Confederate Congress.
first session.
Senate.
The President at process presented designs for the Confederate flag, from a source not state!.
Mr.Henry, of Tenn., inquired why it was that the Committee on Flagand Seal had not resorted, the subject was one of importance.
Mr.Semmes, of La., replied that the committee would hold a meeting during the ensuing week.
Mr. Clay, of Ala., presented a remonstrance against carrying the mail on Sunday, which was appropriately referred. He also introduced table to discourage drunkenness in the army, whish he moved to refer to the Committee on military Affairs Mr. C. said he had submitted the bill to several army officers, and they cordially approved of his provisions.
Mr. Henry, of Tenn., said that he had received a letter from a prominent gentleman in his State, in which he said that he felt more apprehension from the magnitude of this evil in the army than from any other cause.
Mr.Sparrow, of La., said the Committee on Military Affairs have been engaged in devising same plan for ridding the army of incapable officers, whether so from drunkenness or otherwise.
The motion to refer was than agreed to, and then the Senate went into secret legislative session.
[After the doors were opened Friday, Mr.Bannwell, of. S. C., from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the House bill for suspending the collection of duties on foreign imports, except from the United States, returned the same, with an adverse recommendation.
House of Representatives.
Saturday, April 5. 1862,The House met at 10 o'clock, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Hoge. Journal of yesterday read.
Mr.Chilton, of Ala., said that some time ago he had offered a bill to regulate the pay of Deputy Post-masters, reducing the pay at present received, which undesired to be taken up and considered.
Mr.Jones, of Tenn., was opposed to any reduction, and believed that with less compensation than that now allowed, it would be impossible to obtain competent Post- Masters. He moved an amendment to the bill of Mr. Chilton, which was rejected by a vote of yeas 17, have 43.
The bill was then engrossed, read a third time and passed.
The attendance in the Hall being very thin, a call of the House was ordered, when it was discovered that 43 members were absent.
Mr. Davis, of Miss., moved to suspend further proceedings under the call, and upon this voted.
Mr.Jones, of Tenn., called for the yeas and nays, on the motion to suspend further proceedings, and upon this the vote stood — yeas 54, nays 7.
Mr. Curry, of Ala, offered a resolution requesting the President to communicate to the House what steps have been taken to carry out the act for connecting the Richmond, Danville and North Carolina railroad with the Selma, Ala; and Meridian, Miss., railroad. Agreed to.
Mr.Foster, of Ala., offered a resolution that the President be requested, if not incompatible with the public interes, to inform the House what is the status of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and what are his duties.
Also, to furnish the House the Court etiqueite for the use of the members in their business inter course a with the Department over which he presides.
Mr.Foster said that he offered these resolutions in vindication of the dignity of the members of this House. He had become tired of witnessing the humillation to which honorable members had been subjected in their intercourse with the different Departments. --It was only yesterday that an honorable Senator from the other wing of the capitol was insulted by a clerk in one of the Departments.
Mr.Conrad said he did not know what grounds the gentleman had for introducing the resolution. If he betrayed a little excitement, he hoped that the gentleman from Alabama would not think it was on account of his resolution or his remarks. He could not see that the resolution would accomplish the end desired. The gentleman complained that the employee in the Departments had not treated members of Congress with the courtesy due their position. As for the inquiry as to the duties of Gen. Lee, a general order had been published describing those duties. Under these circumstances, he did not think the resolution would solicit any information that the House did not now possese from that order. As to the discourtesy of which the gentleman complained, he did not think that Gen. Lee had ever shown any discourtesy to any one, much less a member of this body.
Mr.Moors, of Ky., moved to lay the resolutions of Mr. Foster on the table, and the motion was agreed to.
Mr.Foster also introduced a bill to promote the officiency of the army, which was referred to the Military Committee.
Mr.Rall, of Ala, presented a memorial, which, without reading, was referred to the Committee on Claims.
Messes.Haetridge and Clarke also presented memorials, which were appropriately referred.
Mr.Gartrell, of Ga., presented the memorial of a former citizen of Philadelphia, applying for citizenship in the Southern Confederacy. Referred.
Also, a resolution that the principal officer in each of the Executive Departments report to this House the number, names, and places of residence of all the clerks and employees of their respective Departments, and the amount of pay received by each.
Mr. Johns, of Tenn., suggested that it would be better to require them to prepare the report during the recess, and submit it to the House at his next session.
Mr.Gartrell agreed to the modification suggested, and in that form the resolution was agreed to.
Mr.Kennee, of Lt., offered a resolution to cause the proceedings and journals of the Constitutional Convention and the Provisional Congress to be printed. Referred to the Committee on Printing.
Mr.Davis, of Miss., introduced a resolution to fix the hour of meeting of this House after this day, at 12 o'clock, instead of 11, as at present. Agreed to.
Mr. Singleton, of Miss., asked consent of the House to report a bill from the Committee on Indian Affairs. Objection was made.
Mr. Clapp, of Miss, introduced a memorial on the subject of Sunday mails, which was referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Port Roads.
Also, a bill entitled an act for the relief of tax; payers in certain cases Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Miles, of S. C. introduced a bill to organize a signal corps. Referred to Committee on Military Affairs.
Also, a bill to authorize the appointment of officers of artillery in the Confederate army. Referred to same committee.
Also, a bill to increase the corps of Engineers of the Confederate army. Similarly referred.
Also, a bill to amend the act entitled an act to provide for the public defence, and the appointment of Generals. Referred to Military Committee.
Mr.Meness, of Tenn., introduced a memorial on the subject of making Treasury noms a legal tender. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr.Atkiss, of Tenn., offered a resolution that no member of the House shall speak more than once, nor longer than twenty-five minutes on any subject, during the remainder of the session, and moved a suspension of the rules for its consideration. Motion not agreed to. Under the rules, the resolution. It is over two day.
Mr. Fouts, of Tenn, offered a series of resolutions, which he read, and on which he proposed to submit some remarks.
Mr.Holy, of Ga., stated that in his judgment the matters contemplated in the resolutions required to be considers in secret session, and he therefore moved that the House going secrets session, which was agreed to.
After apending some time therein, the House again resolve itself into oppression, when
Mr. Graham offered a resolution instructing the committee on Ways and Means to inquire into the expediency of a law exempting from sale, under the "act to authorize the issue of treasury notes, and to provide a war tax for their redemption," the property both real and personal, of all officers and soldiers of our army during the time they may be engaged to the service, which was agreed to. Gen. Hoteler, of Va., offered a resolution instructing the Committee on Military affairs to tribute the expediency of so amending the act of February 15th, 1862, in reference to the pay of deceased soldiers, as to obvious the difficulties and delays which was agreed on.
Mr.Hoteler offered a joint resolution, tendering to Major, General Thomas J. Jackson, his officers and men, the theatre of Longville .. forts calling conduct in the last battle of Repertown, which was .
