House of Representatives.
Thursday, Aug. 21, 1862.
House met at its usual hour, was called to order by the
Speaker, and its sitting opened with prayer by
Rev. Mr. Granberry.
Mr. Sexton, of
Texas, offered a resolution requesting the
Secretary of War to furnish the
House, if not incompatible with the public interest, the report of
Gen. Beauregard on his retreat from
Corinth, and all papers connected therewith.
This resolution was amended so as to request the
President instead of the
Secretary of War, and in this form it passed.
Mr. Collier, of
Va., was added to the
Committee on Commerce.
Mr. Lyons, of
Va., offered a joint resolution, as follows:
Resolved, That the thanks of Congress are due and are hereby tendered, to
General Robert E. Lee and the officers and men under his command for the great skill and ability, and unsurpassed gallantry and patriotism displayed by them in the battles on the
Chickahominy, on the 26th, 27th, 29th, and 30th of June, and on the 1st of July, 1862, when with inferior numbers they encountered the barbarous and vindictive enemies of our country, and drove their army of at least one hundred thousand men, under their most accomplished General, from their camps and entrenchments, to find shelter under the guns of their ships.
Mr. Kennan, of
Ga., asked the gentleman from
Virginia to amend his resolution so as to include
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, who was in command at the battle of ‘"
Seven Pines."’
Mr. Lyons was in favor of according all honor to
Gen. Johnston, but thought it should be done in a separate resolution.
After some discussion, the resolution was withdrawn for the time, when.
Mr. Goode, of
Va., presented a joint resolution, tendering the thanks of Congress and the country to
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and the officers and men under his command for their gallantry for the victory achieved by them over the enemy on the 31st of May and 1st of June, in the engagement of
Seven Pines.
This resolution passed to its engrossment, when.
Mr. Foote, of
Tenn., asked its reconsideration, with a view to allow him to offer an amendment.--He had understood that
Gen. Johnston in his official report had excepted from any participation in the honors of that victory one of the general officers engaged in that battle.
In the face of that report he was not prepared to vote thanks to that excepted officer.
The
House refused to reconsider the vote which had passed the resolution to its engrossment, by a vote of ayes 27, noes 45.
Mr. Holcombe, of Va, was unwilling to vote for the resolution in its present form, and with the permission of his colleague and the
House, would submit a substitute.
Objection being made, the
Speaker ruled that no substitute was in order.
Much discussion then ensued on the original resolution of
Mr. Goode, after which it was adopted.
Mr. Lyons, of
Va., again presented his resolution, tendering the thanks of Congress to
Gen. R. E. Lee and the officers and men under his command.
Mr. Foote moved to amend by inserting ‘"except
Major-Gen. Huger, reports of whose conduct place him in a position so painfully equivocal that Congress is not prepared, at this time, in the absence of justification, or satisfactory explanation, either to condemn or to approve him, leaving this for future examination by the proper authorities."’
This amendment was sustained by
Mr. Foote in an earnest speech of considerable length, in which he expressed the most decided unwillingness to connect the name of
Gen. Huger with the other brave officers and men to whom we were indented for the successes which have attended our arms.
He did not question the courage of
Gen. Huger, but that officer owed it to himself, and to the historic name he bore, to vindicate himself from the charges which rested against him.
The resolution, as originally offered, was supported by
Messrs. Lyons,
Miles,
Bonham, and others, but they disclaimed that they participated in the discussion as the apologists of the conduct of
Gen. Huger.
The question being called, a yea and any vote was had on the amendment of
Mr. Foote, which resulted as follows: year 23, nays 44.
The resolution of
Mr. Lyons was then passed to its engrossment and, after a third reading adopted.
Mr. Boteler, of
Va., presented joint resolutions tendering the thanks of Congress to
Gen. T. J. Jackson, and the officers and man under his command, for the distinguished gallantry displayed by them in the battles of
McDowell,
Front Royal,
Winchester,
Cross Keys,
Port Republic, and on the
Chickahominy, Passed unanimously.
Mr. Chambliss, of
Va., offered a resolution instructing the
Committee on Military Affairs to inquire into the propriety of directing the discharge from service of all soldiers under eighteen years of age, and to prevent their further enlistment in our armies.
Agreed to.
Mr. Collier offered a resolution that the Military Committee inquire into the expediency of so amending existing laws as to require commutation value of clothing for the army to be fixed at its actual cost.
Mr. Goode presented a bill to amend the act to exempt certain persons from enrollment for service in the
Confederate States.
This bill provides for the exemption of all millers, tanners, and salt makers.
Referred to Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr. Russell, of
Va., introduced a bill entitled ‘"An act relating to the
Territory of Kansas."’ The bill sets forth that
Kansas equitably belongs to the
Confederate States, and cannot without manifest damage to them, and especially to the
State of Missouri, be suffered to remain in the possession of an unfriendly power.
It authorizes the
President to take and hold possession of
Kansas as a Territory of the
Confederate States, and to establish therein a Territorial government, and confiscates all property belonging to any inhabitant of the
United States to the
Confederate States.
Referred to the
Committee on Territories.
On motion of
Mr. Elliott, of
Ky., the
House then adjourned.
