Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1864-05-31
CONFEDERATE STATES CONGRESS-.
FIRST SESSION OF SECOND CONC j, r,s,s,

er resolution fixing the 31st instant os u
to aoJonSnfnent sine de- The hill 70 oa. o 9ay
7e currency Act was taken up and eavo ~; ~ =
or inm1erestlng discussion, in the coursa of ,ws:a
70 raa nliI' OF georgia, expressed his astonis5
a aen' st - Inc p construction given by the Sacre
- tne .reasury to the 9th section Of tb,
= - nonSS ;aa S AcI oy which he assumes the fieb
= = fUnJaJ ot no" hotes tor every So of the Ole
Ign1eu IL Tour per cent. Certificates Nr
Hili argued that the act was NOT snSconthl =
such construction but Mr., Semmoo of ~
r isanS, VINO acted as Chairman of tba Sara.a q:
o nance committee at the last session ooid az.
Q sne construction of the Secretary Was 4 go
bill '"0 ieiners Oh tne
Mr. Oldham explained his scheme of finance
which eontemplates in part the issue and reeen-
tlon OF treasury notes at their accepted speeje
Vaiae-tne effect of which, in his opinion, would
De constant tendency to the apVreeiatf0as of
.ne treasury notes, and the prevention of their,
Iuepreclaton by sharpers and speculatorsrs The
consideration of the bill will be resumed 10 dav7
In the House of Representatives. the onvl h,.
slness OF Importance was the discussion and ye-.
lection OF a proposition TO amend the existinq
rule SO as to require two-thirds vote 10 ra2
solve into secret session.
/ SENATE, Wednesday, 1Sth.-The Senate passS
&c the bill amendatory of these Currency Actsof
last session. 1t provides ->'' -
! lst, That the Secretary of the Tredaurv
may issue one dollar of the new issne for avary
three dollars that have been funded. The az.
change OF ~ of new notes for eyery $3 of old
sotes held 6y individuals is not interfered
with. 0U
End. On the 1st of January next, or as soon
u G,ierealter as practicable, the Secretary of the
Treasury is directed to reduce the circulation
to 100000, 900, and, when so reduced the fs;tb
OF the government is pledged that the same
shall not be increased. The bill does not say
how the Secretary is to accomplish the fear
imposed upon him.
| 3D.. Any State holding old Treasury notas
may receive new issue in exchange for one-balf.
| OF the amount, and six or four per cent bonds
(the later exempt from taxation) fo- the other
half, or 1t may receive the whole amount in Ell
ther of said bonds
4th. Holders of Treasury notes entitled to
De excnanged Tor new issue, may, until first of
January next receive four per cent, bonds free
from taxation, for two thirds of the amount
held by them. The object of this provision Is
to encourage funding-as the four per cent cer-
tlhcates are only exempt from taxation this year
whilst the bonds authorized by this provision
are not taxable at all upon principal or interest.
o. Holders OF four per cent. certificates issu.
ed under the first section of the"Ourrency Act
may exchange them for the four per ceat. bonds
above described, at the rate of So of the former
for two of the latter.
o. The said certificates are to be receivable
in payment of GU Government dues which shall
have accrued prior to the 1st January. 1866, OK
cept import and export duties, and transfer 5u
deL10e2y shall enable the holder to use the same
in payment of said Dress
Two bills for the. relief of certain Indian
tribes, and one to punish lawlessness in the eav-
airy service, were passed. A bill doubling the
pay and milesge OF members of Congress, was
introduced.
SENATE, Thursday, May 19th,-The Senate,
CONQUERED in the House joint resolution ofthaDks
to Gen. N. B. Forrest, and the officers and men
of his command, for their recent achievements,
and adopted resolution of enquiry relative to
the prevention of the publication in the news
papers of information in regard to army and na.
Wy movements.
In the House, the habeGs corpus question
was discussed at length by Mr.. FOote, in favor
of the repeal of the snspending act, Mr. RiYes,
of Va, has the floor for tomorrow.
SENATE, Friday, the 20th.-In the Senate the
only action OF importance was the passage Of q
Senate bill modifying the power now held by
the President to assign any officer of the army
to the command Of corps or department, ETC.,
as IN the case of Gen. Pemberton and Others
He is practically required by the bill to ap-
point general officers to such commands, but
they may be removed at his pleasure, and re-
sumo their former rank, if they should prove
inefficient.
In the House of Representatives, Mr.. Riyes,
of Va, delivered an argument in support of the
suspension OF the writ of bG6sGs corpus, and
was followed by Mr.. Baldwin, of Vain q speech
on the other side of the question.
SENATE, Saturday, the 21st.-In the Senate.
several bills were passed, including bill to es.,
tablish bureau of foreign supplies, bill to a.
mend the act allowing rations to commissioned
officers of the army and navy; and bill au-
thorizing the appointment of chaplains to bat
tslons and hospitals--all Senate bills requiring
the concurrence of the House of Representa-
tives.
In the House, ON Saturday, the discussion of
the resolution to print the message of the Pres
dent on the suspension OF the writ of ba6eGs
corpus and refer the same to the Judiciary Com
mittee was resumed. Mr.. Conrad having the
floor, in an able argument, defended the old
Congress for their action in suspending the writ.
he was followed by Mr.. Murry, of Tenn, who
contended that there is now and never has beer
any necessity for suspension.
Mr.. Gather, of n. O., obtained the floor and A.
proceeded to defend North Carolina and the ?
President.
L
SENATE, Monday, the 23rd.-The Senate wss
chiefly occupied, in the discussion of two-ibfase
amending the act of last session imposing re-
strictio1s upon the foreign commerce Of the
Confederate States. They were both passed
One repeals SO much of the first section of said .
act as requires uniformity in the regulations
provided for therein, and the other facilities for
the importation of articles by State authorities,
by securing to owners of the cargo (other than
| the said authorities,) the same privileges which
| they would haYo if the States portion belonged
| to the Confederate States. A resolution in re-
gard to the writ of habeaS corpus was postpos
ned until tomorrow, when Mr.. Graham, of N.
c., will present his views on the subject.
The House was principally occupied with
the peace resolutions of Mr.. j. I. Leach, of N.
| O., which, by decided vote, were laid on the
table. A bill was passed increasing the pay of
| Inonrcommissioned officers and privates Of the
army. Nothing else of importance was trans
acted. A communication was received from
the Secretary of the Treasury recommending
the passage of q law authorizing the payment
of railroad transportation, and of debts co.
tracted for clothing and subsistence for the ar
] my in Certificates of Indebtedness redeemable
in coin two years after peace, the interest pay
able semi-annually during the war in cein.-
These Certificates to be paid out at the rate of
the values of 1860. :
CASUALTIES IN EDGAR'S TWENTY srxrH