In the
Senate yesterday the proceedings were opened with prayer by
the Rev. Mr. Langhorne, of the Methodist Church.
Mr. Hill, of
Ga., introduced a bill to provide for the investigation and settlement of the transactions and accounts of Quartermasters, Commissaries, contractors, and other financial and disbursing officers,
agents, and employees of the
Confederate States.
The bill was read and referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. Caperton, of
Va., introduced a bill for the relief of
Wm. M. Bowles,
Richard Bowles, and others.
Referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
The
Senate resumed consideration of the bill to authorize the
Secretary of the Treasury to pay over to the
Governor of
Kentucky $1,000,000 of the appropriation of $2,000,000 made 19th of January, 1862, to be used in the purchase of clothing for
Kentucky troops in the
Confederate service.--The bill, originating in the Senate, and having passed by both houses of Congress, had been sent back by the
President with his objections, and came up as the special order.
The objections of the
President were: That the act of which this bill was amendatory was designed to provide for troops raised for the
Confederate service anterior to their being mustered into such service, and before they could be supplied by the regularly constituted officers of the
Confederacy.
The bill in question devoted one-half of the appropriation thus made to the use and benefit of
Kentucky troops now in the service, and directed its expenditure by agents other than the bonded officers charged with supplying clothing to the whole army.
This method of providing for the troops of one State was objectionable, because it would put into the same market two sets of agents to perform the same duty, who would become bidders against one another.
To recognize the implication of this bill, that extra supplies of clothing ought to be paid for by the Confederate Government, would lay the foundation for large claims hereafter by the States for reimbursement on account of clothing furnished by them to their respective troops. --Troops from some other States were similarly situated with those from
Kentucky.
Messrs. Simms,
Burnett, and
Wigfall spoke in favor of the bill;
Mr. Phelan, of
Miss.
against it. After a long discussion, the question was put upon passing the bill over the veto of the
President, and the bill was lost, two-thirds of the
Senators present not voting in the affirmative.
The following is the vote:
Ayes--
Messrs. Brown,
Burnett,
Clarks,
Haynes,
Bill,
Johnson, of
Mo.,
Maxwell,
Simms,
Sparrow, and
Wigfall--10.
Nose--
Messrs. Caperton,
Dortch,
Henry,
Hunter,
Johnson, of
Ga.,
Orr,
Phelan, and
Semmes--9.
Mr. Burnett gave notice of a motion to reconsider the vote.
On motion of
Mr. Semmes, of La, the
House joint resolution for the appointment of a joint committee of both houses of Congress
to prepare an address to the country was concurred in.
On motion of
Mr. Sparrow, the
Senate resolved into secret session.
The
House met at 11 o'clock, and was opened with prayer by
Rev. Dr. Edwards.
The Chair laid before the
House a series of resolutions adopted by the Legislature of Georgia reaffirming the determination of the
State to continue the prosecution of the war to a successful termination; which were appropriately referred.
Mr. Atkins, of
Tenn., offered a resolution tendering the courtesies of the
House to
Major-Gen. John C. Breckinridge during his temporary stay in this city; which was unanimously adopted.
The
House then took up the unfinished business of Friday--the bill repealing existing, and regulating future, exemptions.
The question was upon the motion of
Mr. Staples, of
Va., to recommit the bill to the Military Committee.
The motion prevailed and the bill was recommitted.
On motion of
Mr. Jones, of
Tenn., the
House went into secret session.
