Confederate States Congress.
The proceedings of the Senate yesterday were opened with prayer by the Rev. J. L. Burrows, of the Baptist Church.House bill, reported favorably from the Military Committee, for the establishment west of the Mississippi river of auxiliary bureaus of the War Department was considered and passed.
House bill, reported from the same committee, repealing the act authorizing the organization of bands of partisan rangers, was considered and passed.
House bill, reported from the same committee, to authorize the promotion of officers, non-commissioned officers, and non-commissioned officers and privates, for distinguished skill and valor, was considered and passed.
House joint resolution of thanks to Lieut. Gen. Longstreet and the officers and men under his command; House joint resolution of thanks to Major Gen. B. D. Forrest, and the officers and men under his command; and House joint resolutions of thanks to Major Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, and the officers and men under his command, were severally read and concurred in.
Mr. Clay, from the special committee appointed to inquire into the administration of the Navy Department, submitted a report, which was laid on the table and ordered to be printed.
House bill to increase the compensation of route agents and special agents of the Post-Office. Department, was amended, and as amended passed.
House joint resolution explanatory of the tax bill of the 24th April, 1863, was concurred in.
House bill to organize and establish west of the Mississippi river bureaus in connexion with the agency of the Treasury, was considered and passed.
On motion of Mr. Semmes, the Senate resolved into secret session.
The House met at 11 o'clock, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Dr. Hoge.
Mr. Farrow, of S. C., moved a suspension of the rules to allow him to introduce a joint resolution recommending a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer. The rules were suspended, and the resolution adopted. It fixes Friday, the 8th day of April, as a day of fasting and prayer.
Mr. Barksdale, from the joint select committee to examine into the management of affairs in the Navy Department, submitted a report; which was ordered to be printed.
Mr. Dupre, of La, offered a minority report from the same committee; which took the same course.
Mr. Jones, of Tenn., called up the bill entitled an act to provide for wounded officers and soldiers an asylum, to be called the Veteran Soldiers' Home, which was vetoed by the President, and returned to the House with his objections. The question was, Shall this bill become a law, the President's objections to the contrary not withstanding; and on this the ayes and noes were called and resulted — ayes 25, noes 39.
On motion of Mr. Jones, of Tenn., the rules were suspended to allow the select committee appointed by the House to prepare an address to the people of the Confederate States to make a report, when Mr. Curry, of Alabama, the chairman of the committee, proceeded to read the Address. At the conclusion of its reading, Mr. Hartridge offered a joint resolution adopting the report of the committee, and ordering forty thousand copies to be printed for circulation. The resolution was agreed to.
The House then went into secret session on a message from the Senate.
After some time spent in secret session, the doors were opened, and the business in open session resumed.
Senate bill to provide for retiring officers of the army, was taken up, and with some amendments passed.
Senate bill to provide tobacco for the army, was passed. Also, the bill creating the office of ensign in the Army of the Confederate States.
A bill supplementary to the general appropriation bill, making the following additional appropriations, was passed: For the payment of interest due the Choctaw Indians, $40,500; for allowances to officers of the Navy, $200,000.
Mr. Miles, from the Military Committee, reported back, with amendment, Senate bill to punish drunkenness in the army, which was agreed to, and the bill passed.
A bill was introduced by Mr. Lyon, of Ala., to amend the tax law of the present session of Congress, which was passed.
On motion, the House took a recess until half past 7.
