The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-05-21
CONFEDERATE STATES CONGRESS.

,i "aS III" fn' our boys, al taoHsh anything else
!" 'nr fnoI woman.
CONFEDERATE STATES CONGRESS.
The Se'rate met at IL o'clock Yesterday.
ffayer by the Rev. Mr.. Dogge.t, OF the Meth.
odist Church.
housc bill to authorize the appointment
oi cainmissaries for regiments OF cavalry was
considered and passed.
a oil! wasreports d from the Military Com.
mlttee, 70 provide for the impressment OF the
Iairoad iron, equipments, and rolling stock
Oh railroads. when the same ohall become
necessary tor the public defence, ard to
make further provisions for tho efficient
transportation of troops and military sup
pres ot.tered to be printed.
Mr. Sparrow, from the Military Commit
tee, reported back the memorials OF the
editors OF the Age and Southern Itferayas lfss.
Sea9sf, With the following Joint resolution:
Resos,ad ty he Coagress of Hs Cfs2erats Slat.s Of
America, that so much OF the 10Th section Of the
act emitted ian act 10 organize tOrces 10 se,veGur-
Ing the war" approved February II, 1864; as ey-
empis from military service one eJ,lot ios each
Newspaper, published AZ the time Of the passage OF
the act and such employers said editor may Ger
NY on oa,h 10 be indispensable 10 the pn;liaa ion
thereof, shall te understood 10 include magazines
and other periodicals Published before ana e. the
time the passage of The said act.
The bill to extend to the Navy and Marine
corps, the provisions of the third section of
the act to organize fUfces to serve during
the war, approved February II. 1864. WAS
considered and passed.
Consideration Of the bill to authorize the
payment OF the actual and Necessary expen-
ses Of naval officers while travelling under
orders, was postponed till Monday.
The Committee on Claims reported ad-
verse1ly to the memorial. .ui uodjin x Ar-
person., asking increased rent for the
building occupied by tue PosiOliiA Dera,t.
.ment.
A bin for the relief Of Green T. Hill, re-
ported from the same Committee, was con-
sidered and passed.
The bill to authorize the appointment OF
General officers with temporary rank and
command, and to define and limit the power
OF assigning officers to commands was pass
ed in the following form
S.CuoN The Congress Of hte Confederate States
of .fms,icd do enact, That the President be and
hereby authorized, bY and with the advice ard
consent of The Senate, To appoint commanding
oitcer 10 any brigade, DIVISION, srmy corps, cT
amy, 10 the command Of any military Gfpat-
ment or district, whenever In his judgment IL may
he proper to do SD
ssc ,. That the oticers appointed und.r lie
provisions Of this act stai! belong 10 the provision
al army, and shalt ho'd their respective od,crs
whilst they are III actual command, and 10 longer
uniess sooner removed by the Pfesident; but the Y
sa!i imine d.a,ey thereafter r2sume their oIu.s:I
rank Ia the service. z
temporary rank, shah receive the rame p and al
lowances as other officers of the Same geaie 10
The provisional army.
SKc 4. That hereafter officers belonging TO the
general staff shalt not be assigned TO cUIn,naad
the line, or 10 the performance Of doirs except
their own departments; nor shall officers OF the
line he given command by assignment, except "a
provided Ia this act, and ell laws owing s,Zh
| ASSIGNMENT OF officers hereby lpUea,pi "a
Ultet, Ihat IN cases Of emergency aad nvcess .ty
such assignments may be niaai Tor !:mlled pc.
r"j, and untii appointments car be- made ~ pso-
v.tua by ,ii.s art: propd-. further, a: nothing
h-ttin contained s:iai be consulted 30 aiert In..
night nj assignment oi the ige t;encfa!s appointed
by law
The Senate then went into secret session.
The House IF Re1,eSeUtdtipes met at II a
NJ. Prayer WAS oiIered by the Rev. DR.. Miu.
! nigerode, of ST. Paul's Church.
a communication was received from the
President, covering report lro!u General
Bragg Of the battle Of Chickamauga, whict,
VAS laid On the table and ordered 10 be
printed.
The subject OF the suspension Of the writ
of habeas corpus was taken up in order, aiu
Mr.. w. G.. Rives, Of Va, resumed his speech
in favor of the continued suspension OF the
writ, and occupied the attention cf the
House for two hours.
After Mr. Rves had concluded his remarks
motion was made by MIR. Pagh, OF Ala, 10
lay Mr. Foote'S resolution for the reIeai o!
the act suspeniing the writ OF hGbsoS eorSAS
on the table which was carried by yeas %,
and nays %.
The following message from the Pres ident
was announced and read:
To the House Of Representatives. Of the Confsiya.t
States ot .fmetica.
The following resolution passed by tho House
On the l4i inst, has been received:
" Res0itet, That the President ba requested 10
inform The nous-, IL not Incompatible with The
public Interest, whether the fehsoha given in his
special message for susprndng the writ OF h"oro
CORPUS still list, and what additional now
exist to such extent that the public safety requires
the continuance Of the suspension thereof"
In my opinion, the reasons given in the special
message transmitted 10 Congress at its last session
recommending the suspension Of The writ OF EabsI
Corpas, still exist in undiGn shed force ana The
pre- sent juncture especially requires the coninn
ance Qi the suspension. The effects of the law
for that put pose nave been most haiutary, and 10
that law in no inc0nsiderabie degree indehI
ed for the Increased efficiency ot the military pre-
parations which have enabled oHs gallant a.i"its
under the Providence o God To beat hack the vast
invading forces which still threaten US.
In my opinion II would be peIinn-, II not Calami
tots, 10 discontinue the pension While the
mics of The enemy pressing on brave de
tenders with persistent effort for their de,iIuctlon,
and for the subjugalion of our country. 1t IL a
of qualification TO be able TO Inform you that
the mere passage of the law suspending the writ
was efficient In restraining these who were en-
gagged In tfea sOnabe practices, and In dangerous
comp lefty with our enemies, that the instances
are extremity few in which arrests were found ne.
cessaly-
The effect of the law IN preventing the abuse OF
the witt for the purpose Of evading military sci
vice, by men whose plain duty 1t Is 10 defend their
country, can hardly be Overesltmated.
The sensityeness exhibited In different parts OF
the country the legislation on this subject Is in-
dicalve OF the love OF freedom which IS inmate
among thr people, aud whiS h should ever br chtf
ished the sole guarantee for lhe presrfvation oi
their constitutional liberties.
It Is not doubted, however, that 1t those who
have expressed dissatisfaction With itir law had
been Ia pussr ssi0n Of The information winch IL was
my duty 10 communicate 10 you, and which may
not yet be revealed without Injury 10 the pubic
interests, they would fully have approved the ex-
ercise of the power Of suspending the writ which
was entrusted TO Congress by the Constitution.
All trusts impose duties. The power was en-
used when necessary to The public safety La case
OfinVasion Congress, cOncurring with me that the
exgency had arisen which required the exercise
OF the power, performed but plain duty In passing
the law, and such will, I'd0ubt not, be the judge
men, Of the people when the facts can be made
kQ0wn without detriment TO their interests
JEFFKRsoN DAVIS.
May 90, 1864.
On motion to refer the message to the
Committee on Judiciary, and to have it
printed, Mr.. Baldwin, OF Va, secured the
floor under the rules, and addressed the
House at some length In favor Of the repeal
Of the act suspending the writ of hateas
corpus, after which few memorials, &C.,
of no public importance, were presented
and referred, when, on motion, the House
adjourned.
MuapER BY THE YANKRss.-Fhe Petersburg Ez-
press contains notice Of murder BY the negro