Confederate Congress.
Senate.
Tuesday, January 24, 1865.
Prayer by
the Rev. Dr. Burrows, of the Baptist Church.
Mr. Hunter, of
Virginia, offered the following resolution, which was agreed to:
‘
"
Resolved, That the
President of the
Confederate States of America be requested to furnish the Senate--
"Firstly.
Information as to the number of white men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, and of the number of negroes who, in addition to their own officers, may be required for the necessary employment and the proper discharge of the functions of the Departments of Medicine, of the
Commissary-General, of the
Quartermaster-General, of the
Engineers, of the Ordnance, and of the
Nitre and Mining Bureau.
"Secondly.
A like estimate as to the Post-office and Navy Departments.
"Thirdly.
A like estimate in regard to the railroad transportation of the country, including not only the working, but the equipment, repairs and construction, of the number, in his consideration, required for such transportation.
"Fourthly.
To specify the railroads, if there be any such, whose repairs and construction, in his opinion, will be necessary for military purposes, and ought to be effected, in whole or in part by appropriations from the
Confederate Treasury."
’
The Senate bill for the increase of the compensation of naval storekeepers was reported adversely from the Naval Committee; and, on motion, by
Mr. Maxwell, its further consideration was postponed.
House bill to reduce the number of exemptions and details was referred to the Military Committee.
On motion, by
Mr. Semmes,
House bill to provide more effectually for the reduction and redemption of the currency was taken up and transferred to the secret calendar.
On motion, by
Mr. Semmes, the Senate resolved into secret session.
House of Representatives.
The
House was opened with prayer at 11 o'clock by
Rev. Dr. Burrows.
The
House then took up and passed the joint resolution offered by
Mr. Branch, of
Texas, authorizing the
President to appoint commissioners to investigate the proceedings of the
Cotton Bureau and the conduct of the military authorities in connection with the cotton in the Trans-
Mississippi.
Mr. Clark, of
Missouri, from the
Committee on Elections, submitted the following report on the case of
Mr. Foote:
‘
"The committee to whom was referred the resolution in reference to the conduct of
the Hon. Henry S. Foote, a member of this
House from the
State of Tennessee, have had the same under consideration, and beg leave to report and recommend the adoption of the following preamble and resolution:
"That, some weeks since, the said
Henry S. Foote absented himself from this
House without leave; that shortly thereafter he attempted to pass into the enemy's lines and to the capital of the
United States without permission, which was in violation of law and in disregard of his duty as a member of this body; that when in the act of leaving our lines, to enter those of the enemy, he resigned his seat upon this floor, so far as he then could, by writing his resignation and depositing it for transmission to the
Speaker of this House, but which he, being afterwards arrested and his purpose defeated, intercepted and withdrew.
"
Resolved, That
Henry S. Foote, in thus attempting to leave the
Confederacy under the circumstances and in the manner above stated, whatever may have been his motives, has been guilty of conduct incompatible with his duty and station as a member of the Congress of the Confederate States, and that he be therefore, and is hereby, expelled from this
House as a member thereof.
"
John B. Clark.
"
James S. Chrisman,
"
S. A. Miller,
"
W. D. Simpson,
"
W. D. Holder,
"
A. M. Branch."
’
Mr. Hilton, of
Florida, said that, while he concurred in the above report, he objected to the language in which it was couched, and therefore declined to sign it.
Mr. Gilmer, of
North Carolina, in behalf of himself and
Mr. Bell, of
Georgia, submitted the following minority report:
‘
"The undersigned, being a minority of the
Committee on Elections, admit that the conduct of
Hon. Henry S. Foots in abandoning his seat in this
House without leave, and attempting to pass to the enemy on any business involving the interest of the
Confederacy without instructions, is highly reprehensible, and however honest his motives were, deserves the censure of this House; and they report the following resolutions and recommend their passage:
"
Resolved, That the said
Henry S. Foote was properly arrested by the military authorities.
"
Resolved, That the said
Henry S. Foote, for his conduct aforesaid, deserves the censure of this House.
"
John A. Gilmer,
"
H. P. Bell."
’
After considerable discussion, the vote was taken on the adoption of the majority report, and resulted — ayes, 51; noes, 25.
Sixty-nine votes (two-thirds of all the members of Congress present and absent) being necessary to the expulsion of a member, the report was not agreed to.
The
House then adopted the minority report, the vote on the first resolution being unanimous, and on the second--yeas, 64; pays,
Messrs. Blandford,
Chrisman,
Dupre,
Gray,
Keeble and
J. T. Leach.
[All the above, except
Mr. J. T. Leach, had voted for the resolution of expulsion.]
The
House then went into secret session, and, when the doors were opened, adjourned.
