Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-05-26
CONFEDERATE CONGRESS,
sEo0KD 00NaRESs-E1Rs1 SESSION
SENATE

o..
SECOND 0oEGRESS-FZRs7 SESSION
SENATE
WEDNESDAY,, Nay IS, 1854.
Prayer by Rev. Dr.. MinnegsrOde, Of the Episcopal
Church
Mr. WALKER, Of Ala, introduced q bill to explain
and amend the law relating to impressmenis Referred
to the joint Committee on Impre ssmeGts.
Mr.. JAAISON ofAll, introduced bill TO create the
Department Of Foreign and Internal Supplies, etc.,
which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.
REpoETERs OF TIE PRESS ASSOCIATION.
Mr. HILL, of Ga said he had entered motion yeser-
terday to reconsider the vote by which the bill was
passed authorizing the (two army agents o. the Press
Association 10 purchase rations and forage. HIS reason
for submitting that motion was the fact that he had re-
ceiVed one two memorials requesting him TO ask
similar privilege for missionaries With the army, who
d'd much good in distributing Bibles etc. and also me-
MORALS from correspondents Of certain peWFpapera wto
believed that heie services with the army we're I'M
porlant to the friends of the soldiers He bad declined
to presentthese memorials because in his opinion, Con-
gsess had 10 right to grant the privilege asked for that
it could not dispose Of provisions secured by impresi
\ nent or otherwise, except to the army When the
Military Committee reported fav1rably on the pending
bill, be that be had done injustice to the persons
who had applied to him for similar favors. II We have
the power grant the privilege these persons should
enjoy the same rghtt The QUESTION of policy amounted
to very little. The principle involved constrained him
to submit the motion to reconsider and he would leave
| the question with the Senate.
| NrfBARNWELL said If the motion TO reconsider was
withdrawn he would renew II. He did not believe that
Congress bad the power TO pass a bill Of this kind.
| Mr. SPARROW read frorn the statutes to show that
Congress- had taken similar action heretofore Ia auho-
rizng the suhorite. of any Safe perfecting records
concerning troops to draw ratons, &C. The act grant
ing this authority was amended at the present session,
/ without Obi sction from any Senator
Mr. HILL thought that the act referred 70 by the
Senator Louisiana Tot in point as the persons
authorized obtain subsistence were practically oincers
| of the Government.
Mr. GRAHAM expressed his concurrence in the views
4 of the SENATOR from Georsia.
The motion to reconsider was then agreed to-ayes
10, noes division vOte) -Messrs Sparrow, Semmes,
/ Or, Mitchell aud Burnett voting in the negative.
The question REQUIRED upon the passage Of the Dill,
and was decided in the negatiye-ayes and noes not
counted.
GIN. BRAxTox BRAGG.
The bill to reguate the pay OF the General assigned
duty at ire Seat Of Government was taken up for
consideration.
Mr. ORR of s. G., opposed the passage of the bill at
some length, the ground that the Office super
Auous and secondly, that the officer assigned General
Bragg) Incompetent for the position. He presented
criticism of Gen. Braggs military career during the
present war, and remarked, in addition, that he never
imagined that he (Gen was h for any other pos ton
than that OF commandant OF camp OF instruction, the
rules and regulations Of which would prevent him from
| tyrannxing over bis subordnates etc.
| Mr. SPARROW said that the bill had been introduced
in accordance with the recommends OF the Secretary
of War and vas aim oily intended to provide adeq 1ate
pay tbs General assigned to duy here, by the Pfes
d.n whether that Cioer was Ga Bssgg or Gen. Lee.
Ii was very easy to critcise and to point out what
might have been done, but it required far different
cast OF mind TO devise and carry out military move
ments than did, after these movements had bsen mad
to criticise them Mr. proceeded to yindicate Gen.
Bragg and closed with the remark that the legislation
If The Senate should not be influenced By personal feel
ing The only question is whether the pending bill is
| right aud proper.
M ORR read from the late report of the Secretary
of War to show that he had only referred to General
Bragg az the veteran General" There other
complimentary illusion 70 him. Mr. o. did not profess
to be a mill airy He did not know General Bsagg
and had only him for tie FIRST time about week
ago. but from observation and testimony, had c0acu
dtd that be had neither she head the heart 10 lead
our armies to victory aud be had n:imated as much
| two yesrs ago
| Mr. HENRY, Of Tenn. said that ss the enemy we're
now bringing their whole force sgains; us and making
their destl struggle, should cal toour military coun
| sells all the wisdom that render available. He
referred to General Bragg as Of "Vaor and wis.
dom and proceeded TO vindcse sg9ne,eahip Ia the
Kentucky and Tennessee campaigns remaining at the
lose that when General Johnston took command Of the
Army Of Tennessee he approved OF everything that
| Gen. Bragg had DONE
Mr. ORB inquired If Gen. Bragg had not quAIrelled
| with all Of his general officers.
Mr. HENRY replied that the quarrel Was unavoidable,
If the conduct Of the officers we're CORRECTLY reported
| Me- HILL (sottO VOee) And it report be true be
| ought TO have shot some Of them.
Mr. HENRY cad those officers had lost the fruits Of
the victory at 0hickamauga by dsobeying orders The
Senator from ruth Carolina (Mr. ORR) says he bad
predicted The failure of General Bragg as military
ohieAin but he (ur' Il would say that General BaPg
| had done all that mortal could have done under
i similar circumstances.
| Mr. SEMBES next took the q jor and submitted
view and vindcation of Gen. Bragg's military CAM
paigns and remarked that he had only lost fortune
but had pered his life in many battle fields in defencs
of the Of Southern Independence Referring to
recent events he showed that Gen. Bragg had exhibited
provision by ordering troops from Charleston to Vr-
/ gnia, etc,
On motion of Mr. BURNETT, the further consdera
/ don of the bill was postponed until tomorrow.
On motion Of Mr. D0RToH, the Senate resolved into
secret legislative session. aud when the doors
| opened the Senate adjourned.
HOUSElOF REPRESENTATIVES.