Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-01-10
THE FLAG-oF-TRUCE BOAT.
Confederate States Congress
SECOND coNGREss-sEcoND SESSION.
MONDAY, January Q, 1865.
SENATE.

SECOND CoNGRESs--sEcoND SESSION.
MONDAY, January o, 1865.
SENATE.
The Senate met at u NJ the VIcE.PREsIDEET in the
char
/ Prayer by the Rev. MI Norwood, Of the Episcopal
church.
Nj. WATSON, OF Mississippi introduced the following
resolution " hch was ordeied to be printed:
Resolved (the House Of Representatives concurring)
That n committee Oi three on the pant Senate and
= on the pm OF the House be appointed investigate
and Ie0r upon the condition ana of the pi,.
OF war respectively held by the Confederate and
United States GOvenmentS aud also upon the OF
their detention and refusal exchange which said com.
mittee shah have authority TO take testimony
persons aud papers.
air SPARROW, from the Committee on Military Affairs
reported bill TO provide for the reorganization OF COM
panes battaons and regiments in certain Ordered
Also House bill to increase the pay of matrous in hos
pitfalls Laid on the table
Mr = also reported adversely upon House bill TO grant
free transportation to officers noncommissioned ofncers
and privates of the army travelling leave OF indu.
eence. Laid on the table.
Mr. $ also adverse report upon House bill sup
Elemental to act entitled 10 authorize the
nation of new commands, to be composed OF supenume
aly officers who may resign 10 JOIN such commands and
limit and restrict the appointment or officers in certain
cases" approved June a. 1864, Laid on the table,
AE s laid before the Senate communication address
ed TO the Committee ON Military Affairs by Lieut. General
Jubal \. Early asking an investigation into the charges
pade againsk him in connection with the Valley
paIgn.
Nj SPARROW said it would be impractcable for the
Committee Military Adams TO go into the investigation
asked, for want of time lie would state however, that
there was information before the committee requiring
any investigation OF the subject
The communication Of General Early ordered to lie
printed
message received from the President Of the Con-
ederae SAes informing the Senate that lie had signed
several bills
ON motion Of Mr. wIGFALL, the Senate resolved into
secret legislative session,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The House met at the usual hour-the Speaker in Abe
chair Prayer by the Rev. Dr. Duncan.
The SPEAKER announced rte following the special
committee of five 10 inquire into the subject Of relieving
from taxation for the year 1864 districts towns and
ties exposed the depedGtons Of the enemy under the
resolution Of Mir DEJARNETTE, OF frginia adopted on
Saturday -
Messrs DeJarnet;e, of Va; Anderson of Ca Courow,
of No.; Foster OF Ala; and ON, Of Miss
Tile House next resumed tie consideration OF the
tinued special order-ths
CONSOLIDATION BILL
Mr. CONRAD of La, moved to amend the 9Th section
so as to authorize the President 10 drop from the rolls all
officers without commands well all supernumerary
stall officers not resigned in lieu Of the provision OF the
committees BILL which provides that ali sIch officers not
assigned to duty within sixty days shall pso facto with
out tue direct action OF the Executive be dropped from the
rolls.
amendment was lost by the following vote: Ayes "a
noes 80.
Nj CONRAD moved 10 strike out the 9th section which
provides that all oicels except SUCH as are prisoners
not assigned TO duty within sixty day3aer the passage
OF this act shall be dropped from the rolls. Lost.
Mr. HANLY Offered the following additional section
which was adopted:
THAT when The whole number of Officers non, 1mmis
stoned officers and pryates i'll any army from one state
shall NOT be sufficient in number AT least TO form batta
ION Of the minimum strength under Existing laws 1t shall
the duty of the Secretary of War forthwith TO order Tie
iauser OF such officers non-c0mhissiOned officers anu
nryates TO some other amy in which there a.. other
in pgellIp az
he consolidated ndet the provisions oi this act provided
the transfer required by this section shall not he made
against the consent Of the troops to be transferred
Mr. HANLY gave the reason which induced him to offer
the anendmen The 81 Arkansas Regiment for instance
1.-THE only organization from that State now in tie army OF
Northern Virginia is by the casualties Of gar below
Ithe minimum number required and hence unde the pro
visions OF the bill it must be consolidated with other de-
peted regiments and therefore ii is but Justice that in
The proposed consolidation shall be transferred to some
other army where there Arkansas troops Other eg
mens under the amendment will De brought to the Army
OF SSSR 'T aar could Dy poSs harm
upon the Secretary OF War.
Mr. CLUSKEY, of Tennessee moved to add the follow
Be further enacted That companies from batta
ion or regiment shall nObe consodaed with companies
from another battalion regiment shall parts OF 9TH
er companies be consolidated with parts of other cempa
nes nor shall parts of tire same regiments batAlions
be consolidated into different brigades Each regiment
battalion shall retain it, original desgnaoT and shall
have preserved to it its old colors. !
UsKEY said he wanted consolidation of whole
regiments aud not Of parts He wanted each old regi
ment retain its old title and its old glores
therefore retain with their batteags the regfmenal en-
signs,
Mr. McCALLUA Offered an additional section, which
was rejected
Mr. MOORE of Kentucky moved to reconsider the vote
by which the amendment Of2lr HAELEY adopted
l. ost
Mr. j. ~ SMITH of Ca. offered the following as au adj
dtOnal section to the bill which was adopted we
Re xrla
companies shall have been consolidated nnder tho pro-
visions fhs act no subsequent consolidation of the same
shall be hader unless BY virtue OF laws hereafter to be
Mr. sSSEAD, of No, offered the following additional
section, which was adopted
in organization which they were holding in an old
shall take rank from the day of THEN original appointment
to that grade The commissions OF all Others shall date
from the day Of their appointment TO their grade
Mr.. HANLE1 moved to reconsider the vote by which
the amendment of Mr. ANDERSON, of Ca was lost on Sat
urday The Amendment provided for the regulation OF the
transfer of officers TO and from the Trans Mississippi De-
partment.
Mr. GILMER of y. c. addressed the House in opposition
TO theexpedency Of any consolidation whatever lie said
he had not the shadow of doubt the ultimate r
umph Of our arms He saw no reason for any man to be
| faint-hearted.
but for the remarks Of the gentleman from North Carolina
whose experience and ability all acknowledge and whose
glowing words Of hopeful patriotism must have found an
sequences however, which the gentleman feared He de-
Tended the policy of immediate consolidation Of all the
skeleton regiments Of our army
Mr. CHRHsMAN of Kentucky, said catching the warn
ing Of the gentleman from North Carolina (r CHI
NER he to enter his protest against the passage Of
this bill While the wants and necessities OF the Govern
require that should be engaged in recruiting the
army strange TO say We are this day considering bill
which, in its effects will splee t. All agree that twill
remove from active service ten thousand Task
you Mr. Speaker in condition to spare this number
Of men from theserycel Putting aside the question s
probably dsorcanzng the army prepared to spare
this number Of men from the service2 We have by egs
lation unceremoniousy disposed Of the privste whilst
the provisions Of the bill We propose TO give officers sixty