Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-09-03
CONFEDERATE CONGRESS.

The two houses of Congress to be ndustrousy
gagged in the transaction of public business though to
this time great amount of bus has perfected.
In the Senate Thursday last the House resolution of
thanks to Commodore Montgomery and bis command.
concurred in After considerable debate the House
luton for joint committee to investigate the management
of the Navy Department ccncurred in yeas nays
The House committee the subject consists of Messrs
Foote of Tenn Lyons Of Va Barksdale of Miss Dupre
of La. and Boyee, of s. C.
In the House, the day. several resolutions of in
qury were adopted and bills introduced. bill
passed increasing the corps of artillery officers to be
signed to ordnance duties
In the Senate, Friday. Mr. Dortch, of N c., intro
duced bill to regulate the payment of the claims of de-
ceased soldiers, which was placed on the calendar.
Or motion of Mr.. Sparrow the bill "provding for sub.
stntes in certain and detailing privates for police
duty" was taken up frous the calendar.
Mr. Dortch, of North Carolina moved to amend the bill
by striking out that portion restricting the privilege of
purchasing substitutes where farmers concerned to
those who have not less than fifty slaves To pass this
measure would be to array the STAKEHOLDER against the
SHAREHOLDER and thus encourage feeling Of the most per-
nciOus character
The bill, as introduced for the committee by Mr. Spar
provided for permitting Certain mechanics and per-
sons owning as many as fifty slaves to employ substitutes
and denied this privilege to all others Messrs Sparrow
and Barnwell advocated the bill.
Mr. Phean of Mississippi said that the bill proposed to
permit certain mechanics and persons oaoning y sLaUe
lowing substitutes pregnant with evils-especally at
this time and he opposed to it. But if any such poll
cy was adopted he was in favorof placing all citizens
equal footing without reference to property. He was
not favor of permitting wealthy planters to remain at
home with their families and increase their fortunes by
aerng to their business if they could obtain substi
tutes whilst not owning fifty slaves denied that
privilege and forced to enter the army. Tie argument
that the wealthy planters ought to remain to protect the
poor from the depreciation of his slaves faacious
The poor would much prefer to protect bis family by
his presence and right ARMAND BESIDES to stay and
attend to his own general aairsand he in favor of
granting him the right to do by obtaining substitute
if that right accorded to weahier 1t mock
cry tell the poor that he shall go into the war; but
the weather. shall not-because be must remain and
prevent the slave from depredatng Give the right to OBJ
tain substitutes to all or none.
Mr. Dortchs motion prevailed and the substitute bill,
thus far amended and passed the Senate is follows:
"That hereafter substitutes for persons liable to military
duty shall not be allowed except in cases where the
offering the substitute is skilled and actually employed in
mechanical pursuit. the prosecution of which, at the
time the Secretary of War may declare to be important
to the pnblc interests. rosed That in all where
substitutes are received the furnishing the subs
tute shall guarantee bis fidelity and in he deserts the
principal shall be held to service if substitute had
been furnished by him.
The time of the House, the day, consumed
in the discussion Of the bill to provide for the discharge Of
all prlvates in the army under 49, and prohibit the en-.
listment of such. The bill passed by small majority 1t
provides however that minor shall be discharged ex
cept with his own free will and consent.