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

The Senate, on motion of Mr. Wilson, voted to disagree to the amendments of the House and ask a committee of conference on the disagreeing votes. Mr. Wilson, Mr. Trumbull, and Mr. Powell were appointed managers on the part of the Senate.

On the twenty-ninth, the House, on motion of Mr. Schenck, insisted on its amendments; agreed to a committee of conference, and the Speaker appointed Mr. Schenck, of Ohio, Mr. Deming, of Connecticut, and Mr. Ward, of New-York, managers on the part of the House.

On the thirtieth, Mr. Schenck, from the committee of conference, reported that the House recede from its first amendment, that the Senate agree to the other amendments, except the thirty-first amendment, and agree to it with an amendment. The report was agreed to. On the first of July, Mr. Wilson made a report from the conference committee, which was agreed to; and the bill was approved by the President on the fourth of July, 1864.

No. Lxxii.--The Bill to amend the Several Acts for Enrolling and Calling out the National Forces.

In the Senate, on the twenty-third of May, 1864, Mr. Morgan, of New-York, introduced a bill to prohibit the discharge of persons from liability to military duty by reason of the payment of money, which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. On the twenty-fifth, Mr. Morgan reported it back with amendments.

The Senate, on the eighth of June, on motion of Mr. Wilson, proceeded to the consideration of the bill and amendments. It proposed to repeal so much of the enrolment act as authorized the discharge of persons drafted, on the payment of three hundred dollars for the procuration of a substitute. The Committee reported an amendment to add as a new section, That nothing in the act approved February twenty-fourth, 1864, amending the act approved March third, 1863, for enrolling and calling out the national forces, should be construed to repeal that part of the act approved March third, 1863, which required that the board of enrolment, in making drafts, should “make a draft of the required number and fifty per cent in addition;” and the amendment was agreed to. The Committee also reported an amendment to add as a new section, That section twelve of the “Act for enrolling and calling out the national forces, approved March third, 1863,” be so amended that the notice to be served on drafted men might be served within ten days after such draft, or at any time within six months therefrom; and the amendment was agreed to. Mr. Wilson moved to amend by adding as a new section: That the President be authorized, on and after the passage of this act, to call out, for a period not exceeding one year, such number of men as the exigencies of the service might requie by draft, according to the provisions of the act approved March third, 1863, entitled, “An act for enrolling and calling out the national forces,” and the act approved February twenty-fourth, 1864, entitled, “An act to amend an act entitled, ‘An act for enrolling and calling out the national forces.’ ” After debate, in which Mr. Conness, Mr. Brown, Mr. Collamer, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Grimes, and Mr. Lane, of Indiana, participated, the Senate adjourned.

On the ninth, the Senate resumed the consideration of the bill, the question being on Mr. Wilson's amendment to draft for one year instead of three years. Mr. Wilson withdrew his amendment to enable Mr. Collamer to offer as an amendment, in four sections: That all calls for drafts thereafter made under the act entitled, “An act for enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for other purposes,” approved March third, 1863, and of any act in addition to or amendment thereof, should be for a term not exceeding one year. That this act should not extend to or include drafts to be made in any district or subdivision thereof, to fill its quota on calls already made, but the same should be completed under the laws in force before the passage thereof. That no person drafted on future calls should be liable to be again drafted until the present enrolment should be exhausted. That the number of men furnished from any district for the service of the United States, beyond and above its quota on calls heretofore made, and the term of service of such men, should be considered and allowed to said district in calls thereafter made.

The amendment was discussed at great length by Mr. Collamer, Mr. Brown, Mr. Hendricks, Mr. Nesmith, Mr. Lane, of Indiana, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Doolittle, and Mr. McDougall. The vote was then taken on Mr. Collamer's first section, and it was agreed to — yeas, twenty-two; nays, seventeen. The other sections of Mr. Collamer's amendment were then adopted.

On the twentieth, the Senate, on motion of Mr. Wilson, resumed the consideration of the bill. Mr. Brown moved to amend by adding a new section requiring Indian tribes, having treaties and receiving annuities, to furnish their quotas, the force so furnished to be used in maintaining peace among the Indians, and relieving troops employed against hostile tribes. The amendment was opposed by Mr. Johnson, Mr. Hale, Mr. Saulsbury, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Hendricks, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Howard, Mr. McDougall, and Mr. Howe, and supported by Mr. Brown, and Mr. Lane, of Kansas. Mr. Doolittle moved to amend Mr. Brown's amendment by substituting for it a provision authorizing the Secretary of War to receive into the military service Indian tribes in treaty with the United States, to be employed as a part of the military force for the purpose of maintaining peace, and protecting from hostile incursion the Indian Territory, and other Territories where the hostile or invading force was in whole or in part composed of hostile Indians; and the amendment to the amendment was agreed to — yeas, twenty-four; nays, twelve. The amendment as amended was then rejected — yeas, ten; nays, twenty-nine. Mr. Wilson moved to amend by adding as a new section: