Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-02-01
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

into secret session.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
TIE House met at IL o'clock A. II. Prayer by Rev.
Dr. Ryland.
The unfinished business in order being the bill re-
ported from the Committee Military Afiirs to amend
The act repeating the act allowing exemption by suosl
tuition, was taken up:
Mr.. RAILS Of Ala, moved to amend by inserting
in the third line, after 1853 The words ana VINO ~e
now engsg d. r.
Mr.. BALDWIN, Of Va, moved as a substitute for
the amendment Of NJ RAILS the insertion OF the words
On the 9th day Of January, 1864" in lieu OF the
Mr.. BRIDGERS. of N. C., called The previous qucs-
ton which was uos sustained The substitute OF mr..
BALDWIN was then adopted. Yeas 30, noes 27 me
quesou bpg then its adoption as part oil the Dill
no quorum voted "
Mr. GARNET, OF Va, suggested another aivslon'
Mr. JONES What is the useY TheJ Kont vote.
The amendment was then adopted the yeas and
uays being called: Yeas IS; Nays 81.
Mr. DUPRE OF Ls. moved to amend by inserting
"by their own manual labor, or who are exempted un-
der the act entitled act to repeal certain clauses oil
an act entitled act 10 exempt certain peTsors from
military service approved April LIST 1861 in the first
clause 10 place OF either by their own manual labor,
| or in superntsnding the 1lbor Of Others"
| Mr. SMITH OF N. O., opposed this amendment a.
considerable length, as It struck at the very VtAs Of
the bill which he had offered. Mr. SMITH then proceed
ed 10 demonstrate the importance Of the bill TO the
army as well as to the country az large, and expressed
the belief that the susrngs of their dependent families
at home YES the OF most of the assertions from
the army He thought the amendment would eVise aIa!e
| the bill entirely.
in sWeepng denuncations of principals who had fur
nished substituies He would not give TO any class
asy advantage any other did not possess Why not
select the featuring class who had also put in sub
stiuesY They were not less indispensable 70 the army
He was farmer himself but he would use them as he
would soldier for the benefit they could be to The gen
ersl interests of the country in their sphere SO with
regard to ieachers Doc ors, or Editors? Why would
we exempt Editorsf Because they we're necessary to
arou the dormant energies and encourages the flggiog
snrs of the people and in their sphere they are 10
ess useful than the soldier. But il they gave
certain fire. as had done in certain WeliknoWn
ouarers he would treat them as he would an unres-
| bic gun-cisu anle the piece.
Mr. CHANBLISS then proceeded to urge the neces-
sy of speedy increase OF the army; that It was FOLLY
| 10 talk of exempting TO make provisions which
could be made available before December next when
those men would be needed to meet the onset OF the
Yankees A. the opening Of Spring.
| Mr. DUPRE OF La said the gentleman from North
Carolina had correctly stated the object aud effect of bis
amendment he designed to render the proposed bill
| of no effect II had become practice too common
with Congress to egsate day and on the next to
pass laws undoing wat had been done on the day pre-
yous Our army had for three years breasted thstorn
of battle and now they are to be called upon with their
thin ranks 10 hurl back the superior numbers OF the
enemy 1t was unfair and MUST TO these gallant SOL
des while exclusive privileges are extended TO those
wrb Lad never experienced tie haTdships OF the field
Much had been sid about the danger oil starvation.
He believed that this cry was often raed 10 encourage
our enemies We had heard it for three years and we're
not starved out yet He had come from Western Louis
apa-a long distance-and provisions were scattered
from the Mississippi TO Redmond The scarcity of inod
could be ascribed The management Of transportation
in a great measure. Relofm IL needed in ttat quarter.
LET he railroads be put under military control and
atom nut TO transportation for stecuatos and
sary travelling and provisions Eoud be abundant every
where. ,
occupy the TINE in voting on practical measufSs q an
/ speech making
| Mr. DUPRE-I thank the gentleman very much.
Mr. HILi ON said the remark was Intended to apply TO
| himself and if the gentleman had heard him through,
| he would not have taken his remark unkindly. The
object Of the bill under consideration Vas not to favor
or confer exclusive privileges on any particular class.
l. was designed to De nefca - the army, who must
be fed Ii the bill passed. It's object merely to
empt farmers fos the benefit they could render TO the
country. No individual cas- is exempted for their
Mr. GOODE, of Va, thought the reas,ns urged in
arnport of the bi were dictated by sound p0ijy aud
Wise Craftsmanship. An army in the field required an
army Of producers Of home. Four hundred thousand
| men cannot march and fight without bread and mes,
and hey cau's be fed by breaking up the fans. he
su ported the bill war measure. His cole que had
said he would use the Editor as hs would gun and j
Il didn't fire well aud the point he would die mouat the
niece He thought free press the very palladium
of s,cal civil and political rights He you'd give them
chart az imtabie the wind, and let them blow on
whom they pleased; but with all the respect and appre-
citation he entertained for that profession he believed
| h. 10 tw0 af Orao IN
ow where enc grew before wa at this jucctur, more
indispensable to the country. He Lad received let era
stating that hundreds of farms would be b oxen up
less there was some d6caton OF the law putting into
the army producers of food who had furnished subst-
| tutes All the lroing Officers Of the State
Gently convened in Richmond, aud in reply to the in
curry had STATED that the sgriculturists of Virginia
could not stand another draft with tut destroying the
productive power of the Safe. Some members thought
that interest could be protected by means OF details
He Rad no drust of the Executive but Congress had
no right TO abdcate its powers and responsibility ex-
emptons were necessary, it was the duty of Congress
| to make them
| Don Quixote Ike there a;e some now who made a
man of staw to tilt at as in the days of peace when
politicians drew hairspting distinctions between re-
served and delegated rights. He had been taught at
the feet of Gamaie and believed danger not in
President Davis but in Abraham Lincoln. Ye' it was
the province Of the Legislative power to say VINO shal
be mpt, ard who shall go into the army
Mr. FOSTER, Of Ala was opposed TO class legisa-
ton but thing should be done to protect the agr
cultural interest. Four-fflhs of the in the field
are farmers He didn ask any special avors for that
large class but what few remained at home should be
projected in order that the amy might be fed Editors
mechanics doctors and preachers, had substitutes
because they already exempted. But the specu-
htors and extortioners the men who had mostly
| put them in.
Mr. CHAMBLIsS said he knew many mechanics and
others besides spectators who had put in substitutes
Mr. FOSTER said We had two interests that demanded
protection he fighting interest and the eating interest
Il was tie duty Of Congress to protect the farmers in
order that both might be supported and as class they
had as general tbirg gone to the field.
Mr. H0LC0MB, Of Va, said the question was one ct
imposing magnitude and Importance, on which, prot a
y depended the success OF our cause II was ques
ton Chat demanded earnest examination. He would