Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

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[17] or of the regular army; the amendment should not be adopted without great consideration. Mr. Wade said “there was no just proportion between the pay of officers and privates; we were not paying enough to our soldiers,” and he was for the proposition. Mr. Wilson said that by advice of Senators around him, and of Mr. King, his colleague .on the committee, he would withdraw the amendment and introduce it as a separate bill. Mr. Johnson, of Missouri, moved to amend by adding as an additional section, “that this Congress recommend the Governors of the several States to convene their Legislatures for the purpose of calling an election to select two delegates from each congressional district, to meet in general convention at Louisville, in Kentucky, on the first Monday in September next; the purpose of the said convention to be to devise measures for the restoration of peace to our country.” Mr. Powell, of Kentucky, demanded the yeas and nays. Mr. Carlisle, of Virginia, thought the proposition “inopportune.” Mr. McDougall, of California, wished “merely to amend the remark made by the Senator from Virginia; he says this proposition would be inopportune; I say it would be cowardly.” The amendment was rejected; nine Senators voted for it, and twenty-nine against it. The bill as amended, was then passed without a division. On the same day, the House, on motion of Mr. Blair, concurred in the amendments of the Senate; and the President approved it on the sixth of August, 1861.

No. Ix.--The Bill to authorize an Increase in the Corps of Engineers and Topographical Engineers.

In the Senate, on the second of August, 1861, Mr. Wilson, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill to increase the engineer corps. It provided, “That there should be added to each of the corps of engineers and topographical engineers, by regular promotion of their present officers, two lieutenant-colonels and four majors; and that there should be added to the corps of topographical engineers one company of soldiers, to have the same pay and rations, clothing, and other allowances, and to be entitled to the same benefits in every respect as the company created by the act for the organization of a company of sappers and miners and pontoniers, approved May sixteenth, 1846.” On the third of August, the bill was considered and passed without amendment. In the House, on the fifth, Mr. Blair, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom the Senate bill had been referred, reported it back with an amendment as an additional section, “That the President of the United States be authorized to appoint two additional inspectors-general of the United States army, to have the same rank and receive the same pay and allowances as are now provided by law for inspectors-general.” The amendment was agreed to, and passed as amended. The Senate, on motion, of Mr. Wilson, concurred in the amendment; and the President approved the act on the sixth of August, 1861.

No. X.--The Bill making an Appropriation to deliver Arms to Loyal Citizens of Rebel States.

In the Senate, on the twentieth of July, 1861, Mr. Johnson, of Tennessee, introduced a bill making an appropriation to pay the expenses of transporting and delivering arms and munitions of war to the loyal citizens of the States of which the inhabitants then or thereafter might be in rebellion against the Government of the United States, and to provide for the expense of organizing them into companies, battalions, regiments, or otherwise, for their own protection against domestic violence, insurrection, invasion, or rebellion. The bill provided that the sum of----dollars be appropriated, to be expended under the direction of the President, in supplying and defraying the expenses of transporting and delivering such arms and munitions of war as in his judgment might be expedient to place in the hadns of any of the loyal citizens residing in any of the States of which the inhabitants were in rebellion against the Government of the United States, or in which rebellion was or might be threatened, and likewise for defraying such expenses as might be properly incurred in organizing and sustaining while so organized, any of said citizens into companies, battalions, regiments, or otherwise, for their own protection against domestic violence, insurrection, invasion, or rebellion. The bill was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. On the twenty-third, Mr. Wilson, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported the bill without amendment, and asked unanimous consent to consider it then, which was given. Mr. Wilson said the committee had not filled the blank, wishing to leave it to the Senate. Mr. Johnson, of Tennessee, moved that the blank be filled by inserting two millions, and the amendment was agreed to. On motion of Mr. Johnson, it was amended so as to read: “The loyal citizens residing in any of the States which are in rebellion against the Government of the United States, or in which rebellion is or may be threatened.” Mr. Collamer, of Vermont, did not like the phraseology of the bill; he thought States could not be in rebellion, but the inhabitants might be. He moved to so amend it, as to make it read, “the States of which the inhabitants, now or hereafter may be in rebellion.” This amendment was adopted, and the bill passed. In the House, the bill was referred to the Military Committee; and on the twenty-seventh, it was reported by Mr. Blair, and passed without a division. It was approved by the President on the thirty-first of July, 1861.

No. Xi.--The Act making Appropriations, and for other purposes.

In the Senate, August first, 1861, Mr. Wilson, of Massachusetts, reported from the Committee on Military Affairs, a bill appropriating one hundred thousand dollars for contingencies for fortifications, to be used and applied under the direction of the Secretary of War; providing that any