The
Senate was called to order at 12 o'clock M. by
Mr. Hunter, of
Va.,
President protest, and the proceedings opened with prayer by
the Rev. Dr. Duncan, of the Methodist Church.
Mr. Clay, of
Ala., presented the petition & the
Collector of the Customs for
Mobile seeing an increase of compensation for himself and his deputies.
Referred to the
Committee on Finance.
The bill to organize forces to serve during the war, was taken up, and on motion of
Mr. Cur laid over.
Mr. Clark, of
Mo., presented a petition of the
Government officials in
Richmond asking an increase of compensation, and presented a bill to accomplish that object.
Released to the Finance Committee.
[The bill provides for paying the officials, from heads Departments down to messengers, according to a graduated scale, the same amounts
Generals,
Colonels,
Majors, and so on town to wagon masters, and allows the said officials to draw clothing and rations for themselves and each member of their respective families.]
Messrs. Orr, of
S. C., and
King, of
Tenn., served and obtained short leaves of absence for their respective colleagues.
The
House bill to exempt from the operations of the law imposing a tax in kind of one-tenth of the sweet potatoes of this year's rising, was referred to the
Committee on finance.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Military Committee reported a bill repealing the law allowing furloughs and discharges.
The bill was out and placed on the calendar.
On motion of
Mr. Brown, the resolution commending the passage of certain laws as taken up and made the order of the day of Thursday next at 1 o'clock P. M.
On motion of
Mr. Simms, of
Ky., the bill authorizing the payment to the
Governor of
Kentucky one million of dollars, to be appreciated to the use of
Kentucky troops in a Confederate service, was taken up and used.
Mr. Maxwell, of
Fla., offered a joint resolution for the relief of
Capt. Walker Anderson.
Referred to the
Committee on Claims.
The Senate then adjourned.
The
House was opened at 12 o'clock with by
Rev. Dr. Burrows.
The resolution offered Monday by
Mr. Lyons that when the
House adjourn to-day, adjourn to meet on Monday, the 28th of December, was taken up.
On motion of
Mr. H. W. Bruce, of
Ky., the resolution was laid upon the table.
Mr. Heiskell, of
Tenn., reported from the judiciary Committee a bill to prohibit trading in the paper currency of the enemy, and moved that it be postponed and placed upon the calendar.
Mr. Foote earnestly opposed the postponement of the consideration of the bill, and the vote being taken, the
House refused to postpone, and the bill was taken up.
Mr. Chilton, of
Ala., offered an amendment — to exempt the purchase of Federal postage stamps from the operations of the act.
Pending the discussion of the bill the morning hour expired and the further consideration of the bill was postponed, in order that the calendar might be be called.--The bill and amendments were ordered to be pointed.
Mr. Hilton, of
Fla., from the
Committee on Military Affairs, reported the following bill to amend the law in relation to substitutes.
Mr. Hilton sustained the bill as proposed by the committee:
Whereas, Through frauds perpetrated on the
Government under the clause of the act approved April 16th, 1862, which granted the privilege that persons not liable to military duty might be received for those who were, our armies have been deprived at the services of men necessary for the public defence: Therefore.
- Sec. 1.
The Congress of the Confederate States do and That in all cases where substitutes received under the provisions of the above (or any other) law have deserted, or shall hereafter desert, the obligation of the principal shall revive upon the desertion of the substitute being established and at rested under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of War.
- Sec. 2.
In all cases where a substitute has proved unfit for the discharge of the ordinary duties of a soldier by reason of physical or mental incapacity, existing at the time he was received as a substitute, the obligation of the principal shall revive upon such incapacity being established and attested under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of War.
- Sec. 3.
In all cases where a man, who is a substitute, would be liable to enrollment for military service under existing or future laws, if he were not already in the army, the principal is hereby declared to be subject to such enrollment.
Mr. Russell, of
Va., moved to amend by striking out the first section of the bill and inserting the following: "That no person shall remain exempt from military service by reason of his having furnished a substitute, but if any such person shall make it appear, by proper evidence, that he has a lawful and sufficient substitute now in the service, or that his substitute (having been sufficient) has died or been disabled in the service, such person shall not be liable to military service by virtue of this act until the expiration of a year from the time when his substitute was mustered in as such."
Mr. Clark, of
Ga., opposed any interference with the law authorizing substitution,
taking the ground that there was at least an implied contract between the
Government and that class of persons.
Mr. Moore, of
Ky., who offered a substitute for the entire bill, was in favor of placing all persons in the service.
Mr. Conrad, of
La., also presented a substitute for the bill as reported by the committee, which provides that no person shall be exempt from military service by reason of his having furnished a substitute, and opposed the idea that the
Government was bound by any contract in the matter.
Without coming to a vote, the
House adjourned.
