Confederate Congress.
first session.
Senate. Wednesday, April 9, 1862.
Mr. Barnwell, from the Finance Committee, reported back House bill to authorize the advance of certain sums of money to the State of Missouri, with recommendation favorable to its passage.
Mr. Barnwell explained that the bill was an amendment to a law of the Provisional Congress, appropriating one million of dollars to the State of Missouri, for the payment of her State troops for services rendered before they were received into the Confederate States.
The State of Missouri had appointed an agent to negotiate the loan from the Confederate States Treasury, upon her bonds, as directed by the State Legislature.
These bonds were to be in sums of $500 each, with coupons; but, when the agent came here he had only been able to have about $400,000 worth in sums of $500 each, struck off in New Orleans — consequently he proposed to pay the sum of $400,000 in $500 bonds to the Secretary, and give one large bond for the balance.
In other words, to give his receipt for the balance.
The bill would enable him to do so and to carry out the law of the Provisional Congress for the payment of the troops in Missouri, whose hard fighting and perils and privations warranted all the aid our Government could bestow, and that immediately.
After considerable debate the bill was passed, and the Senate went into secret legislative session. 