Confederate States Congress.
In the Senate Saturday the proceedings were opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Minnegerode, of the Episcopal Church.Mr. Hill, of Ga., presented several joint resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, which were referred to appropriate committees, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Semmes, of La., offered the following resolution, which was adopted:
‘ Resolved, That the President be requested to inform the Senate whether or not the line officers of the army heretofore entrusted with bounty money for recruiting purposes have accounted therefore; and, if not, how many of such officers have failed to render their accounts; and to communicate the names of those who have thus failed, and the amounts unaccounted for, and when and from whom such amounts were received.
’ Mr. Semmes, from the Finance Committee, reported a bill making allowances for officers of the army under certain circumstances, and to amend an act providing for the organization of the navy, approved March, 1861. Put on the calendar and ordered to be printed.
On motion of Mr. Sparrow, of La, the Senate resolved itself into secret session.
The House was called to order at 11 o'clock by the Speaker.
Mr. Jones, of Tenn., asked a suspension of the rules to allow him to offer a resolution, that the Committee of Ways and Means have leave to report at any time. The resolution was agreed to.
The unfinished business of Thursday, the bill to provide for placing foreigners, and persons claiming to be citizens of the United States, in the military service of the Confederate States, was taken up.
The question was upon an amendment of Mr. Chilton, of Ala., to the resolution to recommit the bill to the Military Committee, as follows:--"And that said committee be instructed to report a bill allowing foreigners, or persons claiming to be aliens, ample time to leave the country, or to be conscripted in the army." On this amendment the ayes and noes were had, and resulted — ayes 37, noes 29. So the amendment was agreed to. The bill was then committed.
Several communications from the President, transmitting communications from the War Department covering reports of various military operations, were laid before the House.
The Chair also laid before the House a communication from Brig. Gen. H. A. Wise, endorsing the recommendations of General Hardee and others of the army of Tennessee, with reference to the necessity of an increase of our forces, and giving his views with reference to the reorganization of the army, which was laid on the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Jones, of Tenn., from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported a bill making additional appropriations for the support of the Government for the fiscal year lending June 30th, 1864.
Mr. Clapp, of Miss., moved to suspend the rules to allow him to make a report from the Special Committee to whom was referred the joint resolution of Mr. Goede, in relation to the war. The rules were suspended, and Mr. Clapp reported the resolution as referred, without alteration or amendment with an additional resolution that the Senate be requested to appoint a committee of--, to act jointly with a similar committee of this House, to prepare an address to the people of the Confederate States. The resolutions were then placed upon their passage, and he ayes and noes demanded, and the resolutions adopted without a dissenting vote.
The morning hour having expired, the House went into secret session on the bills reported from the Committee on Currency.
