Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-02-19
PERSONAL EXPLANATION.

On Monday, Mr.. CuRIsxAS. of n.y., made
the following personal explanation, which
was unnvoidahly left out Of our yesterdays re-
port
1T will he remembered that at the last
session ofssthis BODY, eShils. resolutions Of
thanks were pending to Gen. Bragg and the
officers and men Of his command, for ga!!an-
try displayed in the battle Of Mur!reesGoro',
that | made some remarks complimentary OF
Gen. Bragg, and endorsing his c9lnpaigne III
Kentucky and Tennessee. These remarks
were construed by some into opposition to
Major Gen. Breckenridge. Now, ie will be
remembered, whilst these resolutions were
rending, no report Of suid battle ~ General
Bragg had been made publi3, no. mad any
knowledge or information that any misunder-
standing existed between them, or that he, in
any way, reelected upon him For General
Breckenridge | have, for many years, enter
tanned the Highest respect, which has been np.
pTeciated rather than diminished by hiS GAL
lent bearing in this war. In relation to Gen.
Bragg, | must DO permitted to say that my
confidence in hia ability rs a military man is
uudiminiEhed, and that | believe him TO be
ono of the most patriotic and intelligent oil
our Confederate Generals, whom history will
10 Justice, though it DO denied him by some
now.
Tuesday, Feb. 1G-NTgM Session.
EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATIONS.
The SPEAKER laid before the House n mes
sage from tho President, transmitting = COM
munication from the Secretary Of War rcla.
tive to the hospitals in and near the cry nt
Richmond, and to the surgeons and assistant
surgeons attached thereto. Laid on the table
and ordered to be printed.
Also. a COMMUNICATION from the President,
transmitting rne from the Secretary OF War
10 response 10 a rnfolut;nu q the llTisc Gsk-
ZOE Cos information concerning m" %ottiscrs of
the Cummissary Department who have failed
to render their acc and stating rho cause
Of his inability, Ut present, to furnish the de-
sired information concerning such officers Of
the Q~uartermaster's Department.
GENERAL AMI LIEUT.. GENERALS.
The House took up for consideration = Sc
nate bill relating to the appointment of aHcn-
eral and Lieut.. Generals.
The bill was passed.
/: provides that the President may appoint,
bv and with the advice and coliscnt OF the
Senate, the one General and slch Lieutenant
Generals rs lie may deem essential To the ser
vice.
On motion Of SIR. AT1THs, ct Tenn tha
Il ,usc took up and amCnGci sbe hiis!C!ativc
to the i~ncseast Of pay Of ''rCate Agent" Of
the Post Office Department.
The amendmcn: strikes cat the words
"rou;c agents and refers only 10 special
agcns.
RESOLUTIONS OF THAMES
The House pasacd q Joint resolution Of
thanks to Gen. T.. Kirby Smith, for the battle
of Richmond, Ky, urd to his Licri"nants
specially commended by him. and to Nil the
officers and soldiers under his command at
that battle.
Also, q Joint resolution OF thanks to the
39ih Mississippi Regimen: for noble scnti-
ments proclaimed at ameeting OF the command,
and for re-enlisting for the war.
ruELIc ADVERTISING.
Tho House took up o bill Of tho House fix,
ing the compensation for tho publication Of
the acts of Congress, which had been amended
by the Senate.
The amendment of the Senate, which au-
shorizes the Attorney General to allow such
the publication heretofore done, Was eon:rrred
in.
VOLUNTEER NAVY.
The House took up and passed o Senate bill
concerning the Volunteer Navy, which autho-
rizes the Secretary Of the Navy to commits
sion vessels within Or without the waters Of
the Confederac7.
PsLOTEcHNIcS.
A Senate bill relative to polotechnics for the
examination, experiment and application o!
Inventions, which was referred 10 the
Committee.
DRUNKENNESS IN TIE AMY.
A Senate bill to punish drunkenness in the
army, WAS laid before tho House and referred
to the Military Committee.
RETIRING OFFICERS OF TIE ARMY.
The House took up a Senate bill, reported
from tho Military Committee by Mr.. MILES,
to provide for retiring officers OF the'arn'y:
The bill was SO amended es to add the
words, and who cannot be assigned to any
appropriate duty"
Another amendment provides that any eff.
,er who may DO discharged for ipeffcIency, !
ncompetency or absence from command with
,ut leave, shall be entitled to trial before an
examining board.
But this amendment shall not be 30 con-
,trued as. to apply TO officers who have been
disabled by wounds or disease contracted in
he line of duty; but the President may retire
'uch upon full pay during the war, or may
them to such post or other duty as they
nay be able to perform.
Mr. ATKINS, of Tenn, moved to amend the
ill by adding the following proviso:
Provided, That it shall not extend to any
tasar who is absent on. account of his cap.