Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-12-01
THE CONFEDERATE CONGRESS.

tnue the act force for twelve months from the periods
designated therein when it shall expire and that at the
end of the said twelve mOnthsthat 10 to say the LIST
day of January 1866 the east of the Mississippi river
and the lst day of May west of the Mississippi river
the said act shall cease and determine The bill was
ferred to the Judiciary Committee.
Mr.. Brown, of Mississippi offered the following
luton, which was agreed to:
Resolved That the Committee Military Afrs be in.
10 inquire Whether military m ~ o.
negroes wagons teams DO for the purpose Of building or
repairing railroads belonging to private oompanlsss and
officers within reasonable and proper limits Ia this regard
Mr.. BARNwELL, from the Finance Committee pre-.
scented bill to extend the time within which holders OF
notes of the issue. The bill extends the time from
the let of January, 1866 to the LIST day Of July 1865
Some discussion ensued after which the bill read the
third time and passed.
Mr. BARNwELL presented petition Of bankers brokers'
planters and Others that the OF registered bonds
Of the fifteen million loan, be authorized by law to
change the for bonds 1t referred TO the
Committee on Finance
Mr. ORR offered the following resolution which was
agreed to-
Resolved That the Committee on Foreign Affairs be
to the awless seizure and capture Confederate
steamer Florida in the Bay of Bahia Brazil and VIII 4 &C
outrage.
WAR RESOLUTIONS.
Mr. HENRY Of East Tennessee, offered the following
joint resolutions defining the position of the Confederate
States and declaring the determination Of the Congress,
and the people thereof, to prosecute the TIL their indie
pendence is acknowledged:
Resolued bp the Congress of the Confederate States Of
america, That the people of the Confederate States
endowed by their Creator with the naenabe rights of
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that to secure
these rights Governments instituted among men, de-
irving their just powers from the consent of the governed
and whenever any Government becomes destructive of
these ends it is the right of the people to alter or abolish
it, and to institute Government, laying its ounda
ton such principles and organizing its powers in such
form, to them sha most likely to effect their safety
and happness that on these principles in the
Declaration of American Independence, the United Colo
Mes in 1776 dissolved the connection that bound them to
the Government Of Great Britain, and them the Con-
federate States have severed the bonds OF that political
union which connected them with the people OF the Gov
of the United States of Amerca rather than sub
NIT to the repeated injuries inflicted upon them BY that
people and to the usurpatons OF that Government ell OF
which had the direct to deprive them OF their rights
them of their property secured to them by consttu
tona guarantee and to establish an absolute tyranny
over theEe States.
Resolved That the Confederate States appealed to
defence of these rights and to establish these principles
only after they had in vain conured the people of the Go
vernment of the United States BY all the ties OF common
kindred TO dscountenance and discontinue these ures
and usurpaons and after they had petoned for redress
in the most appropriate terms and received in only
repetition of insults and INJURIES which foreshadowed
| usurpations still more dangerous to liberty
Rssotced That after nearly four years Of cruel devas
tatDg and unnatural war; in which the people Of the Con
edeate States have unquesonaby established their capa
temps Of the enemy subugate them this Congress does
not hesitate to its sincere desire for and to
end proclaim to the world the readiness of the Govern
men of the Confederate States to open negotiations to
establish permanent and honorable peace between the
Confederate States and the United States the basis Of
the separate independence of the former
Resolrsd That the time has when the Confederate
Congress- n the Of the people Of the Confederate
States, deem proper again proclaim to the world their
unaerabe determination to be free and that they do not
abae lot Of their high resolve TO die freemen rather
than live slaves and further the people OF the United
States by eectng Abraham Lincoln mean to tender to
four years more OF war or reunion with them any
terms deeply deprecang the dire necessity wsntony
thrust upon Them and relying upon the justice of their
and the gaanty Of their oders they accept the
gauge OF battle and leave the result to the righteous abtra
ment Of Heaven.
RESOLVED, That in view Of the determination Of the
enemy to prosecute this horrd still further against
which the Confederate States have at all times protested
aud which the enemy have wsged with Eextraordinary
vgor and which has been marked by acts of extraordinary
atrocity in violation of all the usages of civilized warfare
the Congress of the Confederate States will from this hour
dedicate themselves to the great cause OF self defence
against the combined tyranny OF the enemy that it shall
longer be the momentary occupation Of the Congress
and the people of the Confederate States bat the buse,
Of their lives to gather together the entire strength Of the
country in and material Of war; and put forth,
with the will Of man. and with unconquersble de
termination to defend their affairs and their fresdes till
the last votary OF freedom falls around them.
Mr. Henry did not desire to discuss the resolutions at
th time He merely wished TO have them printed and
placed upon the calendar At the proper time he trusted
that Senators would express their sentiments this ques
ton, and spirit would 60 out to the country that
fully to the mark, and intend 10 achieve indepen
dence die n the good fight
The resolutions ordered TO be printed aud the
Senate then went into Executive session with closed doos
In the House Of Representatives, the day. Mr.
Baldwin, Of Va introduced resolution that the Presi
dent be requested inform the House BY what authority
the War Department is impressing slaves In Virginia
without regard to State laws Adopted.
Mr.. Goode, Of Va, introduced resolution requesting
the President communicate TO the House copies Of all
orders issued by the War Department for the
Of brsndies and other spirituous liquors. Adopted
Mr.. Chiffon, OF Ala, introduced bill TO establish
Supreme Court. Referred
Also what legslaonis necessary 10 expedite the Tev
sion Of the decision Of military courts Referred.
Mr.. Lyon of Ala introduced bill providing for the i'm
pressment of iron equipments rolling stock Sc Of rail
roads. Referred.
Mr. j. T. Leach introduced resolution declaring that
secret sessions incompatible with republican form of
Government and Congre. never ought to into secret
except when absolutely necessary Referred to the
finance COMMITTEE
On motion of Mr. Russell of Va, the House resolved
itself into secret session and having reopeued adjourned
CLOTHING THE REBEL PRISONERS
From the Richmond Whiq Of Nooembsr 81