The proceedings of the
State yesterday were opened with prayer by
the Rev. Dr. Sehon, of the Methodist Church.
Mr. Reade, of
North Carolina, was appointed to fill the vacancy in the Committee of Finance occasioned by the retirement of
the Hon. Geo. Davis, of N. C.
On motion of
Mr. Johnson, of Ark, it was ordered that from this time till the end of the session the Senate take calls a recess from half past 3 o'clock P. M. till seven o'clock P. M.
Mr. Semmes, from the Finance Committee, reported back with an amendment the
House bill to increase the compensation of certain officers of the Treasury; and also, with an amendment, the
House bill for the relief of tax payers in certain cases; which bills were severally considered and the amendments agreed to, and the bills as amended passed.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Military Committee, reported the following important bill, which was considered and passed by a vote of sixteen to two:
The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That it is hereby made the duty of every general officer commanding a department whenever he shall deem that the public increase will be promoted thereby, or whenever he may have satisfactory evidence, that any regiment, battalion, squadron, company or squad of the cavalry under his command have behaved badly in the face of the enemy, or in an irregular and disorderly manner, or who have without authority of law taken or destroyed the property of any loyal resident of the
Confederate States, immediately to dismount the said regiment, battalion, squadron, company or squad, and to place the same in the ranks to serve as infantry during the war.
Sec. 2. That the horses that may be taken from persons so dismounted and which may be their property shall be taken for the use of the army upon the payment of the value thereof, to be fixed as provided by law.
Sec. 3. That all laws or parts of laws authorizing the organization of companies or bands of partisan rangers serving as cavalry be and the same are hereby repealed, and all companies or bands of said troops now existing shall have the privilege of volunteering for the war and serving with the pay and allowances now allowed by law to regular troops of the Provisional army, but upon their failure to so volunteer within a reasonable time they shall be dismounted and placed in the infantry service, and their horses taken for public use, as provided for above.
On motion the Senate resolved into secret session.
The
House met at 11 o'clock, and was opened with prayer by
Rev. Dr. Sehon, of
Nashville.
The Chair laid before the
House several communications from the
President in response to resolutions of the
House, one of them covering a response from the
Secretary of War to the resolution inquiring upon what authority
Gens. Sam. Jones and
Imboden have prohibited the transmission of provisions from the departments-commanded by them to the city of
Richmond.
These communications were laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Vest, of
Mo., reported a bill from the
Committee on Elections to provide for the election of Representatives in Congress from the
State of Arkansas.
The bill was considered and passed.
Mr. Barksdale, of
Miss., from the
Committee on Printing, reported a bill to authorize the publication and printing of an analytical and alphabetical digest of the laws of Congress, compiled by
Messrs. Lester and
Brownell.
The rule was suspended and the bill taken up. Before any definite action was had upon it the
House went into secret session.
