Confederate Congress.
Saturday, October 11, 1862.
Senate--The Senate met at 11 o'clock, A. M.
Mr. Clay introduced a bill to equalize the salary of
Assistant Attorney General with that of the other
Assistant Secretaries and the chiefs of Bureaus.
Passed.
Mr. Barnwell, from the
Committee on Finance, reported a bill supplemental to an act to authorize the
Secretary of the Treasury to pay district collectors in certain cases [Authorizes the payment of $400 to the several district collectors of the war tax, in those States which have assumed payment of said tax.] Passed.
From the same.--A House bill to reduce the rate of interest on the funded debt of the
Confederate States, with amendments submitted by the committee, substituting 7 per cent. instead of 6 per cent. interest, proposed in the bills, for the bonds, issued after the 1st, December next, and a proviso that nothing therein contained shall be construed to revoke the authority heretofore given to issue 6 per cent. reconverted bonds.
Agreed to and bill sent back to the
House.
Mr. Sparrow, from the
Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill to regulate and fix the pay of Cadets in the service of the
Confederate States.
[It gives the Cadets the pay of
2d Lieutenant of the arm of the service to which they are attached.] Passed.
Mr. Haynes reported a bill authorizing the
President to fill up the appointment of all offices created or vacancies which may occur during the recess of the present session of Congress, the appointment to be subject to the confirmation of the next session.
Passed.
Mr. Wigfall objected to the bill being sent to the lower House.
Mr. Phelan introduced a bill amending an act in relation to the
Public Printer, so as to authorize the
Postmaster-General to contract for printing blanks, &c., for his department.
Passed.
A House bill to increase the salaries of
Route Agents for the mail.
Passed.
On motion of
Mr. Phelan, a House bill to authorize the formation of volunteer companies for local defence, was taken up. The bill, as reported from the
Committee on Military Affairs, reads:
‘
The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That for the purpose of local defence in any portion of the
Confederate States invaded by the enemy, any number of persons, not less than twenty, may associate themselves as a military company; elect their own officers, and establish rules and regulations for their own government, and shall be considered as belonging to the Provisional Army of the
Confederate States, serving with out pay or allowance, and entitled, when captured by the enemy, to all the privileges of prisoners of war:
Provided, That such company shall, as soon as practicable, transmit their muster-roll, or a list of the names of the officers and privates thereof, to the
Governor of the
State, the
commanding General of the department, or any
Brigadier-General in the
State or Confederate service, to be forwarded to the
Secretary of War; but the
President, or the commander of the military district, may, at any time, disband such companies, and no member of any such company, who may be subject to enrollment and enlistment in the general military service of the
Confederate States, shall, on account of such membership, be exempted therefrom, unless specially exempted by the
President.
’
Mr. Phelan proposed to amend the bill by striking out the words ‘"invaded by the enemy, "’ and inserting after the words ‘"not less than twenty"’ the words ‘ "who are over the age of 45 years or otherwise not employed in military duty;"’ and striking out all after the words, in the latter part of the bill, ‘"may disband such companies."’ Agreed to.
Mr. Haynes moved to amend by adding to the bill: ‘"
Provided, "’ no person shall become a member of said company until he shall have first taken the oath of allegiance to the
Confederate States of America in writing, the copy of which shall be field with the muster roll of said company as above prescribed." Agreed to.
Mr. Clark offered an amendment, which was adopted, providing that in the States and districts in which the act entitled ‘"An act further to provide for the public defence, approved April 16, 1862,"’ and the acts amendatory thereof, have been suspended, persons of any age, reside & within such States or districts, may volunteer and form part of such companies so long as such suspension may continue.
The bill then passed.
Mr. Orr moved to reconsider the vote to the bill authorizing the
President to fill vacant as which may occur during the recess of the session, etc. Negatived.
The bill was then ordered to be sent to the lower House.
The amendments of the
House to the Senate bill, increasing the pay of the clerks in the executive departments of the
Government, were considered.
The
House amendment was diagreed to, and the original Senate bill returned to the
House.
A House bill to relieve the army of ignorant and incompetent officers was taken up.
Mr. Orr moved to amend the bill so as to provide that the officers ‘"honorably retired"’ she receive no pay. Agreed to.
Mr. Preston opposed the bill on the ground that it was not only impracticable in its operation and would not secure the object designed, but it would increase the bickering and personal difficulties now disturbing the organization of the army.
Mr. Orr moved to strike out the preamble.--Agreed to
The title was then amended so as to read: ‘"A bill to relieve the army of incompetent, unqualified.
and disabled officers."’
Mr. Barnwell reported a House bill making appropriations for the support of the
Government, and for certain deficiencies and other purposes therein mentioned.
Passed.
On motion of
Mr. Johnson, the Senate took a recess until 6 o'clock P. M.
House of Representatives.--The
House met at 11 o'clock. Prayer by
Rev. Dr. Read.
The
House resumed the consideration of the bill laid over in the morning hour yesterday, which is as follows:
The Congress of the Confederate States do enact, That hereafter the
Quartermaster-General and the
Chief of Ordnance shall be
Brigadier-Generals in the Provisional Army.
The question was upon the passage of the bill, upon which the ayes and noes were ordered, with the following result — ayes 28, noes 26.
Mr. Chambers, of
Miss, from the Military Committee, reported back a Senate bill entitled an act to amend an act entitled ‘"an act for the establishment and organization of a
General Staff for the Army of the
Confederate States of America,"’ approved February 26, 1861.
This bill provides for the appointment, by the
President, of additional staff officers for general officers serving in the field.
Mr. Chambers introduced a substitute to the Senate bill, which is as follows:
Sec. 1.
The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That during the existing war there shall be allowed to general officers serving in the field, the following
general staff officers, to be appointed by the
President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to wit:
To a General, commanding a separate army, one
Assistant Adjutant and
Inspector General, with the rank, pay and allowances of a
Brigadier-General, and not exceeding four
Assistant Adjutant and Inspector-Generals, with the rank, pay and allowances of a Major of Cavalry; one
Military Secretary, with the rank, pay and allowances of a Colonel of Cavalry; and two
Aide-de-camp, with the rank, pay and allowances of a Major of Cavalry.
To a
Lieutenant-General, commanding an army corps, two
Assistant Adjutant and Inspector- Generals, with the rank, pay and allowances of a Major of Cavalry; and two
Aide-de-camp, with the rank, pay and allowances of a Captain of Cavalry.
To a
Major-General, commanding a division, two
Assistant Adjutant and Inspector-Generals, with the rank, pay and allowances of a Major of Cavalry; and two
Aide-de-camp, with the rank, pay and allowances of a Captain of Cavalry; and to a
Brigadier-General, commanding a brigade, one
Assistant Adjutant and
Inspector-General, with the rank, pay and allowances of a Captain of Cavalry; and two
Aide-de-camp, with the rank, pay and allowances of a first
Lieutenant of Cavalry:
Provided, That no other
general staff officers shall hereafter be allowed to general officers serving in the field, except as herein provided, and except, also, the
Assistant Quartermasters and Assistant Commissaries of brigades, authorized by existing law:
And provided further, That with the exception of
Aide-de-camp, all other
general staff officers, assigned to the commands of general officers, will be regarded as a part of said commands, and not as belonging to the personal staff of the
Generals under whose orders they may be serving for the time being.
Mr. Miles, of
S. C., moved to amend the first section of the bill by striking out ‘ "two"’ and inserting ‘"four,"’ before the word aide-de-camp.
The amendment was not agreed to.
Mr. Baldwin. of Va, introduced the following amendment to come in at the end of the bill as reported, which was agreed to:
‘"
Sec. 2.
Adjutants appointed by the
President shall be deemed officers of the
General Staff, and shall be regarded as part of the commands to which they are attached, and not as belonging to the personal staff of the officer under whose orders they may be serving for the time being, and shall, when competent, be promoted in their several army corps as
Adjutant and Inspector-Generals to fill vacancies according to seniority."’
This amendment was agreed to — ayes 37, noes 22.
The bill as amended was then adopted.
Ayes 34, noes 22.
Mr. Baldwin, of
Va., from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported back Senate bill to punish and repress the importation by our enemies of notes purporting to be notes of the Treasury of the
Confederate States.
Mr. Russell of Va, moved that the
House substitute for the bill of the Senate that portion of
House bill entitled ‘"An act to repress atrocities of the enemy,"’ which relates to the subject of counterfeiting:
Whereas, manifestly with the knowledge and connivance of the
Federal Government, and for the purpose of destroying the credit and circulation of the Treasury notes of this Government, immense amounts of spurious or counterfeit notes, purporting to be such Treasury notes, have been fabricated and advertised for sale in the enemy's country, and have been brought into these States and put in circulation by persons in the service of the enemy: Therefore,
The Congress of the Confederate States do enact, That every person in the service of or adhering to the enemy who shall pass or offer to pass any such spurious or counterfeit note or notes as aforesaid, or shall sell or attempt to sell the same, or shall bring any such note or notes into the
Confederate States, or shall have any such note or notes in his possession with intent to pass or sell the same, shall, if captured, be put to death by hanging; and every commissioned officer of the enemy who shall permit any offence mentioned in this section to be committed by any person under his authority, shall be put to death by hanging.
Every person charged with an offence punishable under this act shall be tried by a court martial, in such manner and under such regulations as the
President shall prescribe; and, after conviction, the
President may commute the punishment to imprisonment, in such manner and for such time as he may deem proper, and may pardon the offender on such conditions as he may deem proper or unconditional.
The substitute was agreed to, and the bill passed.
Mr. Miles, from the
Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill to increase and regulate the appointment of general officers in the regular army, with an amendment to strike out the word ‘"twelve"’ and insert the word ‘"twenty;"’ which was agreed to.
Mr. Smith, of
N. C., moved to amend the 2d section by striking out the portion assigning one
Brigadier-General to duty in the
Quartermaster and Commissary Departments.
The ayes and noes were had as follows — ayes 27, noes 28.
The bill was then agreed to, and is as follows:
‘
The Congress of the Confederate States do enact, That the
President be, and he is hereby, authorized by and with the consent of the Senate to appoint twenty
general officers in the Provisional Army, and to assign them to such appropriate duties as he may deem expedient.
’
Sec. 2. That these
Brigadier-Generals may be assigned to duty in the Departments of the
Adjutant and
Inspector-General, and one
Brigadier-General may be assigned to duty in each of the Departments of the
Quartermaster-General.
Mr. Gartrell, of Ga, from the Judiciary Committee reported and recommended its passage, a bill authorizing the
Vice-President of the
Confederate States to employ a Secretary.
The
House refused to permit the bill to be read a third time by a vote of — ayes 27, noes 27.
Mr. Boteler, of Va, from the
Committee on Flag and Seal, reported back the bill of the Senate fixing a seal of the
Confederate States, and reported the following as a substitute:
An armed youth in classic costume, standing beneath a meridian sun, beside an altar to which a woman is clinging, the whole surrounded by a wreath of rice, cotton, tobacco, and sugar cane; above, ‘"seal of the
Confederate States of America,"’ and beneath, the motto ‘ "
Pro aris et focis."’
This substitute was agreed to.
Mr. Barksdale, of
Miss, moved a suspension of the rules, with a view to allow him to report the Senate bill to amend an act in regard to public printing, which was considered and adopted.
Mr. Kenner, from Committee of Ways and Means, reported back
House bill to reduce the rate of interest of the funded debt of the
Confederate States, with Senate amendments, with a recommendation that the
House concur in the amendment.--Agreed to.
Mr. Kenner also reported a bill to extend the term of office of certain war tax collectors.
Agreed to.
Mr. Miles, of
S. C., from the Military Committee, reported back the bill to purge the army of ignorant and incompetent officers, with Senate amendments, which were agreed to.
Mr. Miles, from the
Committee on Military Affairs, to whom had been referred the message of the
President on the subject of ridding the army of inefficient and incompetent officers, and of consolidating regiments, reported that the committee had had the same under consideration, and had instructed him to report that so much of the message as relates to getting rid of inefficient and incompetent officers has already been acted upon by the passage of the bill from the Military Committee ‘"to relieve the army of ignorant and incompetent officers."’ This bill, which has passed both Houses, amply provides for the ‘"dropping"’ or ‘"honorably retiring"’ of all such officers.
With reference to the other recommendation of the
President, that authority should be granted for the consolidation of reduced regiments, the committee are not prepared at the present time to favor the recommendation.--They are of opinion that an effort should first be made by a prompt and thorough enforcement of the law of April last, and the law passed at this session (commonly called the ‘"Conscription Acts,"’ providing expressly for ‘"the filling up of regiments."’ It would, in the opinion of the committee, be unjust to many gallant officers who have distinguished themselves in the service, to deprive them of their commissions, and would be unjust to the regiments that have won historic names on the battle- field, and covered themselves with glory, by amalgamating fragments of different regiments, unless as a matter of urgent and extreme necessity.
If, in the interval between the adjournment and the next session, it shall be found that the Conscript acts, properly enforced, cannot even fill up existing regiments, much less give a surplus, (which we hope) then is a matter of necessity, we may be compelled to authorize the consolidation of greatly reduced regiments which cannot possibly be filled up.
The committee asked to be discharged from the further consideration of the message, and that is to laid on the table.
The report of the committee was agreed to.
Mr. Bell, of
Mo., called up the bill reported from the Military Committee to provide for the temporary organization of forces in the States or parts of States invaded or occupied by the enemy.
After some discussion the bill was passed — ayes 48, noes 10.
Mr. Russell, of Va, called for the special order of the day, viz: A bill to repress atrocities of the enemy.
Mr. Foote moved to substitute the report made by the Committee of Foreign Affairs yesterday on the same subject.
Mr. Barksdale moved to substitute the minority report from the same committee.
The bill and substitutes were next read, and the
House decided to take a recess until 7½ o'clock P. M.
Evening Session.--The Chair laid before the
House a communication transmitting a communicate from the
Secretary of War, relative to offices created, and vacancies to be filled, during the recess of Congress.
Mr. Miles, from the Military Committee, moved to take up Senate bill authorizing the
President to make certain appointments during the recess of Congress.
Mr. Jones stated that it was evident that no quorum was present, and he was unwilling to consider any bill without a quorum of the
House.
Mr. Miles then moved to refer the bill to the
Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Jones was not willing even to refer a bill without a quorum.
Mr. Baldwin, of
Virginia, moved that the
House adjourn, upon which the ayes and noes were ordered, and resulted — ayes 8, noes 39.
No quorum voting,
Mr. Hilton, of
Florida, moved a call of the
House, which was continued until a quorum responded.
The bill was then taken up, on motion of
Mr. Miles, engrossed, read a third time, and passed.
The Chair submitted a message of the
President, transmitting a communication from the
Secretary of War, in response to a resolution of the
House, in reference to the disbanding of
Wheat's Louisiana Battalion, by which the officers were put out of commission.
Referred to the Military Committee.
The Chair also laid before the
House, a Senate bill to regulate and fix the pay of cadets in the service of the
Confederate States.
This bill was considered and passed.
Also, a Senate bill entitled an act to equalize the salary of the
Assistant Attorney General with that of other
Assistant Secretaries and Chiefs of Bureaus.
The bill was agreed to.
The
House took up the Senate bill in relation to the pay of clerks in the Departments.
The
House bad adopted a bill reported by
Mr. Baldwin, of
Va., for the bill of the Senate, and the Senate disagreed to the same.
On motion of
Mr. Baldwin, the
House insisted on its substitute, and asked a committee of conference.
Messrs Baldwin,
Jones and
Dupre were appointed said committee.
The Chair laid before the
House the bill to authorize the formation of volunteer companies for local defence, with Senate amendments.
On motion of
Mr. Chambers, the
House concurred in the amendments.
The Senate having returned the bill rejected in the morning, to authorize the
Vice President to employ a secretary, the
House took it up for consideration, and it was agreed to.
Mr. Kenner, of La, from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported back Senate bill for the relief of the Bible Society of the
Confederate States of America with a recommendation that it pass.
The bill was taken up and agreed to.
The
House then resumed the consideration of the bill reported by
Mr. Russell, of
Va., from the Judiciary Committee, ‘"entitled an act to repress atrocities of the enemy."’
Mr. Garnett moved to recommit the bill to the Judiciary Committee.
This motion was the subject of considerable discussion, which was continued up to 10 o'clock.
The
House agreed to meet at 9 o'clock on Monday morning.
