, 1862-08-26
MEETING OF THE REBEL CONGRESS.
First Days Proceedings.

RICHMOND, VA, Aug Is, 1862.
After JEFF Davis message had been read
and quorum declared to be present for busi-
ness, the following proceedings were had III
the 1ebel House:
Mr. Gartrel offered resolution instruct{ns
tie committee on Military Af1airs to inquire
into the eSlediency Of compelling the COM
missary department to furnish our soldiers
with more and better food. {5ome mauites~
tations Of applause in the gsllery.) Agreed
Mr. Wright Of Georgia offered a memorial
Of confederate war tax collector Of that
sts1e, asking for additional compensation.
" moYed to refer It to the Committee Of Wars
and Means. saying that he hoped The commit
tee wcu1d decide the question for all similar
cases. Motion agreed to.
Kentucky, Louisiana. Mississippi, Missouri
and North Carolina made no response.
Mr. Miles Of South Carolina offered a bill to
pl.cation OF the law to all citizens under forty
five years Of age.)
Also bill to punish slaves taken in arms
and the white men assuming to be their OH
GERS. 1T provides that the slaves SO taken
shall be delivered up to the authorities Of the
State in which captured, to be disposed Of by
its laws; end the white officers either to he
hung or also delivered up to the State authr-
ities.}
Both bills referred to the Committee on MIL
1{AfS AHa1f6.
Afr. Foote of Tenn Offered / i'll tor retalia~
tory purposes. Referred to Committee On Mil
itafy Affairs. lit recItes that the enemy re-
1use to treat our partisan soldiers as prisoners,
and have also punished innocent private citi-
zens tor their acts. It provides that an officer
who msy have ordered such atrocities, to be
put to death if captured. An equal number
Of prisoners (oficers to be pIeierred) taken
from the enemy to suffer the fate inflicted on
our captured soldiers or cltizens.)
"Also . bill fer the treatment Of capt1Fes.
| It provides that any officer or private cap
| tured by our army who shall have committed
! any o1ense pronounced felonious BY The laws
o. the confsderacy OF any State, sha1l be de-
| nyered up for trial
Also bill to punish negroes in arms. TT
! provides that federal armies anonymously
| composed of white and black, shall nOJ be
held entitled to the privileges Of var, or to be
| taken prisoners. OF such US may be captured,
| the 1egroes shall be returned to their masters
| Or publicly sdld, ard tleir commanders to be
1urg or shot. as may be most conveniently
MIR. Cu1ry reIo1t ted that the committed, Of
which lie was chairman, had waited on the
president, who said THAT he would communi-
ci7e message to the House Immediately.
Mr. Foote, resuming, also offered a bill to
retalia:e for the seizure of citizens Cy The enc
| my. 1T provides that Of the prisoners Eeid
BY us, number equal to that OF the citiz:ns
seized shall be held as hostages for their safe
ty aud subjected to like treatment; any Gill
GERS, civil or military, concerned in their seiz.
rrc, shall be imprisoned during the war.
AL The bills Of Mr. Foore were GU this mo-
tion, referred to the MILITARY Co,nuii:.re.
Mr.. Foote also presented TN argumentative
preamble and resolution iu favor OF open 6es-
sions ot Congress, and providing that hence
! fourth motion to 60 into secret session shall
require majority vote, by yeas and na}s.
Mr. Foore enforced lis resolution at come
l:rath On his motion it was then Laid over.
! # tha aidGnt \:
lere announced, and delivered 8 message
from the president, which Was read Accom-
| TaDyiDg the message were reports from The
6ccre a1its IF Rar and the navy; also from
the postmaster gen.Eal also the correspond
| 2nce between Generals LIE and Halleck rcta
tive to the cnt my's barba1ities The cores
IoDdencc ard the report Of the secretary O.
war were read. A thousand copies Ut tht
message and documents, except the report O.
The secretary OF the navy, were ordered 10 bt
:uggt stion that there might be matters IN ths
| report lot proper to be made public.
The speaker presented 4 report from tht
| secretary Of state, containing list of the en
r!oyes Of the department, their salaries, ma
; 1iyi1ies. etc Ordered to be printed:
Mr. Fcote, again rcsuming, offered bill tc
provide for raising IN additional force Of $50,
ZOO men. On his own motion it was laid o.
the table
Also, bill providing an export duty Q
| twenty per ctnt. on COTTON aEQ lQGaccO, u
aid in indemnifJiHg the losses Of citizens B.
The enelny.
Texas was next called, but made no re
eronEe.
Mr. Lyons. Of Virginia, presented memo
) rial Of certain soldiers In reference to the cor
tcrjption law. Referred to the Committee o
j. Mi1tary A1salsa.
Mr. Russell, Of Va, offered resolution il
: st1nc1iIg tic COMMITTEE on Military AhA'
| to INQUIRE whether the cartel for the exchang
e Of prisoners had not bnea violated b. the el
. T e,nv in falling to restore certain prisoners, an
!, | administering to tlem IN OATH Of .11egitrs
: to their government, and retaining the
i within their lines, and, also, what legiElatlo
!. il thereby rendered Necessary.
Also, 8 bill to reprass the atrocities Of tt
s enemy Referred without reading.
# Mr. Chamless, Of Va, offered q reEo1utit
ips11uc1ing The Comnlittee on Military Aifai
q to inquire into the eSpediency Of regulate
% the imp1essment Of elayes By the militia
autheriiestand report. Agreed to.
- The Territory OF Arizona was called, but
j. | response made.
,t On motion Of Mr.. Wright Of Ga, t
~ House adjourned to meet next day at
| b't]prE