Confederate Congress.
Senate.
The House bill to grant transportation to discharged and disabled soldiers, was taken up and passed.
House joint resolution of thanks to and for the relief of Major Caspar Tochman, formerly of the Polish army, was taken up and passed.
On motion of Mr. Wigfall, the Senate resolved into Executive session.
When the doors were opened.--
Mr. Brown of Miss., presented the petition of Ormon L. Kimbrough of Miss., which was referred to the Committee on Claims.
On motion of Mr. Maxwell, the leave of absence of John W. Anderson, a clerk in the office of the Secretary of the Senate, was extended to the close of the session.
On motion of Mr. Barnwell, the Senate adjourned.
House of Representatives.
Wednesday, Mch. 15.The House met at 11 o'clock.
On motion of Mr. Clopton, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. Dickinson, detained from his seat by indisposition.
On motion of Mr. Menees, leave of absence was granted his colleague, Mr. Atkins, detained from his seat by indisposition.
The unfinished business being postponed, Mr. Lyon, from the committee of ways and means, reported favorably a Senate bill, to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to receive specie from the several States of the Confederacy, and to use the same for the benefit of said States.
On motion of Mr. Russell, the bill was amended by inserting the following: "Or to procure the same from the States upon such other promise as may be agreed upon between the Secretary of the Treasury and the authorities of the States."
The bill as amended was then passed.
Mr. Lyon, from the same committee, reported favorably a Senate bill to appropriate $1,000, to pay the expenses of the joint select committee on the subject of the treatment and exchange of prisoners. Passed.
The Chair laid before the House a Senate bill to repeal the sixth section of the act to regulate the business of conscription, approved March 7, 1865.
Mr. Goode moved to make a corresponding amendment in the fifth section, which was agreed to, and the bill passed. The title was also amended, so as to read, a bill "to amend an act to regulate the business of conscription."
Mr. Clopton, from the committee on the Medical Dept., reported favorably a bill to increase the commutation value of hospital rations, for a limited period, which was considered and passed.
The unfinished business, being the bill "to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus," was taken up.
The question being, shall the bill pass? Mr. Darden demanded the yeas and nays, which were ordered and recorded as follows:
Yeas.--Baston, Bradley, E. M. Bruce, H. W. Bruce, Carroll, Christian, Clark, Cluskey, Conrad, Conrow, De Jarnette, Dupre, Elliott, Ewing, Funsten, Gholson, Goode, Gray Hartridge, Hatcher, Heiskell, Holliday, Johnston, Keeble, Lyon, Machen, Miller, Moore, Perkins, Read, Russell, Sexton, Swan, Triplett, Villere, Wilks, Mr. Speaker. --Yeas, 36.
Nays.--Anderson, Baldwin, Barksdale, Baylor, Blandford, Branch, Burnett, Clopton, Colyar, Darden, Farrow, Fuller Gaither, Gilmer, Hanley, Herbert, J. M. Leach, Marshall, McCallum, McMullen, Miles, Ramsay, Rogers, Simpson, J. M. Smith, Smith of N. C., Snead, Staples, Turner, Welsh, Wickham, Witherspoon.--Nays, 32.
The following is a copy of the bill as passed:
Whereas, The Confederate States are invaded, and the public safety requires the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, the Congress of Confederate States do enact, That the privilege of habeas corpus is hereby suspended until otherwise provided by law, in all cases of arrest or detention by order of the President, the Secretary of War, or the General Officer commanding the Trans-Mississippi Military Department.
- Sec. 2. Until otherwise provided by law, the said privilege shall be suspended for sixty days from the time of arrest, in every case of arrest or detention by order of a General Officer commanding an army, in a Military Department or District.
- Sec. 3. Every such order shall be in writing, signed by the officer making the same, and shall name or describe the person to be arrested or detained.
- Sec. 4. No military officer detaining a person by virtue of any such order, shall be compelled, in answer to any writ of habeas corpus, to appear in person, or to return the body of the person so retained; but upon his certificate, under oath, that such person is detained by him, under such an order, accompanied with a copy of the order, further proceedings under the writ shall cease, and remain suspended, according to the provisions of the preceding sections.
On motion of Mr. Herbert, of Texas, the bill and amendments were laid on the table. Yeas, 29; nays, 25.
Mr. Miles, of S. C., introduced a bill to increase the pay and mileage of officers traveling under orders, which was read time and passed.
[The bill provides, that officers traveling under orders, be paid at the rate of $25 per diem, in lieu of the amount now allowed by law.]
Mr. Clark, from the committee on Military Affairs reported back a bill for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, &c., with the recommendation by the committee that it do not pass.
Mr. Clark advocated the passage of the bill, and asked that the report of the committed be disagreed with.
Pending which,
On motion of Mr. Darden, of Texas, the House adjourned.
