The
Senate met yesterday at 10 o'clock M. Prayer by
the Rev. Mr. Doggett, of the Methodist Church.
A bill to amend the act to provide for the payment of the interest on the removal and subsistence fund due the
Cherokee Indiana in
North Carolina, so as to authorize the
Secretary of War to pay the interest in cash or provisions, was reported from the
Committee on Indian Affairs, and passed.
The amendments of the
House of Repre-
sentatives to the Senate bill to secure special passports for members of Congress, were considered and concurred in.
The Senate then resumed consideration of the bill to amend the act of the last session "to reduce the currency and to authorize the new issue of notes and bonds;" and after some discussion passed it in this form:
- Sec. 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the amount of Treasury notes which shall be issued under the provisions of the act of which this is an amendment, shall not exceed one dollar of new issue for three dollars of the old, which may have been paid into the Treasury under the provisions of the said act; Provided, that this limitation shall not be construed to restrict the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to issue new notes in exchange for old notes held by individuals, at the rate of two dollars of the new issue for three dollars of the old issue, as provided in the said act; Provided further, that the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby directed, on the first day of January, 1865, or as soon thereafter as practicable, to reduce the amount of Treasury notes in circulation to two hundred million dollars; and when the circulation of said notes shall be thus reduced the faith of the Government is hereby pledged that the same shall not be increased.
- Sec. 2. Instead of the six per cent bonds, authorized to be issued to the States, under the 12th section of the said act, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to issue to any State which may desire the same, one half of such amount as the said State is entitled to claim in Treasury notes of the new issue, and the other half in said six per cent bonds; or, at the option of the State, in coupons bonds, payable in twenty years, with interest at the rate of four per cent per annum, payable half yearly; the said four per cent bonds not to be taxable either upon principal or interest; and this provision shall extend to any portion of the amount which such State may be entitled to claim.
- Sec. 3. The Secretary of the Treasury is, also, authorized to issue to any person holding old issues of Treasury notes entitled to be exchanged for new issues, untaxable four per cent. bonds of the same character described in the section next preceding; and the exchanged shall be made at the same rate at which the old notes may be exchanged for those of the new issue — that is to say: the holder of Treasury notes of the old issue shall be entitled to a four per cent. bond exempt from, taxation, at the rate of two dollars of bonds for three dollars of notes: Provided, That on and after the first day of January, 1865, the authority to make the exchanges mentioned in this section shall cease and determine.
- Sec. 4. Any holder of four per cent bonds or certificates, issued under the first section of the act of which this is amendment, may exchange his bond or certificate for a four per cent untaxable bond, such as is described in the section next preceding, at the same rate provided therein as to old issues — that is to say, at the rate of two dollars of untaxable bonds for three dollars of bonds or certificates issued under said first section.
- Sec. 5.
The bonds and certificates, mentioned in the second section of the act to which this is an amendment, shall be receivable in payment of all Government dues which shall have accrued prior to the first day of January, 1865, except export and import duties; and transfer by delivery said bonds and certificates shall be sufficient to enable the holder to use the same in payment of said Government dues.
The following bill to promote the efficiency of the cavalry of the Provisional army, and to punish lawlessness and irregularities of any portion thereof, was passed:
The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That it is hereby made the duty of any general officer commanding a department, whenever he may believe that the public interest will be promoted thereby, and when he may have satisfactory evidence that any regiment, battalion, squadron, company, squad, or individual of the cavalry under his command have behaved badly in the face of the enemy, or in any irregular of disorderly manner, or have, without authority of law, taken or destroyed the property of any loyal resident of the
Confederate States, Immediately to dismount said regiment, battalion, squadron, company, equal, or individual, and to place those composing the same, or the individual, in the ranks, to serve as infantry during the war, and in such military organization belonging to his command as he may designate.
That horses belonging to persons so dismounted, and which they may have had in the service, may be taken for the use of the army, and the value there of assessed as provided by law.
A bill, reported from the
Committee on Indian Affairs, to provide for the redemption of old leans notes in the hands of curtain Indian tribes, was considered and passed.
Mr. Johnson, of Me, reported a bill to increase the compensation and mileage now allow our members of Congress to the
Committee on Finance.
The Senate resolved into secret session.
House of Representatives.--Prayer by
the Rev. Dr. Minnegorode, of the Episcopal Church.
The
House resolution for the appointment of a special committee on the subject of impressments, returned from the Senate with amendments, was taken up, and the amendments were concurred in.
The Senate joint resolution for an adjournment of Congress on the 31st of May inst., being taken up for consideration,
Mr. Miles opposed its adoption.
He urged the
House not to fix any day of adjournment at present, and least of all so early a day as that proposed by the resolution.
Mr. Garland, of
Ark., also opposed the resolution, and moved its reference to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Conrad, of
La., stated that there were important matters before the
Committee on Wave and Means, which required mature deliberation, and argued against a hasty adjournment.
The resolution was further debated by
Mr. Perkins in opposition, and
Messrs Singleton and
Machen in favor, and the question being taken on the motion to refer, was decided in the negative.
The question recurring on the passage of the resolution, the vote resulted — ayes 41, noes 35.
So the resolution passed.
A motion by
Mr. Hartridge to reconsider was lost.
Mr. J. T. Leach, of
N. C., introduced a bill to amend the act regulating the granting of furloughs and discharges in the army and navy.
Referred.
Mr. Atkins introduced a resolution restricting debate to thirty minutes, and to one speech on any one question, which was not adopted — ayes 44, noes 33, less than two thirds voting in the affirmative.
Mr. Atkins also offered a resolution that hereafter the daily hour of meeting of the
House shall be 11 o'clock A. M., which was agreed to.
Mr. Colyer, of
Tenn., offered a resolution to relieve the
commanding General from the duty of examining the records of court-martial in the field, which was referred to the
Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Colyer also offered a resolution inquiring into the expediency of framing a law more effectually to prevent gaming by bonded officers and other public agents, accompanied by a bill on the subject.
Referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Heiskell, of
Tenn., introduced a bill to provide for payment for losses by accident resulting from the destruction of property to prevent it falling into the hands of the enemy.
Referred.
Also, a resolution inquiring what progress has been made in providing medals for soldiers for distinguished service, and whether any further legislation is necessary on the subject.
Referred.
Mr. Russell, of
Va., offered a resolution to rescind the resolution for an adjournment on the 31st instant, which on his motion, was laid on the table for the present.
Mr. Miller, of
Va., offered a resolution inquiring into the expediency of appointing one
Assistant Quartermaster, with the rank of
Captain, for each battalion of infantry in the provisional Army Referred.
Mr. Chilton, of
Ala., introduced a joint resolution relating to the construction of the act to organize forces to serve during the war. Referred.
Also, a resolution inquiring what legislation is necessary for the confiscation of the property of persons who, being liable to render military service to the
Confederate States, have gone to a foreign country to avoid such service.
Referred.
Also, a resolution inquiring into the expediency of so amending the existing tax law as to exempt from taxation properly which has been assessed, but which, before the payment of the tax thereon, has been destroyed without any fault of the owner.--Referred.
Mr. Dupre, of
La., introduced a bill to provide for the safe custody, printing, publication, and distribution of the laws, and to provide for the appointment of an additional clerk in the Department of Justice.
Referred.
Mr. Miles, of
S. C., introduced a bill to authorize the appointment of chief clerks in the several bureaus of the Executive Department.
The morning hour having expired, the
House resumed the consideration of the bill reported Tuesday from the
Committee on
Ways and Means, amendatory of the currency and funding law of February 17th, 1864.
The pending question being upon the amendment of
Mr. Atkins, to substitute the 1st day of January, 1865, for the dates mentioned in the bill as the limitation of time for funding Treasury notes by persons residing within the enemy's lines, a long debate ensued, and the amendment was adopted.
Mr. Atkins moved to further amend by striking out the words "above the denomination of five dollars," which was agreed to.
Mr. Menees, of
Tenn., moved to amend by adding after the words "citizens of the
Confederate States," the words, "or persons belonging to the
Confederate States army within the enemy's lines as prisoners of war, or other loyal persons hold as prisoners. "--Adopted.
The bill was further amended and passed.
The
House then adjourned.
