Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-01-01
eeHFEDERaTE srATEs CONGRESS-
TrEsp.Y, DEcgaGER -, 1863.

/ tSSfEbERaFn SEAtEB tOfssEE.<t
TrEsD.Y, DEcgaGER -, 1865.
SENATE.
| PRAYER by i;e7. nt. burrows, Of ..ic Haptis
| Church.
The PREslDES7 laid bcfGra the Scnats
communication from Gen. llardce and cthe
general officers. rclntirc 10 the Organization :,
the army Referred 70 ;h1 m,nittcc Of Nil
i;ary Ahhirs.
The bill to repeal tho act regulating til.
granting of iar!oa.hs and discharges :rotr
hospitals, waS taken up, and, after son,o dis
cussion. passed.
The biz 30 repeal the acs authorizing the
iestruet.aant property as o military neces-
| sitv. was next taken up.
Mr. PnEt.a, Of Mississippi, tho patron o
ts3e bill, ,sad dsoeated lis passage. He argued
fhssno good had r2sai.ef- fsaEss t1e 4 dsas:zaa:a
authority Of SAID oct. Thousand, of haic:
lad been DESTROYED in Mississippi, under cir
oumstanees which excited great GiEcontci
among tho rcopic. The officers cxccusing th,
law had allowed rich planters, in various in
stances, 10 remove their c6tron, whilst that be-
lonsipE 10 poor widows had lecn consigned tc
the Hamcs. In ono case the people became 81
indignant y. the manner in whica Ike inw
was executed, that they husn:d t!sc cotton be-
longing Ia The officers. who were destroying
r,tton. bur took care to pass ever their own -
~ tho bill inf|icts no injury unoi, tho r2cmy
naI dogs causc rroat loss u our cwl ci;iZani
il:2 ac5 should be repealed.
MIR. p. referred to the destitu;;0a aal sni:;:r
ir:= ot The people in the country ios,ie:ins
apGa he Mississippi, and contend 4 that, M
der the circumstances, they should be allowed
10 retain their remnant Of cbs'On, aGi sell i
Il need BE-, to the enemy, tG support them
sclvcs.
Tho ic.tructicn of our Gotten has lad no a2
prccia;Jic influence on tho war. Why, then
sleui we deprive our citizens CT tho uss o:
j.: II 10 pGblic goad Is to result FROM tho
'aw-~if oily harm il TO result from iii
,''nui! .ha repealed, aad he asked tia attention
ii Congress- y lhr subject.
Mr.. .IOUESoN Of ArkansaS. said ihc?H shNild
he III ihc BILL sumc recognition q the c4i:rs
ior icsses already sustained. There seem, q hc
an inai-n0siton on the part Of Congress :" take
any notice. ns such ciaims. Not CrlI = IN Mi:,is-
sippi, hat in Arkansas, tie cltizc0s ha.l sus-
tl;rel very sc.cre Losses. Tic T.aoE!a, aow-
oyoS. Gil rot regret their I1ss.s, tvHsi, many
nf ther, were T.rnvosal at u. rHnraer ID
,ehic', lie law !:ad hoen excc>.cd Tnc !ccl-
jnc among the people WAS preference for
tao saerii.c required Of thcm, a.d Sor1c son
r;im"n;arv lcc0.ui.iua II this patriOtic :cn;i-
m2nt ~ Congress was duo to them, hrt c.en
this had hcen (:nni@A - altI"i2h the Claims ci
spectators were always recognized.
Mr.. 7. syinpalhix.d with CIR Ena"cisrS, and
how
aas they had never used The cotton, or !!a coun-
irY in strengthening tha cradi. cf tho Governs
men. He would vote for the bi mol because il
would enabia the people 10 trade with the ere-
ny, but because. ii perfected as it sLOHd be-, il
Inay provide an nIsnmty for those who haze
sustained osscs By the destruction nf tiirir cot on
Mr. Hrsny of Trun remarked ,hst.ha pend.
ing measure was ono of ronsida-ab'2 i'nporr
tnnc,, and. as The Attendance was thin, b. ;snu,d
raovs that i'l3 Senate I'D dipnrs,
The PRESIDENT stated Shat he hal !! message
from the President nn his desk iJr Executive
session. F,.,..--s.,.5.
On motion, e!e Sona,o resolved !G;t KS2cu.<ss
<.}ssi@p, :.ri scs, ai;er .iGiE5'grl:ei.
HOUSE fiF REPRESENTATIVES.
Tho House met n. 10 o'clock, nrd Was
opere1 with prayer Ivy the Rev. Dr. Minnsce.
rode, of the Protestant Episcnpa6 Church.
Tnc SPEAKER laid before the I!ausr g oon!-
lnuDicaton from officers cf .l.a arn.r oF Ten
nessee, urging action upon war measures, as
follows:
-ARaY OF TENSEsszG, DC. 18th, 1853.
To Tie Congress Of hc Cnnted-ro'e @'afrs:
In thr exis:in. on!i.nn of affair, it is
!loned vo.ir honorable boIits viii pardon the
variance :ram custom, OF addressing yra from
- - In,,n r,,'-I- 81
hus un3e; Tic c2nsc:entigus coryiction TIA,
voices and !ab0rs of all, sad that delay, even
for til .rty days, in enactias proper measures,
NAY make present disorders inea-aalc. and The
,,rt,mcr, of the moment omnipOton. iUr our
destruction.
In our opinion, it is essential to retain, Tor
ti!. term Of during he war, without rc"rgGni-
zlti"n. ihe troups now in service. t, place III
;c:vic. in. ma1ia!clv, f:r I'll" same '.rEn. all
years &C acn, nblc to perform any military
discretion cf thh President, for the same tenn,
Ill white l6alns lntwcca fifteen and c;gbicc:,
and between i'ty and siAty years OF a:o 70
prohibit substitution to prohibit exemptions,
cycc;.t tCr tic necessary civil of;tci
GaJ cmrloymcnts Of the Confederate state
pad Ike =: yrrai States; to rrohiit detaiI4 ea'
cert ior limited periods, aud for curryiDg on
works essentiHl to the army; IN p,Oh!o:s dis.
charges except in cases of permanent GtsabiI,
itv from all duty; to prohibit leaves aDi fur
loGshs, exeeptnnder uniform rules Of uuivcr.
sal application, based, ~ far rs practicable, on
lengTn Of servfce and merito;ions cpndu3i; 70
prohibit, to the greatest possibly extent, ;hl
detail of able.bodied officers and men 10 posi-,
hpsT,i!al or othcr interior duty; and to place III
service. as cooks. laborcrs. teamsters and hos
pi:af attendants, with the army and eisc
'rherc, able bodied ncgrccs ard mnlatSocs,
tond and free.
These measures, wo think, if promptly Ell
acnd as laws, so as to give tiinc f.r organizing
nnI iisci plining the new material. would
mako cur armies in7iacibe at the opening oi
the campaign Of next year, and enable Us Il
win back our lost territory and conquer =
peace before tina. campaign shall be ended.
Wei beg further to suggest thai, in cui
opinion, the dissnt:sfac!ions, apprehcuded Oh
existing frpm short rations, deprecated cr;.
rencv. and tie retention Of old Eoldiers in ~
service. might he obviltei ny allowing bou:i.
ties, with determinations in fSvor sr the re-
:e:aed troups, an inc-casc Of pay, the C nnrrr>
tatiOn to enlisted men Of rntlons not issue',
and ratiGns, or tha value thereof, to officers.
No have the hohcr 20 be.
Very respectfully,
Ionr cb'1t serv'ts,
". j. IIARprE,