Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-11-21
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

On mOtiOnrOf Mr. SEAhES, the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The House met at the usual hour, the sPSAKIR In
the chair.
Prayer BY the Rev Mr. BAKER, of the Episcopal
Church.
Leave of absence was granted Mr. PUsH, of Alabama,
Who Is detained at home on account OF indispositioL?
The SPEAKER stated that IL had been suggested to
him, and strongly urged by numerous gentlemen Of the
House, that he appoint q new member distinguished
GsnerG-upOn the Military Committee, but though in
1llned 10 do so, it could not be done without q viola
ton Of the rule limiting the committee to one from
each State, unless there was a suspension of the rule.
Ga motion Of Mr. BLANF0RD, of Ga, the rule was,
by unanimous consent suspended, aud the Chair APP
pointed Mr.. WICKalM, of Va, the gentlemen alluded
to, upon the AIlIary COMMITTEES.
Mr.. PERKINS, Of LII, Chairman Of the committee
for the publ cation of full debates of the House, sub
mitted q report setting forth the difficulties the com.
mittee had labored under In endeavoripg to carry out
the wishes of Congress. The COMMITTEES indolges the
nope that through the agency of the Superintendent
OF Public Printing, SAT-, factory arrangements will soou
os devised, and that thea the proceedings will be given
10 the form OF the report Of the debates in the British
Parliament. The report VAS laid upon the table.
TIE IxExPTIoE OF STATE ovTIoIRs.
Mr.. STAPLES, Of Va from the committee to which
vaa referred o resolution directing an inquiry into the
arosdieney Of applying 10 the several StAtes for such
a md fcRiion OF the action Of tie States az shall have
he fsct to decrease the number Of exemptions from
Military service OF s ate officers, reported that they
eonAidered il highly e~xpsdisnt that an sppealbe made
IN the ssyeral State legislatures 30 to modify their az
emptiop laws as to leave subject to military service
s,ste officers between the sgts Of Is and 45 wears
whose presence at home may not be essentially neoes
ssry 10 conduct and carry on the operations Of their
RESPECTIVE Government. The committee recommended
he appointment OF g joint committee, to consist of
one member from each stats, on the part Of the HOUSE,
and such number as may be appointed by tho Senate,
whose duty 1t sban DO to ascertain the number of off,
Gers In each one Of the several s ates exempted By ex.
isting laws from military service in The armies of the
Confederate States, for the purpose Of carrying on the
government of said SIatef; and If the number 60 e.
smpted be larger than the public necessity shall seem
90 REQUIRE, thss tho committee prepare and report TO
tbe Rouse an address appealing to such States so to
modify their laws as to render liable to military eervce
all able.bodied men between Is add 40 whose services
ia their several Offices msy be temporarily dispensed
yiLi without detEiment to the government of such
Ststss.
n-ovided G remsdy for an evil of considerable msgnis
tude Whether it would accomplish The objsct desiIed
he Inture would determine. Ali would agree that 1t
Sas desirable TO obtain some mod 6ostion Of the laws
relating to the exemption Of persons employed in the
service of she States. IRE country would ba amazed
% learn the number OF psrsons 90 employed and ex
empt from military duty Virginia has about 400; N
1afolins NOR, than II 600; South OsTolina about 400 4;
Al4bs1o 1914 Mississippi Ito. In Georgia the pr Gee
number lie net Notwithstanding the Stats miiitis it will
n,obably exceed 10 900 men. Me-. STAPLIs said he did
NOT intend to cast the slightest r Fiction upon the States
Of North Carolina and Georgia. The Valor of their
sons lad been conspcaously displayed upon too many
bloody 6-lds 10 be called in question here OIL elsewhere.
Bat il could not DO denied that by this wholesale sys-
tem of exemptions great injustice has been done to the
other States.
We had here q few days since the resolutions adopt
ed by the Governors ct Augusta. These retolutions
| breathe a pure aud patriot o spirit. But 1t SO happens
they arc slent upon the Only QUESTION these gentlemen
can control. l. IA clear they do not intend to modify
| thelr lists of exemptions. We can, therefore, only act
| upon The bill reported hero lat session, aud refGr this
| whole matter to the 8 ae Legislatures, where it proper
" bslo0Rs. To than va muHt appeal, aud / at coat
de1t thA. appeal, rightly made, will aot be in vain.
They will appreciate Tho magnitude of this atruggls
| and the demands OF the hooI; they will feel tn tit would
Do far bsaGr TO stop the entire machinery OF State gov
eminent, oiosa the courts of justice, suspend the su-
| thOTity OF magistrates, obfterate the s ate lnea, and
abolish State sovereignty forever, than submit TO any
terms Of peacs the ensmy have yet proposed. We are
10 the midst Of a war OF uneKRupled magnitude; Ne are
menseed with dangers within aud without. Crest armies
threaten us; immense hssta blockade nur coasts, pene-
| trats cur harbors aud river; our capital rtsounds with
| the roar of hostile guns; the solid earth tfembies be-
neatk the tread OF contending legions. In the midst ct
thess extraordinary eVenta, We asaume that cur inde-
pandaucs Ia an established fact We discuss and sett o
/ 2FHNG QltHAIlh VI GOLhbNAtiOhoi !" WO httoupb "
| cary on the Sate aud National Governments, with al
| thar hosts Of ofRcsrs and employee, as If W. we're Ia
| the midst Of profound peace REd tranquility Men
talk OF State Rights hppaAiIy and learasdly,
a. tn ugh NJ struggle existed Oh this CONT
| uant save a contest for the preservation of SAFE soV-
| Q eighty against ihs despOtc ttndsneiss OF The
| Confederate GOyemmeut. sr, this point may be
| carried too Ear. A pFinaipls, so invalas bic Ia TINA
| of peace, may became tho source Of woes aud di5as-
tsrs unnumbered in tine Of war. What ars the rights
Of the Htatesg Virginia sovereignty or North Carolina
sovereignty doNs NOT depend upon any construction
i e.vsn here or elssaheTe 20 the Constitution. 1t depends
upon the army standing upon yoadet riVsr, guarding
ths approach 10 this capitol. When that 4Fmy goes
down, al State sovereignty gOss down with It. When
that army msi's away, neither trial by jury, nor kaJsds
corpus, n r State rights. will save us irom ex,ernnA ,
ton STATE Sovereignty viii not rsife armies, nor
clOthe and feed them. It cannot build nayies nor equip
thOm. In vi0 may We inyoks lie great prime p es In
defence Of a violated Ooustitali9 IN and a bleeding coun.
uy. In ' 10 may We bold up before our eneuils trisl
By jury, ths Bsnctty Of habeds eOrp4s, aud thu glIry
CT ; free pes. They would not listen to % In batter
days; they viii not heed rs nov. BsfA ID in ell their
j schemes aud caleu,atlonA, blinded with pasaion. updply