Confederate Congress.
Senate.
Mr. Hunter, from the Committee on Finance, asked to be discharged from the further consideration of a resolution for the prevention of illicit trade. The trade with Maryland is not illicit, and there is little or none other, and the present statute is sufficient.
Mr. Oldham said that Mr. Hunter had developed in his remarks the deficiency of the present law, which it was the object of his resolution to correct. It was found in the exception of Maryland and the border States from the operations of the law. Maryland had disappointed us in her political action, and the trade carried on with her had been injurious to us, and had tended much to depreciate our currency.
Mr. Hunter said this was, of all times, the most unpropitious for withdrawing indulgences to Maryland. The news was that the people were receiving our money readily in payment for army supplies. The trade referred to was not large, and was chiefly in articles which had been indispensable.
The Committee were discharged as requested.
The motion pending from Saturday, to reconsider a joint resolution for the adjournment of Congress on Tuesday, the 30th instant, was rejected. The resolution was ordered to be sent to the House.
The Exemption bill then came up as the unfinished business the pending amendment being one for the exemption of justices of the peace.
A discussion ensued, in which Messrs. Haynes and Hunter advocated the exemption of justices — The debate was then extended, and resulted in some sparring between members, which profited no the and resulted in nothing.
A message from the President, in answer to a resolution, announced that the Executive had no information of the hanging of soldiers without trial. Ordered to be printed.
The Senate adjourned.
House of Representatives.--House met at 12 o'clock. Prayer by Rev. Dr. Doggett.
The Chair said. that the unfinished business before the House for the morning hour was the resolution introduced a few days since by Mr. Ashe, of N. C., as follows:
Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate to the House the estimated amount required to be appropriated to meet claims upon the Confederate Government for vessels and other property seized by the naval and military authorizes for the use of the Government.
The resolution was taken up and passed
Mr. Clarke, of Ga. introduced a resolution, that the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the propriety of limiting, by law, the discretion of the Secretary of War under the Conscript act; and by what authority he declares ‘"a substitute becoming liable to conscription renders his principal also able, unless exempt on other grounds,"’ as in General Order, No. 64.
The resolution was agreed to.
Mr. Bruce, of Ky., introduced a resolution, that the Secretary of War is hereby requested to inform this House whether there have been transmitted to him any findings of Courts, provided for in the act entitled ‘"An act to punish drunkenness in the army,"’ approved April 21, 1862, and if there have been, to report the same to Congress.--Agreed to.
Mr. Breckenridge, of Ky., offered a resolution, that the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing, at different points in the Confederacy, asylums for indigent and maimed soldiers who have been discharged from the service on account of wounds or chronic disease. The resolution was adopted
Mr. Conrad, of La., offered a joint resolution to provide a homestead for the officers and privates of the army of the Confederate States. Referred.
Mr. Dupre, of La., presented a bill to increase the salaries of certain civil officers of the Government of Richmond. Referred to Committee of Ways and Means. Also, a resolution that the Committee on Post Offices and Post Goals be instructed to ascertain and report to this House the reasons which thus far have prevented the carrying of the malls from the states east of the Mississippi, to the State of Louisiana west of that river — and particularly that portion of the State south of the Red river, Referred to Committee on Post-Offices and Port Reads.
Mr. Welch, of Miss., offered a resolution that the President be requested to inform this House whether any authority exists in the military commanders of departments or divisions to institute a commission to examine officers in military tactics who may have been elected by volunteer companies or regiments, and to deny to such officers the right to exercise the functions of the office to which they may have been elected, if the decision of such commission is unfavorable to such officers. Agreed to
Mr. Vest, of Mo., offered joint resolutions in regard to the protection of persons in arms against the United States, but not enrolled in the Confederate army, and to secure the exchange or release of certain persons held as prisoners by the enemy. The resolutions were referred to the Military Committee.
Mr. Harris, of Missouri, offered a resolution that the Committee on Military Transportation, Commissary, and Quartermaster's Department, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of allowing each commissioned officer in the field to draw one ration in kind in addition to his pay. Referred.
Also, a resolution that the same committee be instructed to inquire into any abuses arising in the military service of the Confederate States from officers drawing commutation in lieu of transportation in kind. Referred.
Also, a resolution that the same committee be instructed to inquire into the expediency of introducing the suppuration into the armies of the Confederate States, and to the propriety of providing by systematic arrangement the supply of rations or provisions at the principal railroad depots and points of concentration, to soldiers, at commutation value. Referred.
Also, a resolution that the Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of levying an export duty upon cotton, payable in coin, adequate to secure the payment of interest accruing upon the bonds of the Confederate States. Agreed to.
The morning hour having expired, the Chair announced that the business before the House was the consideration of the bill to increase the Provisional Army of the Confederate States, and that the question was upon the to the first section of the committee's his offered by Mr. Smith, of N. C., providing for calling on the Governors of States for their quotas of 300,000 men, to serve three years.
Mr. Miles, of S. C., as the chairman of the committee reporting the bill, desired to submit a few remarks before the vote was taken upon the amendment. He asked the consent of the House to permit him to do so. Leave was granted, and Mr. M. addressed the House at length in support of the original bill. At the conclusion of his remarks, the vote was taken on the amendment by eyes and noes, and resulted: Ayes 41, noes 41--so the amendment was lost.
Mr. Wright, of Texas, then offered a proviso to the first section of the bill, as follows:
‘ "Provided, however, That the regiments raised under, and by authority of, the State of Texas, and now in the service of said State for frontier defence, are hereby exempted from the provisions and operations of this act."
’ Mr. Foote, of Tenn, offered an amendment to the same section, to come in after the proviso of the gentleman from Texas, as follows: ‘"The provisions of this act shall not apply to any regiments, battalions, or companies, organized and officered under State authority, which the Governor of the State to which said troops respectfully appertain shall deem indispensably necessary to the defence and safety of said State."’ In support of this amendment he sent to the Clerk's desk a letter from a distinguished and patriotic citizen of Mississippi, which he desired read, and in which was depicted the condition of portions of Mississippi in consequence of the calling out of the militia.
Mr. Chambers of Miss., explained the reason why such a state of affairs existed as was referred to in the letter, attributing it to the action of the State authorities. He closed his remarks by moving to postpone the special order, with a view to take up the Exemption bill.
The motion was not agreed to.
The question then recurred upon the amendment of Mr. Foote, and, on the vote being taken, the amendment was rejected.
The question came up upon the amendment of Mr. Wright, and it was agreed to.
On motion, the House then adjourned.
