Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-12-23

the Ifh Section OF the ACT Of Congress IA sasn 70
procuring ard aiding dese oi, had been EMO ced 3c
reported bin to p nish tie procurisg aiding # de-
sertjon the army, conceal or rbor desert-
ers or to purchase article Of clio ng coup ebt
from colder, under p.nalty Of fine of $1,000. or
imprisonment not exceeding two years. Postponed AID
| plsced on the calendar.
Mr.. HEISKELL, from the judiciary Committee, to
whom was referred bill to prohbis dealf the pa.
per currency of the enemy, reported bse Dill as
substitute, aud asked that it be laid or the.Jle.
Mr.. FOOTE oppo ed the mo ion TO lay the table,
as il was matter of pressing importance Th' evil Of
dealing 10 such currency was ncreas pg, and doing mo
| miscbief than any thing he knew of.
The bill was read third time.
| Mr.. OHTLT0N, Of Ala moved to amend 90 that the
purchase Of o. s. postage stamps should net be viola
| tien of the Act
Mr.. Chiffon said the bill did not accomplish VIA.
Il was intended and he should oppose it as at present
| framed.
Mr.. READ, Of KY, moved to amend so as to except
that portion OF the Confederacy within the enemys
Ines Lost
| DAVIDSON, of n. c.. moved to amend so as to
prevent aTy other person fren dealeg in the enemys
currency, in addition TO those named in the bill.
Mr. CLAPP, OF Miss, explained the eff.ct of dealing
10 this currency in bis district which contiguous 10
Memphis. He believed trading With the enemy in that
section bad been disastrous to al their arms
Spectators uEd,r prstexs OF buying Recessire had
| bought merchandise and had they complied with all
their professions, every man, woman aud child would
have Deen provided With pair Of shoes and salt would
have been knee deep in the oullry. TIE trade bad
created artificial wants and produ sd disa col our
clue among the people, and he wanted the bill to be
stringent in its provisions, and punish any who
dared 10 violate it He wanted every TO suffer who
was eng & ID in this nefsrious traffic
Mr.. F00fE sad a, brokers ia this city we're actu-
ally dealing in the enemys paper curret cy under the
eyes Of cicals. During tie Ia ses ion be had visited
/ these deni of he u" accompanied by another member
Of the House. and saw gfeehbacks osentstiousy e.
| posed for sale. He tad determined TO come up and
prohibit l., If poss BILE It dsarning US AID dam
aying The Yankee prefs had urged as con
elusive ev derce OF the certain failure CT cause that
we were extensively dealing in their currency 10 Tho
/ depreciation OF oED. Our currency had been de-
| precatng every day the traffic vas going on Delay
ion would disgrace Congress in the eyes ct Their
con; ii u,ncy and tee civil ID world Ia one sense of
the Constitution this traffic was reasonable ofence
The bill should be adopted that tbs country might know
we ware dets mioed to stop it, When the countryman
from remote districts visits the city be would say when
he returned that the enemys currency valued
highly than own ard its eff CT would be demoraiz
/ ing in the extreme. We submit no domination of
the United States and should allow their money 10
circulate hero currency. We want these opera in
Richmond and elsewhere TO that eglrd them
miisfscors
Mr. LYONS, of Va, said he concurred in the objec.
designed be attained He had sl,eady said that the
circulation Of "greenbacks' should bs stoppd But il
I'D not com nit him 10 vots bindy on any bill that
ght be presented 1t did not foljw that because the
traffic ought to be stopped that Congress could prohibit
il. Persons engaged in it we're traitors because they
giving aid and comfort to the enemy, bat the diff.
Guilty whether Congress could 90 farther than de-
nounce it, when the States had doae nothing to pre-
vnt it. He thought there might b. serious Constltu
tions question in the way. He therefore desired that
the bill be printed tia. the House mgn see what is
IL called to vote at once, he would the safe
side and vote against the bill.
The bill was ordered TO be printed.
Mr. CURRY, by consent, offered An amendment, which
was also ordered to be printed.
Mr. MAOHIN Of Ky offered substitute for tie bill,
which ordered to be printed
Nc HEiSKELL, from the judiciary Committee, re.
ported Dill TO prevent trading With the enemy
The mora.ng hour having expired Mr.. RUSSELL, Of
Va mov,d to take up the substitute bill, aud 10 al
los the Military Committee 70 report.
Mr. HILTON from the Committee on Military ARiirs,
reported back certain b resolutions, &C., and moved
that they be laid the table, and reported a bill 70
| amend he Law in relation to tubstutes.
Mr.. MOORE, of Ky, Offered a bill as substtut, for
the bill repor ed by The com Dittee
Mr.. HILTON said The comm tteO had looked into the
evil 10 be remedied and ende4yored to adjuss the
Of the remedy TO the measure Of the evil The evil
did not originate with the substitute clause. The COT
sideraon that addressed itself Congress in adopting
that was whether nan und.r or over the conscript
age who had family and general responsible tiles
jcey and piy'cally competent to per- orm m iay
DUTY, r.snot pNpr man TO exchange for who
would perhaps net make Ss good a soldier The law
had bee1 abused, but the War Department in the D,
resIo lsibe. The privilege Injured practical to he
Advantage of the rich and 10 remedy this evil Congress
had repealed the law allowing subatituieL
Urge majority of substitutes have proved deserters
To remedy this, the first section OF the bill revived the
CATION OF the pd cpa when the substitute had de-
serted Through careltssn OF coIrUp ION substitutes
had been received phys ealy mentally ncs lcitaed
for military duty. Tue ompit ee had provided for this
frau on tie Government by reV'iDg the obligation Of
the principal in this case The CO mn co had perceived
evil Tor which they had not provided remedy in the
bill.
The committee bad labored diligently 10 procure the
ns.noer OF substi ues in tae army bu. in vain Toe
superintendent of the Conscr,ption Bureau on y
abe to show that ia Virginia the number OF principals
who had furnished substitutes we're $500 in North
Carolina, 2040; in South Carolina, TOT in Georgia,
Z 900. making, in tie aggregate IL $50. The Supern
teudent vas not peprsd 10 say 'he nun b was not
much la ger II this fair basis Of culation, the
VII ,ls number III the army Was about $4,000 The COM
tie, were surprised that tie number Of substitutes
who ad deserted, and the number now in the rice,
unattanahle.
Nc RUSSELL, Of Va, mo ed as q Substitute for Il
first section bill another prov. ding that in
where person 81 al eIhibi. evidence showing that
substitute had not deserted had died bscome di,
abld in the mlitlry tervice he should be exempted
from tu:b service for one year from the im such sub
stitute put in
Mr. RUSSELL opposed tie bill a. reported by the
Committee and advocated bis substitute at considerable
ng.h Ii beloved there ware not lesJ thaa from co.
900 so 900 exempted by ofhaving substitutes
in the army aud that one-fourIh of them Last held
fictitious papers. Had the government avsied itself Of
its proper litary strength might have had an
honorable peace Should it do 80 Bov he :ubted
thIt Another campaign would secure that peace.
Eli thought his substitute oe ed smpe compensation
IL remaining exempt for year from the time the sub
stitute entered the army.
Mr. CLARK of Ga moyed TO amend so as to pro-
vide that the obligation Of the princp shall no! revive
10 use of the desertion Of the substitute
Mr. CLARK opposed the bill He believed the good
faith Of the Gov rnment ncessay to s existence.
Justice demanded that armies should be recruited
fret from the large class OF able dedeIempts. There
| md, linn nd