Confederate Congress.
Prayer by Rev. Mr. Woodbridge.
Mr. Henry offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That it be referred to the Judiciary Committee to inquire into the extent of the legal right, which the military authorities have in putting restrictions upon the facilities of citizens of the Confederate States in travelling from one section of the country to another; and how far they have the legal right to pass military orders restricting and prohibiting the transportation of the property of citizens upon railroads canals, or other mode of transportation, and to report by bill or otherwise. Adopted.
Mr. Semmes, of Ky., arose to make a correction in relation to the report from the Special Committee on Hospitals, wherein the number of details in Hospital No. 22 had been stated as 20 out of 325 patients, when it should be 31 deceased out of 641 patients.
Mr. Davis presented a petition from certain citizens of North Carolina. Referred.
Mr. Semmes, from the Committee on Finance, reported a bill to refund to the State of Louisiana the excess of the war tax overpaid by her.--Passed.
Mr. Clay, from the Committee on Finance, reported back a bill to encourage the manufacture of clothes and shoes for the army. Passed.
From the same. A bill for the relief of John Hunter Passed.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Millitary Committee, reported a House bill amendatory of an act to provide for granting bounties and furloughs to privates and non-commissioned officers in the army. Passed.
From the same, a house bill to amend an act organizing the staff department of the army. --Passed.
From the same a house bill amendatory of an act to organize the army. [It modifies the conscription act so as to enable conscripts to volunteer in companies now in service.] The report was adverse to the passage of the bill.
Mr. Sparrow moved the bill be tabled.
After a long debate, participated in by Messrs. Wigfall. Hall, Phelan, Yancey, and Haynes, and others, the motion was withdrawn.
Mr. Wigfall renewed the motion Negatived.
Mr. Davis offered an amendment giving the Conscript the right to enter companies of their own selection that were in service previous to 16th April, 1862.
After some further debate the bill was laid on the table.
Mr. Preston moved the resolution introduced by himself yesterday, rescinding the joint resolution fixing the day of adjournment of Congress on Monday next be taken up. Agreed to.
Mr. Hall offered a substitute, postponing the day of adjournment to the 13th of October.
Mr. Yancey moved to postpone the further consideration of the resolution until 11 o'clock A. M., Monday next. Negatived — ayes 9, noes 10.
The question recurring on the substitute proposed by Mr. Hill, the vote was taken and the substitute adopted.
On motion of Mr. Yancey, the Senate resolved itself into Executive session.
House of Representatives.--The House met at 10 o'clock.
A message from the President was laid before the House by the Chair, transmitting from the Attorney General certain estimates for the expenses of his department; also, a similar communication from the Secretary of War; both of which were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr. Chambers, of Miss, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill entitled an act to provide shoes for the army, and asked immediate action thereon.
Mr. Bonham, of S. C., said the measure proposed was one of great importance, and he hoped it would not be postponed.
The bill was then taken up and passed as follows:
The Congress of the Confederate States do enact. That the President be, and is hereby authorized on the requisition of the Quartermaster-General to detail from the army persons skilled in the manufacture of shoes, not to exceed 2,000 in number; and it shall be the duty of the Quartermaster-General to place them, without delay, at suitable points, in shops under proper regulations prescribed by him, and employ them diligently in the manufacture of shoes for the army.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That soldiers detailed under the provisions of this act shall be entitled to receive pay for extra duty, and also thirty-five cents per pair or shoes manufactured by them severally, in addition to regular pay and rations.
Mr. Dilton, of Florida, from the Committee on Military affairs, reported back a Senate bill entitled "an act to further provide for the public defence." and recommending the passage of a substitute in the shape of a bill to be entitled "an act to provide for the enrollment of persons subject to military duty without the limits of the States of their residence." The report was agreed to and the bill passed.
Mr. Gastrell, of Ga., from the Committee on the Judiciary, reported back a Senate bill to provide for the organization of military courts to attend the army of the Confederate States in the field, and to define the powers of the same, with an amendment.
Pending the consideration of this subject, it was ascertained that there was not a quorum present, and an hour was devoted to calling the roll and b ing excuses of absentees.
The bill reported from the Judiciary Committee was again taken up, and the amendment was agreed to as follows. Add to the first section the word, ‘"And in case of the absence or disability of the Judge Advocate, upon the application of the Court, the commander of the army corps to which such Court is attached, may appoint or detail an officer to perform the duties of Judge Advocate during such absence or disability, or until the vacancy, if any, shall be filled by the President."’
The bill, as amended, was read a third time and passed.
Mr. Pugh, of Ala, from the Committee of Conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses in relation to the Exemption Bill, submitted a report. He said the committee had endeavored to adjust the difference upon the ground of imperative public necessity, and not with a view to individual or personal convenience. The amendments having been read and explained, Mr. Pugh moved the previous question, which was ordered, and the report of the Committee of Conference was agreed to by the following vote. Ayes 40, noes 28.
By a vote of the House, the Exemption and Conscription Bills, and the Conscript Bill of April were ordered to be printed and laid upon the table of members.
On motion of Mr. Foote, of Tenn., the House went into secret session, and having spent some time therein, again resolved itself into open session.
The special order of the day, the bill ‘"to raise revenue,"’ was postponed, and several important bills taken up and passed. A proposition from the Senate, to prolong the session until Monday, the 13th of October, was agreed to after which the House adjourned.
