Confederate Congress.
Senate.
Mr. Hill, of Georgia, entered a motion to reconsider the vote by which was rejected House bill in relation to the receipt of counterfeit treasury notes by public officers.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Military Committee, reported a bill to provide for the employment of free negroes and slaves to work on fortifications and perform other labors connected with the defences of the country, which was placed on the calendar and ordered to be printed. [The bill makes all free negroes between eighteen and fifty liable to be taken to perform any labor connected with the defence of the country, and authorizes the Secretary of War to hire or impress 30,000 slaves, between eighteen and forty-five, east of the Mississippi, and the commanding general of the Trans-Mississippi Department, on the west side of the Mississippi river, to hire or impress 10,000 slaves, between the same ages, to be employed at labor in the armies; the free negroes to be paid eighteen dollars per month and clothed and fed; the slaves to be clothed and fed and hire paid for them, and their value paid to their owners should they be killed in the service or be captured by, or escape to, the enemy.]
Mr. Henry, from the same committee, to whom was referred House concurrent resolution proposing a joint committee of the two Houses respecting exemption of State officers from military service, reported a joint resolution requesting the Legislatures of the several States to institute an examination of the lists of their exempts and turn over to the military authorities of the Confederate States all able-bodied men between eighteen and forty-five, so far as can be done consistently with the due administration of the laws of the States. The resolution was considered and rejected by a vote of year, 6; nays, 7.
Senate bill to provide supplies for the army, and to prescribe the mode of making impressments, with amendments proposed by the Judiciary Committee, was taken up and considered.
After discussion, on motion, by Mr. Orr, further consideration of the bill was postponed till to-day.
A message was received from the President, transmitting reports of the parts borne by D. H. Hill's command in the battle of Chickamauga and of Forrest's operations in North Alabama, including the capture of Athens.
On motion, by Mr. Brown, the Senate resolved into executive session; and, the doors being opened, adjourned.
House of Representatives.
The House met at 12 o'clock. Prayer by Rev. Dr. Moore.The House, upon a suspension of the rules, passed a resolution requesting the President to furnish information as to whether the act imposing duties upon the foreign commerce of the Confederate States had been injurious or beneficial to the interests of the Government.
On motion of Mr. Russell, of Virginia, the House resolved itself into secret session; and, having re-opened, adjourned.
