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

No. Xxxv.--The Bill prohibiting the Confinement of Persons in the Military Service of the United States in the Penitentiary of the District of Columbia.

In the House of Representatives, on the thirteenth of June, 1862, Mr. Bingham, of Ohio, from the Committee on the Judiciary, reported a bill to prohibit the confinement of persons in the military service in the Penitentiary of the District of Columbia, except as a punishment of certain crimes, and to discharge from the prison certain convicts by sentence of court-martial, which was recommitted to the Committee, with leave to report at any time. On the fifth of July, Mr. Bingham reported it back with amendments, and the House proceeded to its consideration. The bill provided that soldiers should not be confined in the Penitentiary of the District of Columbia, unless their offence, by common law, or a statute of the United States, subject them to such punishment; or except for mutiny, desertion, or an attempt to incite mutiny. Mr. Dawes moved to amend by adding that “no person thereafter, upon the decision of a court-martial, should be confined in any penitentiary in the United States, except under the conditions of the act.” The amendment was agreed to, and there bill passed as amended.

In the Senate, on the eighth of July, Mr. Wilson, from the Military Committee, reported back the bill with amendments. The amendments proposed to strike out the words, “or such person be convicted of mutiny, or desertion, or an attempt to incite mutiny.” Mr. Grimes opposed the amendment; Mr. Wilson, Mr. Harris, and Mr. Rice supported it; and it was agreed to, and the bill, as amended, passed on the twelfth. On the same day, the House, on motion of Mr. Wilson, of Iowa, took the bill from the Speaker's table, and, after debate, it was referred to the Judiciary Committee, with leave to report at any time. The House disagreed to the Senate amendments, and asked a committee of conference, and appointed Mr. Wilson, of Iowa, Mr. Dawes, of Massachusetts, and Mr. Phelps, of Missouri, managers. In the Senate, on the fourteenth, Mr. Wilson moved that the Senate insist on its amendments, and concur in the conference asked for by the House. The motion prevailed, and Mr. Wilson, Mr. Lane, of Indiana, and Mr. Wilkinson, were appointed managers. On the fifteenth Mr. Wilson, from the conference committee, reported, “that the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate to the bill, and agree to the same ;” and the report was accepted. In the House, on the sixteenth, Mr. Wilson, of Iowa, made a report from the conference committee, and it was agreed to, and the bill was approved by the President, on the sixteenth day of July, 1862.

No. Xxxvi.--The Joint Resolution to authorize the Secretary of War to furnish extra Clothing to Sick and Wounded Soldiers.

In the House, on the fifth of July, 1862, Mr. Hale, of Pennsylvania, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill authorizing the Secretary of War to furnish extra clothing for sick and wounded soldiers. It proposed to “authorize the Secretary of War to furnish extra clothing to all sick, wounded, and other soldiers who might have lost the same by the casualties of war, under such rules and regulations as the department might prescribe, during the existence of the insurrection.” It was read three times and passed. The Senate referred it to the Committee on Military Affairs, and on the tenth, Mr. Wilson reported it back without amendment. By unanimous consent, it was read three times and passed. It was approved by the President on the twelfth of July, 1862.

No. Xxxvii.--The Bill to amend the Act calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws, suppress Insurrection, and repel Invasions.

In the Senate, on the eighth of July, 1862, Mr. Wilson, of Massachusetts, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill to amend the act calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrection, and repel invasions, approved February twenty-eighth, 1795, which was read a first time, and passed to a second reading. On the ninth, the Senate resumed the consideration of the bill to amend the acts calling forth the militia to execute the laws. It provided that whenever the President should call forth the militia to be employed in the service of the United States, he might specify in his call the period for which such service would be required, and the militia so called should be mustered in, and continue to serve, for the term specified, unless sooner discharged; and the organization of the militia, when so called into service, was to be conformed to the organization prescribed by the laws for volunteers. Mr. Grimes, of Iowa, moved to amend the bill by adding three sections providing that there should be no exemption from the performance of military duty under any militia law of the United States on account of color or lineage; but whenever the militia should be called into service, all loyal, able-bodied male persons, between the ages now fixed by the laws of the United States, should be called to the defence of the country. That when the militia should be called into the service of the United States, under any law of the United States, the President should have full power and authority to organize them into battalions, regiments, brigades, and divisions, according to their race or color, as he should believe that the public interest might require; and that the provisions of the two preceding sections should be construed so as to apply to and include volunteers who might thereafter be called into the service of the United States, and all persons who had been, or might thereafter be, enrolled in the service as volunteers, or as militia, should receive the pay and rations of soldiers as allowed by law according to their respective grades. Mr. Saulsbury, of Delaware, and Mr. Carlisle, of Virginia, opposed