The
Senate met at 10 o'clock A. M. yesterday.
Mr. Hunter, of
Va., in the chair.
The motion of
Mr. Johnson, of Ark, to reconsider the vote by which was passed Senate bill to authorize the manufacture of alcoholic liquors in certain cases, was taken up, and after discussion the Senate agreed to reconsider by a vote of yeas 9, noes 5.
Mr. Johnson, of
Ark., then moved to strike out the second section of the bill which authorizes the
Commissary and
Surgeon General to establish distilleries and employ laborers in the same, instead of resorting to contracts if they shall deem it more prudent to do so. This amendment was rejected, yeas 6, nays 9, and the bill was then passed.
It authorizes the officials named to contract for supplies of liquors for the army and hospitals or to manufacture them themselves, whichever shall be by them deemed most expedient.
On motion of
Mr. Walker, of
Ala., the Senate resolved into secret legislative session.
Night Session--Thursday.--After the usual recess the Senate met at 8 o'clock, Thursday evening.
House bill to amend the first section of the act to organize the clerical forces of the Treasury Department, was reported back, adversely from the Finance Committee.
The following bills, reported back from the Finance Committee, were considered and passed:
House bill concerning the salary of the
Treasurer.
Senate bill to increase the salary of the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
Mr. Mitchell introduced a bill to authorize the appointment of additional officers of artillery for ordnance purposes.
Passed.
House bill to amend "an act to organize forces to serve during the war," was passed with an amendment.
House joint resolution, to allow sick and wounded officers of the army transportation to their homes, was considered and passed.
The Senate resumed consideration of
House bill to raise money to increase the pay of soldiers.
Mr. Johnson, of
Ark., moved to recommit the bill to the Finance Committee, with instructions to them to report a bill repealing all parts of every act passed at this session whereby any increase of salary or compensation shall have been made, with a view to restore our current expenditures to the rates and terms at which they stood at the termination of the First Congress of the Confederate States of
America.
This proposition being defeated — yeas 8, nays 14--the bill was passed: Yeas 14, nays 6.
Mr. Jamison introduced a bill in relation to the issuing by Government of certificates of indebtedness.
Passed.
On motion of
Mr. Walker, it was ordered that when the Senate adjourn, it be to ten o'clock A. M. on the following day.
The Senate then adjourned.
House of Representatives.--The
House was called to order at 10 o'clock A. M.
Senate amendments to
House bills to amend the act for the relief of tax payers in certain cases, and to amend the act to organize forces to serve during the war, were read and concurred in.
Senate bill to provide for the appointment of additional officers of artillery for ordnance duty was taken up and passed.
Mr. Perkins, of
La., from the
Committee on Commerce, reported back a Senate bill to establish a Bureau of Foreign Supplies, with a recommendation that it pass.
The bill was amended and passed — ayes 59, noes 7.
A bill reported on Thursday night from the Committee on Ways and Means, to amend the act to reduce the currency and to authorize a new issue of Treasury notes and bonds, was laid upon the table; and
Mr. Conrad, from the same committee; reported back Senate bill upon that subject, without amendment, and it was taken up and passed — ayes 41, noes 31.
It authorizes the States to exchange half of their Treasury notes of the old issue for notes of the new issue, at par.
Gen. John B. Clark, member elect from the 3d district of the
State of Missouri, appeared and took the oath to support the
Constitution of the
Confederate States.
Mr. Lyon, of
Ala., from the Committee on Ways and Means, reported a resolution increasing the pay of the Doorkeeper twenty-five per cent, and of his assistants fifty percent., the same to be paid out of the contingent fund of the
House.
Passed ayes 50, noes 11.
Mr. Lyon, from the Committee on Ways and Means, reported back the bill to amend the tax laws, and recommended that the
House disagree with a portion of the Senate amendments, and concur in others.
On motion of
Mr. Chilton, of
Ala., it was ordered that when the
House adjourn it will adjourn to meet at half past 8 o'clock on Saturday morning.
The bill to amend the tax laws occupied the attention of the
House until the close of the morning's session.
Night Session, Thursday.--The
House, on Thursday night, indefinitely postponed the bill for the organization of the
Bureau of Conscription, and the appointment of officers in said Bureau.
The bill to increase the compensation of the heads of the several Executive Departments and the
Assistant Secretary of War and the Treasury, was reported back from the Committee on Ways and Means, so amended as to include the
chief officers of every bureau in the city of
Richmond, including the
Commissioner of Patents, the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and the First, Second, and Third Auditors; and to increase the salaries of all clerks and employees in the various departments in the city of
Richmond 50 per cent., and at all other places in the
Confederate States 25 per cent. The amendments were agreed to.
Senate amendments to a bill to amend the laws relating to tax in kind were concurred in.
A bill in relation to the pay of clerks in the office of the Depositary was amended and passed.
A joint resolution, explanatory of the act to increase the compensation of certain civil officers and employees in the
Presidents office and in the
Executive and Legislative Departments at
Richmond, for a limited period, was amended and passed.
