Confederate States Congress.
House of Representatives.--The House met at 12 o'clock. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Duncan.
Leave of absence was granted Mr. Lyons, of Va., on account of indisposition.
The Speaker laid before the House sundry communications from the President transmitting communications from the heads of Departments in response to resolutions, which were referred and ordered to be printed.
Senate bills relating to substitutes, and to organize engineer troops to serve during the war, were read twice and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
M. E. M. Bluse, of Ky. from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported the following joint resolution, which was unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That the thanks of Congress are due and hereby tendered General John H. Morgan and the officers and men of his command, for varied heroic, and invaluable service in Tennessee and Kentucky, immediately proceeding the battled before Murfreesboro'--services which have conferred upon their authors fame as ensuring as the records of the struggle which they have so brilliantly illustrated.
Mr. Chrisman, of Ky., introduced the following resolution:
Resolved ( the Senate concurring.) That the Speaker of the House of Representative and the President of the Senate adjunct their respective houses on Monday, the 16th of March, at 12 o'clock A. M.
On motion of Mr. Jones, of Tenn, the resolution was laid upon the table — ayes 37, noes 35.
Mr. Conrad, of Da., offered a resolution, which was agreed to, instructing the Committee on Military affairs to inquire into the expediency of increasing the pay of medical officers of the army, on duty in the field.
Mr. Per ins, of La., offered a resolution, which was agreed to, instructing the Committee on the Medical Department to inquire into the expediency of so amending the law as to permit the Surgeon-General to direct the expenditure of any surplus funds on hand in hospitals for such articles as he may desire, required for the sick and wounded of the army.
Mr. Conrad offered a resolution, which was agreed to, directing the clerk of the House to return the papers furnished in response to a resolution relative to Lieut-Col Broadwell, to the President, and respectfully call his attention to the fact that no answer to the interrogatories in the resolution has been sent, and respectfully request that the omission be supplied.
Mr. Perkins offered the following, which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be instructed to inform Congress what amount of cotton has been purchased for the Government in Louisiana, specifying the names of the individuals by whom bought and whether paid for in bonds or notes, and at what average price, together with the names of the agents that have been heretofore and are new employed by the Government in purchasing cotton in Louisiana, and whether any discrimination has been made by them in their purchase between the producer of the article and those who held it on speculation; also, the regulations which have been adopted by said agents, under instructions from the Department, either for the purchase or security of said cotton.
Mr. Marshall, of La., offered the following, which on his motion, was laid upon the table for the present:
Resolved, That, in the opinion of this House, such guarantees of the debt of the Confederate States as may be made by the separate States should apply first to the bonds of the Confederate States which may hereafter be issued.
Mr. Perkins offered the following, which was agreed to:
Resolved, That the President be requested to furnish Congress with such portions of the correspondence between the State Department and our Commissioners abroad as can be made without detriment to the public interest.
Mr. Dupre, of La., introduced a bill relating to the subsistence of officers and enlisted men. Referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Barksdale, of Miss., introduced a bill to provide for compensation to persons employed by commanding Generals as Provost Marshals from civil life. Referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Barksdale introduced the following bill to suspend the writ of habeas corpus:
The Congress of the Confederate States do enact. That during the present invasion of the Confederate states the President shall have power to suspend the operation of the writ of habeas corpus in any town, city, or military district, whenever in his opinion the public safety may require it; but such suspension shall apply only to arrests made by the authorities of the Confederate Government, or for offences against the same.
Sec 2 The President shall cause the proper officers to investigate the cases of all persons so arrested, in order that they may be discharged if improperly detained unless they can be speedily tried in due course of law.
Sec 3 This act shall continue in force for thirty days after the next meeting of Congress, and no longer.
Mr. Barksdale moved a suspension of the rule, for the purpose of putting the bill upon its passage. Lost for the want of a two-thirds vote; and the bill was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Chambers, of Miss, introduced a bill to increase the compensation of females employed in the Treasury Department to five dollars per diem. Referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.
On motion of Mr. Jonet, the House went into secret session.
