Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-12-31


Prayer by Rev ]. L. Burrows, of tie Baptist Church.
'On motion OF Mr.. SEANES, of La, leNe Of absence
was gsnied to his colleague Nj. SPARRoE who was de
tanned from his seat by indisposltion. Mr. SPARROW
subsequently tppeared in his seat
Mr. HILL, oil Ga, presented the res olu ions OF the
Georgia Legislature rels i've IT, the right Of the soldiers
from that Safe to elect their chc.rs Referred 10 the
Committee Of Military Affairs
M. PHELAN OF Miss, presented the resou ions OF
the Mississippi Legislature relative to substitutes etc
The resolutions were appropriately referred.
Mr.. PHELAN also introduced bill 10 proyise Tor
the auditing and payment of certain claims Of the State
OF Mississippi Referred to the judiciary Committee.
TIE IMPREssMEET QUESTION.
Mr.. HILL, from the Committee OF the Judiciary re-
ported bask the House bill amending the act relative to
mpres ments, with amendment The bill aud amend
mens we're ordered TO be printed and placed upon the
calender.
On motion of Mr. HILL the said Committee we're dis.
charged non the fur her consde alton ofeA bill and
resolution referred 10 them, relative to impressmens
Mr.. HILL also reported back, without amendment.
the House bill to provide for filing vacancies in Cor
gross, in certain Indian nations which was forthwith
read and passed.
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY.
The Senate bill to repeal the act regulating the de.
structon OF property under military necessity etc. was
t4ken up and passed-yeas II, nays7.
rHE srBsIITUrE QUESTION.
The Senate resumed the consideration CT the House
bill TO put an end to the exemption from military ser
Vice of those who have heretofore furnished substitutes
The pending question was the amendment submitted
by hr. hAxWELL, excluding from the op ration of the
act ANY person actually employed in the cultiya.
tNn OF farm plantation unless his substitute has
deseted or Is between eighteen aud forty years oi
age" etc.
Mr. CLARK Of No., hoped that the bill would not be
encountered With this amendment /. could be ncorpo.
rated in he Exemption bill
Mr. HILL, of Ga, advocated its adoption. He con-
tended that the productive interests of the couutrg
were endangered by the course OF legislation in log
up The army Tine preva ling c9-thecause of the IN IN.
ness OF our armies-is dbSeHteSn. He had himself
seen officers Of the army, from Major General down
travelling through Georgia fine horses, instead of be
log at their poss Another cause of the weakness Of
our army was the establishment Of military posts all
over the country, with provost maTshalJ AID guards
Mr.. CLARK said be had no hostility against gentle
men who had employed subsiuteJ We passed the
law authorizing them 10 do so, and we should net i'm
pugn their mo ives, unless show that they lack
patriotism. Mr.. u explained some Of the causes OF
a:senteesm and dCserti0n, Ct Which-a prominent
oae-Was the discomfort produced by the privilege of
substitution. Ia this war there should be no privileged
clfsi Every should put his shoulder to the wee
and 90 his part should be put upon the same foot
ing. There was no more hardship or violation of con-
rsc IN requiring the principals Of substitutes to take
their places in the army than in requiring soldiers in
bhOf-tAA Vi tnelr enlistment.
when the exigeucies of the service require it, Mr. o.
hai thoYghttna it was heobect OF Congress to pus
the countft on perfect war foOtingto req lire MIL
tary service from every cipable CT bearing arms
and tlsa lake such dscrminaloEa in favor OF 4gri-
cultural and other pursuits es may be deemed adssa-
ble
Mr.. OAPERT0N, of Va, said he was not OPPOSE TO
the proposition submitted by the Senator from Florida
mr. bAxwELL bu. it seemed TO him icapprc prate-;
We viii have tose! upon the subject Of granting ex'
eup ions on. military service this session. and WIT
that subject cones up fof c0nsd ration the time for con-
sidering the amendmens will have arrived Mr.. G.
sad he was satisfied that the opinions lie had ex-
pressed, last session, relawi SUI stues we're wrong
and uutenable. The exemption Of those who hai fur
she'd substitutes not contract blu. privilege or
favor. The Government can make no contract which
deprves itself of the great and paramount duty of pro.
teOting the citizens
Mr. g. argued that the Senators from s. c. Ch. Oar J
and Georgia (Ar. HLL) had committed themselves in
favor OF the pending Di by Sgr eng that the principals
Of substitutes who had deserted should be required 60
to the army. TLis was much the incorporation of
new Stipulation 10 The contract in any Other Case
Mr. U. contepded there limitation the liability
of cit zen to render military service. The exgencies
now required Congress to demand service from all and
he therefore supported this measure Is pa age would
DO more TO insprt the army than all the New Years
presents that may be TO the soldiers by their Friends
Mr.. ORR, of s. O., moved that the Senate resolve
Mr. PHELAN, of Miss, commented upon the amend
meat submitted by Mr. sAxwTLL to show that il YOU d.
il adopted de eat the obec Of the bill he also point
ed out certain notifications OF the amendment which
would be necessary 20 prevent fraudulent evasons Of
the law. Our laws encountered with too many
"unlesses" and "Rhereasesn which render them unin.
tslligble TO mgory Of the officers entrusted with
their execution. The pending proposition involved
such field of iIelry by the enrolling officers that it
would be impossible to execute the law within six
months. They would be Iequired only to R7oerain
1hether the persons to DO exempted are act1sy en-
ployed Ia the cultivation management of farms, etc,
but whether they we're capable" of doing So Mr.. p
hoped the Ssnae would pass the House bill without pro-
viso or amendment.
Mr.. MAXWELL said that when he drew up this
amendment he did not deem il possible that il would
elicit such criticism the Senate had jus: heard 1t
seemed 10 him that was criticism Of his effort to pre-
ven. an evasion of the Law whilst exewpang useful
clas from the repe,ng act The evidence which til
amendment called for could be easily obtained from the
muster rolls OF the army.
Mr. WIGFALL, Of Texas, said the bill ought to pas
WiGhou. any amendment. II ia nov matter OF ab;o-
Lutte necessity that every soldier in the army should
main there, without any change Of organization If
there are incompetent off in the service they must
be got rid Of bu there must be elections. It Is
q1i;e ,mmon to compare condition with
that which existed in 76, but there was oompsr-
500 between the coz ion in which subjugadon WOO
place us and that in which ancestors would b. We
been placed had their efforts failed. Has any man
considered Whs. subugaton mearsf II means abso ute
poverty and slavery, with proves! marshals and gIo
guards AL over the country. Who is prepared for
ina.
Touching the pending amendment, Mr.. w. asserted