contained in the said correspondence and editorial were intended to apply to this branch of Congress they are false in fact and inference, are an infringement of the privileges of its members, and merit the emphatic rebuke and unqualified denunciations of the House.
The yeas and nays were ordered on the motion to suspend the rules, to allow the introduction of the resolution,
So the House refused to allow the resolution to be introduced.
Mr. Barksdale moved to suspend the rules, so as to allow him to make a statement of fact; which was agreed to, and
Mr. Barksdale made a statement in relation to the connection of the President with the article alluded to, and upon the highest authority pronounced the statement that he is responsible for newspaper articles, or that the Sentinel is his organ, false.
Mr. Garland (with a view to change the subject, and to introduce one in his judgment more important) moved to take up the bill "to increase the export duty on cotton and tobacco."
Mr. McMullin desired to make a few remarks.
Objection being made,
The question was taken on the motion of Mr. Garland,
So the rules were suspended, and the bill was taken up for consideration.
The morning hour having expired,
The House took up the exemption bill.
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Pending the consideration of which,
On motion of Mr. Clark, the rules were suspended to allow the special committee on the arrest of the Hon. Henry S. Foote to make the following report:
The committee to whom was referred the communication of the President in relation to the arrest of the Hon. Henry S. Foote, a member of this House, by the military authorities, have had the same under consideration and submit the following report:
That the said Henry S. Foote has been absent for some time without leave, and his alleged attempt to pass our lines was without the knowledge or approbation of this House, and before absenting himself be indicated his purpose to withdraw from Congress. Your committee are, therefore, of the opinion that the good of the country would not be subserved by the forced attendance of the said member upon the sessions of this House. but that under all the circumstances of the case it is expedient that the military authorities discharge him from custody.
Resolutions requesting the President to release Mr. Foote from arrest and allowing him to go North, and that Congress had nothing to do with the matter, were offered and severally rejected.
Mr. Akin offered a resolution setting forth that no privilege of the member from Tennessee had been violated in his arrest, and leaving him in the hands of the military as a private citizen.
The yeas and nays were ordered,
Yeas: Akin, Anderson, Barksdale, Batson, Baylor, Blandford, Bradley, Branch, Horatio W. Bruce, Burnett, Chambers, Carroll, Chrisman, Clopton, Cluskey, Conrad, Darden, Dupré, Echols, Elliott, Ewing, Gaither, Garland, Hanly, Hatcher, Herbert, Hilton, Machen, Miles, Miller, Shewmake, J. M. Smith, W. E. Smith, Triplett, and Witherspoon.
Nays: Atkins, Bell, Chilton, Clark, Colyar, Conrow, Orr, Cruikshank, De Jarnette, Foster, Fuller, Gray, Gilmer, Goode, Holder, Holliday, Lamkin, J. M. Leach, Lester, Logan, Lyon, McMullin, Menees, Norton, Perkins, Pugh, Ramsay, Read, Russell, Simpson, Snead, Staples, Turner, Villeré, Wickham, and Wilkes.
Mr. Foster offered the following resolution;
Resolved, That the report of the special committee is the judgment of the House.
On motion of Mr. Branch.
The House adjourned until to-morrow morning at 11 o'clock.
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