Confederate States
Friday, March
was act in Friday, having Monday.
House of --Hours Met at 11 o'clock. Prayer by Rev. Mr. Peterkin.
The Speaker laid before the House, bill of the Senate to increase the allowance for mileage to officers of the navy and agents traveling under Referred to Committee on Naval Affairs.
Also, Senate bill to it crease the pay of masters mates in the navy.
Referred to the same committee.
Mr. Ketner, of La., from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported back the annexed resolution, which was agreed to:
Resolved That the President be requested to cause to be submitted to Congress estimates of appropriations for the first half of the next fiscal year.
Mr. Clarke, of Ga, arose to what he said he considered a privilege question.
At the last session of Congress a bill was passed increasing the pay of district tax collectors to four hundred dollars. He had in his possession a latter which showed that the chief collector of the war tax in Virginia was levying black mail upon the sub collectors of the State by charging each of them $10 for his influence in securing the passage of the bill referred to. He know nothing of the position of the gentleman in question.
In order, however, to vindicate the integrity of the members of this body he thought the matter should be investigated
Mr. Garnett, of Va., called for the reading of the letter.
Mr. Clarke then read an extract of a letter from the tax collector in Roanoke county, conferring a power of attorney upon a gentleman in Richmond to collect his allowance, and directing him to hand over ten dollars of the money to Col. Garnett as a present for his influence in getting the passage of the bill.
Mr. Garnett said that the gentleman aided to in the letter (Col. H. F Garnett,) was a constituent of his, and a distant relative, and he believed as incapable of anything dishonorable as any gentleman on this floor.
He hoped there would be an investigation, feeling satisfied that the charges would be refuted as so hers made in this Hall against distinguished citizens of this State had been.
Mr. Parkins, of La., was of opinion that the matter was one requiring investigation, and he therefore moved the following resolution:
Resolved. That a committee of five be appointed by the Chair to investigate the charges against the integrity of the chief collector of the war tax of the State of Virginia, in relation to the passage of a bill increasing the compensation of collectors of the war tax.
After some further discussion, Mr. Clapp of Miss, offered the following as a substitute for Mr. Perkins's resolutions.
Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to investigate an alleged improper it fluence exercised by the chief collector of the war tax in the State of Virginia to procure the passage of a bill by this House.
Mr. Garland, of Ark., moved to lay both resolutions upon the table.
Mr. Clarke demanded the ayes and noes on this motion, which were ordered, with the following result — ayes 38 noce 48.
The substitute of Mr. Clapp was then adopted.
Mr. Chilton, of Ala., moved to reconsider the vote.
There was nothing in the extract of the letter read which, in his opinion, reflected upon any member of this body.
He was willing, however, to vote for the resolution to investigate the conduct of the chief collector of Virginia.
Mr. Davis, of Miss., sustained the motion to reconsider.
Be would vote for the original resolution, and if, on investigation, it should turn out that any member had been influenced in his vote upon the bill referred to, it would then be time to pursue the matter further.
The motion to reconsider prevailed, and the resolution of Mr. Perkins was adopted
Mr. M of South Carolina moved to suspend the rules to allow him to report back from the Committee on Military Affairs.
Senate bill for the discharge of certain civil officers from the military service of the Confederate States.
The rules were suspended and the bill taken up.
Mr. Chilton, of Alabama, moved to amend by striking out the following: Provided, that no person elected or appointed to any civil offices shall be discharged under unless the office to when he may be elected or appointed is such an office as entitles the officer filling it, under exemption laws now existing, or which may hereafter exist, to exemption from military service in the armies of the Confederate States.
This motion prevailed, and the bill as thus an ended was passed.
The House then resumed the consideration of the bill to provide for the assessment and collection of taxes which was completed. 