The proceedings of the
Senate yesterday, were opened with prayer by
the Rev. J. L. Burrows.
Mr. Johnson, of
Ark., introduced a joint resolution of thanks to
Gen. E. Kirby Smith and the officers and men under his command, for the
battle of Richmond,
Kentucky, which were passed unanimously.
The special order, the bill to limit and define the term of office of the heads of executive departments, was on motion of
Mr. Clay, postponed till the following day.
Mr. Henry, of
Tenn., introduced a bill to establish the
Confederate flag.
Put on the calendar.
House bill to facilitate the collection of the claims of deceased soldiers, was referred to the Judiciary Committee.
The Senate, on motion of
Mr. Hill, of
Ga., receded from its amendment to the
House bill fixing the salaries of the clerks of Government depositories.
House joint resolution for the relief of
Major William F. Hines, was considered and concurred in.
Senate bill to amend the act "to establish the
Judicial Courts of the
Confederate States of America," was referred to the Judiciary Committee.
Senate bill to authorize the
President to appoint additional officers in the engineer corps, and also six military storekeepers not liable to military service, was considered and passed.
The Senate bill amendatory of the act to organize and provide engineer troops to serve during the war, was also passed.
Senate bill providing that all citizens and residents of the
Confederate States owing military service to the
Confederate States who shall, without the written permission of the
President, go into the lines of the enemy, shall be held to be absconding to avoid military service, and shall be declared alien enemies and their property confiscated, was considered and passed.
The bill to establish a bureau of polytechnics for the examination, experiment and application of warlike inventions, was considered and passed.
House bill to establish an invalid corps was considered and passed.
House bill to amend the act putting an end to the exemption of those who have heretofore furnished substitutes, was on motion of
Mr. Hill, of
Ga., informally laid over.
The bill authorizing the creation of military courts for divisions of cavalry, was considered and passed.
The bill amendatory of the act to punish drunkenness in the army was considered and passed.
The bill to provide for returning to the
Trans Mississippi, prisoners captured there and exchanged or paroled in the
East, was considered and rejected.
On motion of
Mr. Clark, the Senate resolved into secret session.
The
House met at 11 o'clock, and was opened with prayer by
the Rev. Dr. Hoge.
A bill to increase the compensation of route and special agents of the Post Office Department, was taken up and passed.
On motion of
Mr. Chilton, of
Ala., the managers, on the part of the
House, on the committee to consider the disagreeing vote of the two Houses on the Army bill, were granted leave to sit during the sessions of the
House.
A similar privilege was granted to the managers on the Currency and Tax bills.
Mr. Farrow, of
S. C., reported back a Senate bill from the
Committee on the Medical Department, to amend the law in relation to furloughing soldiers in hospitals, which was passed.
Mr. Curry, of
Ala., introduced a joint resolution construing the act to increase the compensation of clerks in the
President's office and the
Legislative and Executive departments in
Richmond so as to include soldiers detailed for clerical service.
Passed.
Mr. Miles, of
S. C., reported back from the
Committee on Military Affairs the joint resolutions offered some time ago by
Mr. Curry, of
Ala., in reference to the treatment of negro troops, with a recommendation that they pass.
These resolutions make a distinction between negro slaves recaptured by our armies and the free negro troops of the enemy who were not residents of the
Confederate States when the war commenced.
On motion of
Mr. Russell, of
Va., they were postponed and made the special order for to-morrow at 1 o'clock, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Miles, of
S. C., reported a bill to authorize the promotion of officers, non commissioned officers, and privates, for distinguished valor or skill.
Passed.
Mr. Miles also reported a bill from the Military Committee to authorize the organization of auxiliary bureaus to the
War Department west of the
Mississippi river.--Considered and passed.
Mr. Miles also reported back a bill to repeal the act to authorize the raising of bands of partisan rangers.
The bill proposes to abolish partisan ranger corps, and leaves it discretionary with the
Secretary of War or the
Commanding General of a Department to assign them to such military organization as the interests of the service may require.
After some amendments and considerable discussion, the bill was passed.
Mr. Hartridge, of
Ga., from the committee of conference on the bill to regulate impressments, made a report recommending that the
House agree with the Senate in its amendments, and the report was concurred in.
Mr. Villere, of
La., from the Military Committee, reported a bill, which was passed, for the organization of a corps of scouts and signal guards in the
Valley of the Mississippi.
After the passage of a number of other bills of minor importance, the
House adjourned.
