Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-04-30
CONFEDERATE CONGRESS.
SENATE.

| Inc senate met az ii O'CLOCK n. M. ITayer DY rev
| Mr. LanghorRe, of the Methodist Church.
\, resolution submitted some days since, b Ny
Sims of KY relative to the treatment Of prisoners of
i war by the enemy was adopted.
i ,aoa. PAY OF DECEASED SOLDIERS.
Mr.WIGFGLL from the Committee of Military Aiai RS
reported back the House bill to continue in force and
amend the Bird section of an act supplementary of an
act concerning the pay and allowances OF deceased SOL
ders.
-lor HORSES DIsADLED OR LOSE
/ Mr.. WIGFALL, from the same comni5ee, reported
back adversely the House bill to provide for the pay
ment of horses disabled or lost in the Confederate
vice. The bill was laid upon the table.
p. BURROUGHS AND DISCHARGES.
l. Mr.. WIGFALL also reported back, adversely, the.
House bill regulate the granting Of loughs and dis
charges to SICK, wounded, or disabled soldiers in hospi
tails.
4 Mr.. OLDHAM advocated the passage Of the bill. He
characterized the refusal to grant furloUghs aud dis
charges TO soldiers in hospitals, in many instances
liahuman. Yong men who. when this broke out,
left their homes and friends to fight for their rights
citizens, have become TO be regarded mere machines
OF food for POWDER to be placed in the front rank to
gain military for aspiring leaders and when die
ablcd by wounds or sickness kept confined in the
hospitals under military regulations athough certificate
after certificate from the surgeons may testify that they
are utterly unfit for military duty
Mr. WIGPALL replied that the passage cfthe bill would
confer upon the surgeons the power OF dsbanding the
army. The regulation of furloughs and discharges he
argued should be left with the Secretary of War; who
It Ras presumed, had much of the mix of human
kindness in his bosom most other men.
| Mr.. PHELAN, of Miss, advocated the measure. The
Issue presented, he sad is shall grant any urloughs
70 patients in hospitals at all He commended that com.
mon sense and humanity demanded that disabled men
should not be KEEP; in the hospitals when the surgeons
| certify that they unable to render military duty.
| Mr.. BURNETT, of KY, said he would vote for the
bill If it went no further than oauJhoze the discharge
of soldiers permanently disabled but proposed to
horize the surgeon Of any hospital to grant luroughs
for sixty days TO every patient theren-a power which
he Mr.. twas unwilling 10 confer UPON the surgeons.
Mr. b. expressed his approval Of the existing regulation
which required the sanction of the command ng officer
before furlough granted. ii-.'
Mr.. SlMMS OF KY. presented Illustrations OF the ef-
feet Of that memorable rule which kept soldiers in hos
pitals until the commanding officers assented to the
granting of furloughs He preferred to the power
in the surgeons who knew the condition of their pa
tents and earnestly urged the policy of the bill
Alter further debate, several amendments were
adopted. .. .
Inc question on the passage of the bill as amended,
was then put and determined in the alirmativeyeas
IL, NAYS S. - 'l,' -,-' o. d., ...s .-.
| DEFICIENCIES IN RArIoXs~ p
Mr.. CLAY, from the Committee of Military Affairs,
reported back House bill, adversely TO allow commu-
ation for deficiencies in rstOns. The bill laid upon
| the table. 90 q ~
PAY OF SOLDIERS.
| Mr.. CLAY, from the same committee reported back
adversely, the House bin 70 the pay Of all nom
commissioned officers and privates in.the army.
Mr.. CLAY read elaborate written report prepared
by him at the instance Of the committee aud present
ing their for the recommendation that the bill
do not pass The chief reasons assigned In this report
for the adverse Recommendation are that the soldiers
do enlistfor pay plumber, but for their families
liberties. and honor that if they rot content with
their pay they could not be made less by the trihng
Increase of 81 per month that the expenditures of the
Government have been largely increased since the
mencement OF the war that the condition Of the coun.
try the state Of finances the great debt already in
cured the depreciation Of our currency etc. ,adnon.
ish Congress against adding to the burthens of
tie people more than is absolutely necessary
to secure their liberies that the BILL il it become
law will add from twenty TO thirty millions of dollars
10 the amount OF government Expenditures that in its
baeiu influence upon the currency will cost u.s. per-
haps more than double that in the depreciation of
Treasury notes. etc. The concluding paragraph
| as follows '-''-'..-
They 1.-THE Committee) cannot forbear adding another
consideration which they would gladly suppress if JUS
ce TO themselves to their country aud to the soldiers
did not require its utter2noe. 1t is that in their opn
ion thiswar will probably last for several years. and
| We cannot fore,ee condition it closes Pressed
on every side by powerful, barbarOus and apacous
foe without friend among the powers Of the earth
and compelled to work out their destiny, through
harder ordeal than ever any people subjected
to, it seems to US the part OF wisdom to "let well,
enough Alone Oar soldiers, must be armed and fed
and clothed to the salvation of cause and
we are hard strained to furnish the indispensable arti
I'ces of arms, food and rament Let not promise
more than CAR perform, Jail to achieve indie
| pendence by destroying our credit.
| Mr.. JOHNSON, Of Ark, advocated the passage of
the BILL and proposed amendment defer the pay
ment Of the increased pay theein provided until the
close OF the war, with provi 20 that quarterly aot
menls Of pay may be made for the benefit of the sol
ders families Mr.. j. adverted to the fact that the
bill had passed the Senate at the last session by vote
| of m at a mi a tod
the act from being submitted to the President for his
| approval He believed that ten millions of dollars
w5uu cover the increased expenditures under the pro-
visions of this BILL If it were passed it would enven
the hearts Of soldiers and show them that they
have the sympathy of Congress.
| Mr.. JOHNSON, of Ca, in accordance with the reso.
lutons adopted by the Legislature of that State moved
to amend the bill in the designating the increase
Of the monthly pay by striking out -four and insert
ing 'nine" Negatived-seas 2, nays Is.
On motion of Mr. CLAY the 2nd section of the bill,
providing that the provisions of the bill shall take effect
| iron the LIST January, 1868, was stricken cut. -
l., Mr. CLAY also moved TO amend the bill by providing
that the increased pay shall not be paid till the close OF
the war and that be paid in six per cent bonds the
whole amount not exceed 40 millions of dollars be
distributed by the Legislatures of the different States in
proportion to the number Of troops furnish by each.
/ Mr. WIGFALL opposed the lssage Of the bill. He
regarded the measure as Graught with injury
our cause than anyother that had been presented He
was opposed to every amendment There should be no
lodging or equvocaOn. The army has never asked
for this increase of pay and did not want it, Patriotism
and not pay actuatedShe soldiers. Mr.. w. tt@ made
statement of the action of the Senate OIL this subject,
at the last session. and proceeded read report which
be had prepared to submit as the expression OF the
committees views, but had withheld, preferriDg that
submitted by Mr.. CLAY, Of Ala
On motion of Mr.. ORR, the further consideration of
/ the bill was postponed until to morrow.
The Sena Disagreed TO the amendments of the House
to the bill provide for the organization oil general
| staff aud thenresolyed into secret session.
/ When the doors were again opened, the House
amendments to- the bill provide for the transfer of
persons serving the army to the navy, was concurred
ia. :'NJ''tNN So 20 vt ., go .. ~