Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-01-09
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
TIC House met at 10 o'clock A. N.

APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL coxNIrrEEs'
The SPEAKER appointed the following Special Com
mittees under resolutions: To itque INFO Tue
outrsges OF the enemy in Eastern Nortn Olrohna-
Messrs Smith; Of n. O., Holcomb, Of va, smith, OF
Ala III. w, Bruce, Of KY, and Vest, OF No. 10 ex
am ne into the charge OF corruption against member
of the House. in city p1per-Messrs. Lyons. Of Vap
Mcqueen, OF S. O., and Atkins, OF Tenn
rHE BILL TO REGULATE EXEMPTIONS.
The unfinished business being the bill reported from
the Committee on Military Affairs repealng the Exemp-
ton law and regulating future exemptions, was taken
Mr.. WEIGH, of Mics, said as the Chairman Of the
Military Committee (Hr. MILES, detained by sick
ness as a matter of courtesy, he would move that The
til BIO passed over for the present.
Mr. FOOTE was willing 20 postpone the bill, but ad-
yertised the House that he would move TO strike out oil
that part of the bill after the word REPEALED so as to
destroy the bill itself, IL was TIE most dangerous
that had been introduced in thai body. Among
the Objectionable features which be had omi ted to no.
tce the other day in his remarks is that would give
TO the the entire control of the press OF the
country aud make il the most grinding despotsm the
world ever cav. IL strikes at liberty ITSELF and h.
Woud oppose il as ne would the armies Of the enemy
Mr. HILTON, of Fla, said that with due respect and
difference TO the gentleman from Tennessee, be owed il
to tie House and The public cause 10 present substt-
tute for the bill to which he Was so much opposed DE
could not draft bill himself that he Mr.. HlEon would
wholly approve.
Mr. E00TE said he gave due notice Of his motion,
and that he would also introduce subtute for the
bill, and present something tangible AZ least, to 90
upon.
M GARLAND, of Ark, opposed the motion 20 post
pore The country looked the disposition of the bill
With great anxiety, and he afraid the conclusion OF
tho session would find the House wthou: having taken
any action. Like the gentleman from Tennessee, no
was opposed OF the features Of the BILL and for
some of the reasons given By him. he thought tbs
House should ascertain first II h could be perfected,
and If net, 10 Eecommt it, Time was wasted In pro
crossing 10 that way.
Mr.. SINGLETON, Of Mics, agreed with the gentle
man from Arkansas. He presumed there was no mem'
Der whose mind no: already made up. No discus
sion could changeit There remained but little more than
Eve Weeks OF The present ion, and but single MIA
sur, of Importance (.he "Substute bll,") had beea
perfected.
Mr. WEIGHS motion was l;s'.
The amendment of Mr.. Mills, OF s. C.. to insert az!
ter the word persons" in the 6h ne the words, 'be
tween the ages provided by law for military service"
was adopted.
Mr.. SINGLETON moved to amend by inserting after
the word Governments" physicians OF five years
practice and Ministers Of the Gospel actually exercising
their functions at the Time OF the passage of the con-
script bill.
Mr.. SINGLETON said no member Of the Houje was
more deeply Impressed with the importance of strength
ening the army than himself. But while the army 10
ethened there Eers those 1t home who claimed
ply scap in the space of twenty miles. He had
frt quenty presented petitions by and old
to allos physicians for the benefit OF their respective
neighbo hoods, but without avail. TIE amendment he
opposed not for the benefit OF ministers physi-
Clans but for the people who compelled TO remain
at home. There WAS not solitary soldier who does
not prefer that his family physican should remain at
home and attend to the medical necessities Of his family
than to have him In the Amy. There was nothing an-
tagonstc in the interests OF the army and people at
bva avt,r rpl,va
forty five years would answer But in recently settled
States Mississippi it was not true. Nearly all such
ha retired from the practice. He would have physi
clan in every police beat in county.
As regards ministers Of the gospel there was not
irsts nee in the world where such unconares of the
church weEs not exempt fiom military duty. He had
no sympathy with such cant as Preachers were no
better than other men," He thanked God that as a
class they better than other men, The idea of de-
failing physicians and ministers was absurd. Ho be
eVed would crafty our friends in the army TO keep
all such at home as were necessary.
Mr. STAPLES, of Va, moved to recomnit the bill
and amendments.
Mr. ATKINS, Of Tenn moved to amend the amend.
ment by provision that the act should not be
strued to rspal the exemption of persons engaged in
the postal service
Nc Chiffon, of Ala. read q communication from
the Postmaster General stating thai there not 500
men in the Confederate States that would be exempt
for that reason, and showing that the repeal of te
to the mail facilities of the TralsMissasippi Depart
ment
Me- STAPLES of Va, said that at the last session
OF Congress II similar to the under considerA-
ton was rejected He hoped this wou meet the
fate. lie saw nothing In tie conctio OF the country
and bad heard nothing ia the speech of The chairman OF
the Military Committee to ustifJ such bill If tie
Secretary OF War was endowed with the genius of Ma
poleon he could not perform the duties that would be
imposed him byit. 1t would creaet the necessity for
loaal rda nd hinh oiua adH
tOnal influence IS source of Executive patronage.
1t would init a;e q scramble for place by decayed pol
tcians and she OF wealthy and influential men, 10
the exclusion Of the poor and, perhaps meritc-
rious No could calculate the loss to the mechsr
ca interests of the country until the necessary d,tas
could be made. If the Executive is vested with this
power, Congress- the same principle should author
zo tho Executive to dispose of the question OF the
renoy. The argument urged in fav OF the bill was that
of monarchical power against the weakness and ndec
sion of representative governments. The question of
exemption for Congress TO determine. 1t is
legislative power, discretion and obigatioD Congress
declares war; and says who shall go into the army
Members should meet this question and take
the responsibility. For the exercise OF this
trust members responsible to their constitu
aud to poseritY. Who go competent to perform this
duty those flesh from the people and familiar with
their wantsI WAen We acknowledge ourselves incsps
be of performing it, we should resign seas ana go
back to our constituents. This bill clothes the Prei
dent with the power Of the Autocrat of Russia and
prsrogaves before which those of Napoleon tnk into
nS gni6cance. Pass 1t, and preach practice
medicine, publish newspaper, q proclaim the tidinss
Of the Gospel without humbly cringng at the fcoIsoo
Of power, and beg permission from tie lips of the
npotent Executive Members of Congress, hat in hand
would ovid the snte-rooms of the Executive mansion
and War Department, and humbly ask for detail of
tanner shoemaker minister of the Gospel for their
constituent Pass the bill and then the
be for Executive favor and patronage. We shall have
the War Dspar ment and Executive Mansion belea-
guered by nnumerablehos ofsuppants for the thrift
that follows fsWnng. As a representative, he would
never vote to subject his constituents such slavery
or subject himself the LOGS of the manly independence
30 necessary to representative in hs inLercours, with
the executive departments of the Government He
=culd net say that obnoxious editor or obnoI-
ous member might not prove as gu cessfu in his appi