Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-04-24
Confederate Congress:


 South Carolina, from the finance committee, asked on behalf of the committee, to be discharged from further consideration Of a memorial from citizens of Texas in relation to the confscation laws, and propomding certain questions therein contained.- He said that the subject matter of the memorial sproperly belonged to the judiciary committee, and he therefore asked his reference to be made, and it was accordingly ordered,
 Mr. Sparrow, from the military committee, re- ported back the House bill ' to receive into the Confederate service regiment of volunteers for the protection of the Texas frontier" with recom- mendaton that it do net pass. Owing, however, to the absence of both the Senators from Texas, he asked that the bill and the report lay on the ble for the present. So ordered. He also reported back, with an amendment, the House bill to encourage the manufacture of satpeter and small arms. Laid on the table.
 Also reported back the House bill regulating the pay of chaplains in the army; also laid on the table.
 Mr. Semmes, on behalf of a majority of the u dietary committee, reported &vorably upon the bill to annul certain sections of the law of the provisional government providing for appeals from State supreme courts to the supreme courts of the Confederate States. Laid on the table.
 Tho Senate then went into secret session.
 House of Representatives. House convened at II o'clock, and it's session opened with pray CT by the. Rev. pr. Moore, of the Presbyterian church.
 Journal of yesterday read,
 MT. Goode, of Virginia, stated that his colleague. Mr. Holcombe had been called home on urgent business, and he asked leave of absence for him, which was granted by the House.
 Mr. Baldwin, of Virginia, asked leave to present a memorial; which, without being read, was ap- proprately referred.
 Mr. Miles, of South Carolina, moved that the resolution ollered by him several days ago, to al low the military and naval committees te report at any time during open session, be take up and con sidered. The motion prevailed, and the resolution wastakcn up and agreed to.
 The speaker announced that the question before the House the unfinished business of yesterday, viz: The Arkansas contested election case
 MT. Smith, Of Virginia, being entitled to the floor, addressed the House at considerable length. He reviewed the whole evidence iii the case, and ably and olaboratey argued in defense of the claims of the contestant to the seatof the sitting member.
 Mir. Gardcuhire of Tennessee, replied to Mir Smith, and, with considerable ingenuity, and some ability summed up the testimony before tho com mitteo He advocated earnestly the right of the sitting member.
 Mr. Johnson, the contestant, followed Mir. Gar denhirc, and asked that the argument fhis coun- sci might, with the other papers ill the case, be placed upon the calendar. He addressed the House in favor of his claims, basing them upon the cor rccted returns from the county of Arkansas rather than upon any technicality of the law.
 Mir. Garland replied to the remarks of Mr. John son. His speech i'll dcienso0f his claim to the seat was able and ingenious.
 The question was then submitted to the House for it's decision.
 Mr. Crockett, of Kentucky, from the committee on elections, and one of the minority of that com uiittec, submitted two resolutions: lst. That the Hon. A. H. Garland is not entitled to the seat on this floor as the representative of the tlfsd Con gress0nal district of Arkansas; and, 2I. That the Hon. Jilson F. Johnson is entitled to the seat as representative of the third Congressional district of Arkansas.
 To these resolutions
 Mir. kcenan, of Georgia, offered as a substitute That the Hon. 4. II. Garland the sitting member, is entitled to the seat upon the floor of this House, now contested by the Hon. J. r. Johnson
 A motion made to postpone the further con sderaton of the question until l2 o'clock to lnor- row, but the motion was not agreed to-.
 Mir. Gardenhre moved to lay the resolutions of Mr, Crockett and the substitute of Mir Kcnnan upon the table. Upon this motion
 Mr. Crockett of Kentucky, called the ayes and noes; and the call being sustained, the vote was taken and resulted-ayes 45, noes 42.
 The question then recurred upon the majority port of the committee, for which Q substitute was offered, by Mir. Lyons, which substitute was reject cd by a vote of 3l against f.
 The question again came up on the adoption of the committees report submitted by Mir. Smith, of North Carolina, and it was agreed to by an aye and no vote, as follows: ayes 49. noes 3G. This report provides that the contestant and sitting member shall have additional time to produce fur ther evidence in the case.
 On motion, the House adjourned.