TENNESSEE TEXAS VIRGINIA D. M. Currin. Henry S. Foote. J. A. Wilcox. John R. Chambliss. John Goode, jr. D. C. De Jarnette. Robert Johnston. Charles W. Russell. The Chair announced that the first business in order was the election of a Speaker. Mr. Foote nominated the Hon. Thomas S. Bocock, a Representative from the State of Virginia. On motion of Mr. Foote, Mr. Bocock was declared unanimously elected Speaker of the House of Representatives for the First Congress. Mr. Boyce moved that a committee of two be appointed to wait on the Speaker-elect and conduct him to the chair. The motion was agreed to; and The Chair appointed Messrs. Boyce and Foote. Mr. Bocock was then conducted to the chair, where the oath to support the Constitution of the Confederate States of America was administered by Mr. Cobb, the presiding officer. A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Albert R. Lamar, Secretary pro tempore of that body, informing the House of Representatives that the Senate was organized by the election of the Hon. R. M. T. Hunter, of Virginia, as President pro tempore, and James H. Nash, of South Carolina, as Secretary. Mr. Curry offered the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That the rules of the Provisional Congress be temporarily adopted, so far as they are applicable, as the rules of this House, and that a committee of five, of which the Speaker shall be chairman, be appointed to report rules for the permanent government of the House of Representatives, and that said committee also, in conjunction with such committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, report joint rules for the government of the two Houses. The resolution was agreed to; and The Chair appointed as said committee Messrs. Curry of Alabama, Jones of Tennessee, Perkins of Louisiana, and Lewis of Georgia. Mr. Chilton moved that the House proceed, viva voce, to the election of a Clerk. The motion was agreed to. Nominations for the office of Clerk were then made as follows, viz: The House then proceeded to the election of a Clerk, the result of which vote was as follows: For Robert E. Dixon: Messrs. Ashe, Batson, Bridgers, Breckinridge, Chilton, Clark, Conrad, Curry, Crockett, Dupré, Davidson, Garland, Gartrell, Gaither, Hanly, Hilton, Holt, Johnston, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lyon, Lewis, Marshall, Machen, McDowell, McQueen, Miles, Pugh, Perkins, Royston, Read, Strickland, Trippe, Villeré, and Wright of Georgia, 36. For M. W. Clusky: Messrs. Barksdale, Bocock, Bonham, Boyce, Clapp, Currin, Davis, De Jarnette, Elliott, Foote, Gardenhire, Heiskell, Jenkins, Jones, McRae, Menees, Pryor, Singleton, Swan, Tibbs, Welsh, and Wilcox, 22. For T. C. Johnson: Messrs. Bell, H. W. Bruce, Clopton, Conrow, Cooke, Dargan, Dawkins, Ewing, Freeman, Farrow, Gray, Graham, Harris, Herbert, Lander, McLean, Moore, Russell, Ralls, Sexton, Vest, and Wright of Texas, 22. For James McDonald: Messrs. Boteler, Chambliss, Goode, Lyons, Preston, Smith of Virginia, and Staples, 7. The name of Mr. McDonald was withdrawn by Mr. Lyons. The whole number of votes cast, 87; necessary to a choice, 44. No gentleman having received a majority of the votes cast, the roll was again called with the following result: For Mr. Dixon: Messrs. Ashe, Batson, Bridgers, Breckinridge, Chilton, Clark, Conrad, Curry, Crockett, Dupré, Davidson, Ewing, Garland, Gartrell, Gaither, Hanly, Hilton, Holt, Johnston, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lyon, Lewis, Lyons, Machen, Marshall, McDowell, McQueen, Miles, Pugh, Perkins, Preston, Royston, Russell, Read, Strickland, Staples, Trippe, Villeré, and Wright of Georgia, 41. For Mr. Clusky: Messrs. Barksdale, Bocock, Bonham, Boteler, Boyce, Clapp, Currin, Chambliss, Davis, De Jarnette, Elliott, Foote, Gardenhire, Goode, Heiskell, Jenkins, Jones, McRae, Menees, Pryor, Ralls, Singleton, Swan, Smith of Virginia, Tibbs, Welsh, and Wilcox, 27. For Mr. Johnson: Messrs. Bell, H. W. Bruce, Clopton, Conrow, Cooke, Dargan, Dawkins, Freeman, Farrow, Gray, Graham, Harris, Herbert, Lander, McLean, Moore, Sexton, Vest, and Wright of Texas, 19. No gentleman having received a majority of all the votes cast, the roll was again called with the following result: For Mr. Dixon: Messrs. Ashe, Batson, Bridgers, Boteler, Breckinridge; Chilton, Clark, Conrad, Curry, Crockett, Dupré, Davidson, Ewing, Garland, Gartrell, Gaither, Gray, Hanly, Hilton, Holt, John ston, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lyon, Lewis, Lyons, Machen, Marshall, McDowell, McQueen, Miles, Pugh, Perkins, Preston, Royston, Russell, Read, Ralls, Strickland, Staples, Trippe, Villeré, and Wright of Georgia, 44. For Mr. Clusky: Messrs. Barksdale, Bocock, Bonham, Boyce, Clapp, Currin, Chambliss, Davis, De Jarnette, Elliott, Foote, Gardenhire, Goode, Heiskell, Jenkins, Jones, McRae, Menees, Pryor, Singleton, Swan, Sexton, Smith of Virginia, Tibbs, Welsh, and Wilcox, 26. For Mr. Johnson: Messrs. Bell, H. W. Bruce, Clopton, Conrow, Cooke, Dargan, Dawkins, Freeman, Farrow, Graham, Harris, Herbert, Lander, McLean, Moore, Vest, and Wright of Texas, 17. R. E. Dixon, having received a majority of the whole number of votes given, was declared duly elected Clerk of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Confederate States for the first session. The said Robert E. Dixon appeared; when the oath to support the Constitution of the Confederate States of America and the oath truly and faithfully to discharge the duties of his office to the best of his knowledge and abilities were administered to him by the Speaker; when he entered upon the duties of his office. The House then proceeded, on motion of Mr. Russell, viva voce, to the election of Doorkeeper, and the vote being taken, it appeared that the following-named members voted for R. H. Wynne, of Alabama: Messrs. Ashe, Batson, Bell, Bridgers, Barksdale, Bocock, Bonham, Boyce, Boteler, Chilton, Clark, Clopton, Conrad, Curry, Clapp, Conrow, Cooke, Currin, Chambliss, Crockett, Dargan, Dawkins, Dupré, Davis, Davidson, De Jarnette, Elliott, Freeman, Farrow, Foote, Garland, Gartrell, Gaither, Gardenhire, Gray, Graham, Goode, Hanly, Hilton, Holt, Harris, Heiskell, Herbert, Jenkins, Jones, Johnston, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lander, Lewis, Lyon, Lyons, Machen, Marshall, McRae, McDowell, McLean, McQueen, Menees, Miles, Moore, Pugh, Perkins, Pryor, Preston, Royston, Russell, Read, Ralls, Strickland, Singleton, Swan, Sexton, Smith of Virginia, Staples, Trippe, Tibbs, Villeré, Vest, Welsh, Wilcox, Wright of Georgia, and Wright of Texas, 83 [84]. The following-named members voted for L. D. Gilbert, of the State of Kentucky: Messrs. H. W. Bruce and Ewing, 2. R. H. Wynne, having received a majority of the whole number of votes, was declared duly elected Doorkeeper of the House of Representatives; and thereupon the said R. H. Wynne appeared, and the oath of office was administered to him by the Speaker, and he entered upon the discharge of his duties. Mr. Smith of Virginia offered the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed, to join such committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, to inform the President that the Congress of the Confederate States is organized. Mr. Chilton of Alabama moved to amend the resolution by adding the following words at the end thereof, viz: and are ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make. Which motion was agreed to, and the resolution as amended was adopted. The following is the committee appointed by the Chair under the resolution, viz: Messrs. Smith of Virginia, Chilton of Alabama, and Wright of Georgia. Mr. Smith of Virginia offered the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That the Senate be invited to assemble in this Hall to-morrow at one o'clock and, together with the members of the House, count the ballots for President and Vice-President of the Confederate States of America. The resolution was agreed to. Mr. Hanly presented a petition (accompanied by certain papers therein named) from J. P. Johnson, contesting the seat of A. H. Garland, the Representative from the Third district of Arkansas. The petition was read and, on motion of Mr. Hanly, laid on the table. Mr. Elliott offered the following resolution, viz: Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Confederate Congress, That the office of Sergeant-at-Arms be, and the same is hereby, created, and the House proceed to the election of said officer. On motion of Mr. Perkins, The House adjourned until to-morrow at 12 o'clock. SECOND DAY-WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1862. OPEN SESSION. The House met pursuant to adjournment. Mr. Lyon announced the presence of Thomas J. Foster, a Representative-elect from the State of Alabama, who came forward, was duly qualified, and took his seat. Mr. Welsh announced the presence of H. C. Chambers, a Representative-elect from the State of Mississippi, who came forward, was duly qualified, and took his seat. Mr. Elliott announced the presence of Theodore L. Burnett, a Representative-elect from the State of Kentucky, who came forward, was duly qualified, and took his seat. Mr. Davidson announced the presence of W. N. H. Smith, a Representative-elect from the State of North Carolina, who came forward, was duly qualified, and took his seat. Mr. Jones of Tennessee offered the following resolutions; which were read and agreed to, to wit: Resolved, That the Speaker appoint two tellers on the part of the House, to be associated with such as may be appointed by the Senate, to superintend the counting of the votes for President and Vice-President, and that the Senate be advised of their appointment. Resolved, That a message be sent to the Senate to inform that body that the House will be ready at one o'clock postmeridian to-day to receive them in this Chamber for the purpose of executing the law requiring Congress to count the votes for President and Vice-President to-day. Under the provision of the first resolution the Chair appointed as tellers Messrs. Barksdale of Mississippi and Miles of South Carolina. The House then proceeded to the consideration of the unfinished business of yesterday, which was the consideration of the resolution offered by Mr. Elliott relative to the election of Sergeant-at-Arms. Mr. Curry moved to lay the resolution on the table. The motion was agreed to. A message was received from the Senate, by their Secretary, Mr. Nash; which is as follows, to wit: Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the Senate to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate will meet the House in the Hall of Representatives, at 1 o'clock p. m. to-day, for the purpose of counting the votes for President and Vice-President. Mr. Chilton offered a resolution to entitle stenographers and reporters for newspapers to seats on the floor; which was read and agreed to. Mr. Chilton offered a resolution, viz: Resolved, That the Speaker of the House appoint the following standing committees: Committee to Arrange for Government Buildings; Committee on the Flag and Seal of the Confederacy; Committee on Foreign Affairs; Committee on Finance; Committee on Commercial Affairs; Committee on the Judiciary; Committee on Naval Affairs; Committee on Military Affairs; Committee on Postal Affairs; Committee on Patents; Committee on Territories; Committee on Public Lands; Committee on Indian Affairs; Committee on Printing; Committee on Accounts; Committee on Engrossment; Committee on Pay and Mileage; Committee on Claims; Committee on Privileges and Elections; and Committee on Commercial and Financial Independence; which was referred to the Committee on Rules. Mr. Foote offered a resolution of inquiry into the causes of the recent disasters which have befallen the armies of the Confederate States in the States of North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Mr. Crockett moved to lay the resolution on the table; Upon which Mr. Kenner demanded the question; which was seconded, and the vote having been taken, the motion to lay on the table prevailed. A message was received from the Senate, by the hands of the Secretary of that body, informing the House that the Senate had appointed Messrs. Orr of South Carolina and Sparrow of Louisiana tellers, to be associated with the tellers appointed by the House to count the votes for President and Vice-President. Mr. Garland offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the Clerk be authorized to purchase five hundred dollars' worth of stationery for the use of this House, and to draw his warrant on the contingent fund of the House to pay for the same. Mr. Smith of Virginia moved to lay the resolution on the table. A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Nash, their Secretary, informing the House that the Senate had passed a resolution that the President of the Senate appoint a committee of two to wait upon the President and inform him of the organization of the two Houses of Congress, to act in conjunction with the committee of the House, and that the committee appointed on the part of the Senate was Messrs. Clark of Missouri and Barnwell of South Carolina. |