Confederate States Congress.
The Senate was called to order yesterday by Mr. Hunter, of Va., President pro tem., and the proceedings opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Duncan, of the Methodist Church.Mr. Baker, of Fla., reported a bill to amend the tax bill of 1863 so as to authorize tax collectors and quartermasters to sell such portion of the tax in kind which, because of difficulties of transportation, cannot be secured to the use of the Confederate Government, and to exempt women living on farms and not slaveholders who have husbands in the military service, or who have died in the military service, from the tax in kind. Referred to the Finance Committee.
Hon. Waldo P. Johnson, of Mo., appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Hon. R. L. Y. Peyton, appeared and took his seat.
Mr. Orr, of S. C., offered a resolution, which was agreed to, calling upon the President to communicate to the Senate the charges and specifications preferred by Gen. Beauregard against Maj. H. C. Guerin, Chief Commissary for the State of South Carolina.
On motion of Mr. Sparrow, of La., the House bill providing that no person shall be exempt from military duty by reason of having furnished a substitute, was taken up for consideration.
Mr. Hill, of Ga., thought the bill should go to the Military Committee.
Mr. Sparrow said the Military Committee had had the identical question before them, and their minds were made up. They believed the opinion of the country and army demanded the passage of the bill.
Mr. Orr, of S. C., said after what had been said by the chairman of the Military Committee, (Mr. Sparrow,) it was useless to commit the bill to that committee. He hoped the further consideration of the bill would be postponed.
After some discussion, which indicated clearly that the bill as it stood was popular with the Senate, on motion of Mr. Wigfall, the subject was postponed till Monday next.
On motion of Mr. Wigfall, the House bill authorizing the tax in kind on bacon to be commuted by a collection of an equivalent in salt pork, was taken up and passed.
The hour fixed for the special order having arrived, the Senate proceeded to the consideration of the resolution introduced by Mr. Brown, of Mississippi; and Mr. Brown, being entitled to the floor, addressed the Senate.
Mr. Brown having concluded his remarks, which occupied two hours.
On motion, the further consideration of the resolution was postponed.
On motion of Mr. Maxwell, of Fla., it was resolved that when the Senate adjourn, it adjourn till Monday at 12 o'clock.
The Senate then resolved into Executive session.
The House was opened with prayer at 12 o'clock by Rev. Dr. Marshall, of Mississippi.
Mr. E. M. Bruce stated that if he had been present yesterday he should have voted for the bill of Mr. Conrad in relation to substitutes.
The bill to prohibit dealing in the paper currency of the enemy being the first on the calendar, was up and passed. The following is a copy of the bill as adopted by the House:
- Friday morning...December 26, 1863 Section 1: The of the Confederate States of America . That no broker, banker, or dealer in exchange, or person concerned in tr a merchant or vender of merchandise description, or any other person, shall sell, circulate, or in any manner trade in any paper currency of the United States.
- Sec. 2. Any person violating the provisions of this act shall be subject to indictment and procession in the Confederate Court holden for the district within which the offence was committed, and shall, upon conviction, forfeit the amount so bought, sold, circulates, or used, or a sum equal thereto, and shall be store over subject to a fine of not more than twenty thousand dollars nor less than five hundred, and be imprisoned not less than three months nor more than three years at the discretion of said Court; and it shall be the duty of the Judges of the several Confederate Courts to give this act specially in charge of the grand jury: Provided, That the purchase of postage stamps shall not be considered a violation of this act.
- Sec. 3. But this act shall not be construed to apply to any acting in behalf of the Confederate by special authority from the President or any of the heads of departments.
Mr. Gray, of Texas, presented a bill to authorize officers entrusted with the collection of the tax in kind of bacon to receive an equivalent therefore in salt pork.
The rules were suspended and the bill taken up and passed.
From the Military Committee a bill was reported back to authorize commissioned officers to draw rations, and have the privilege of purchasing clothing from the Quartermaster's Department.
The bill was placed upon the calendar and ordered to be printed.
The morning hour having expired, the calendar was called, and the bill continuing in pay all discharged soldiers by reason of wounds and injuries received in the service was taken up.
Mr. Read, of Ky., offered a substitute for the entire bill, and addressed the House in support of his substitute.
Without coming to a vote upon the bill, a motion was made to adjourn.
Mr. Curry moved that when the House adjourn to-day, it adjourn to meet on Saturday.
Mr. Kennan, of Ga., moved to amend by inserting Monday instead of Saturday. On this motion the ayes and noes were called and resulted — ayes 29, noes 26. So the motion prevailed.
The House then adjourned.
