Mr. Tibbs, from the Committee on Enrollment, reported as correctly engrossed and enrolled

A joint resolution to authorize the suspension of the execution of an act to authorize the President to cause to be constructed certain gunboats, approved December 24, 1861;

And the Speaker signed the same.

On motion of Mr. Kenner, the House went into Committee of the Whole, Mr. McRae in the chair, on

A bill to prevent the exportation of either cotton or tobacco the growth of the present year, in certain cases;

and having spent some time therein, rose and, Mr. McRae, their Chairman, reported that the committee had, according to order, the said bill under consideration, and had come to no conclusion.

And on motion of Mr. Curry,

The House adjourned until 12 o'clock m. on Monday.

THIRTY-SIXTH DAY-MONDAY, MARCH 31, 1862.

OPEN SESSION.

The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Moore.

The Chair announced the following as additional members of the Committee on Military Affairs:

Messrs. Eli M. Bruce of Kentucky, Villeré of Louisiana, Hilton of Florida, and Wilcox of Texas.

And Mr. Chambers of Mississippi, in place of Mr. Davis, excused. Mr. Dargan presented the memorial of certain citizens of Mobile, praying for the declaration of martial law in that city; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, without being read. Mr. Foster introduced

A bill to encourage the manufacture of iron, lead, and copper, and the production of coal;

which was read first and second times, referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Foster offered the following resolution, to wit:

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be requested to report to this House the amount of army clothing and garrison equipage, ordnance and ordnance stores, subsistence stores, and the number and appraised value of cavalry and artillery horses, lost, destroyed, or captured by the enemy since the beginning of the war, and also the aggregate cost of subsistence supplies heretofore purchased and the quantities of the several kinds thereof now in store.

On motion of Mr. Atkins, the resolution was laid on the table.
Mr. Moore moved to suspend the call of the States.

The motion was lost.

A message was received from the Senate, by the hands of their Secretary, Mr. Nash; which is as follows, to wit:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed, without amendment, bills of the House of the following titles, viz:

A bill to be entitled "An act to authorize the President to increase his personal staff;" and

A bill to be entitled "An act to enable the States assuming the payment of their quotas of the war tax to pay the same into the Treasury."

Mr. Curry offered the following resolution, to wit:

Resolved, That the House hereafter meet at eleven o'clock antemeridian.

On the adoption of which Mr. Conrad demanded the yeas and nays; and The demand being sustained,

The yeas and nays are recorded as follows, to wit:

47

36

Yeas: Ashe, Atkins, Ayer, Batson, Burnett, Chambliss, Chilton, Clapp, Clark, Clopton, Conrad, Conrow, Crockett, Curry, Dargan, Davidson, Dawkins, Dupré, Foote, Foster, Gaither, Garnett, Gartrell, Gray, Hartridge, Hilton, Holt, Johnston, Lewis, Lyon, Marshall, McDowell, Menees, Pugh, Ralls, Royston, Sexton, Singleton, Smith of Alabama, Smith of North Carolina, Smith of Virginia, Strickland, Trippe, Vest, Villeré, Wilcox, and Wright of Tennessee.

Nays: Arrington, Baldwin, Bell, Boteler, Horatio W. Bruce, Eli M. Bruce, Chambers, Cooke, Davis, De Jarnette, Gardenhire, Garland, Gentry, Goode, Graham, Hanly, Heiskell, Holcombe, Jones, Kenan of Georgia, Kenan of North Carolina, Kenner, Lander, Lyons, Machen, McLean, McRae, Miles, Moore, Munnerlyn, Perkins, Read, Russell, Staples, Welsh, and Mr. Speaker.

So the resolution was adopted.

Mr. Royston presented the memorial of R. G. Gaines, of Scott County, Ark., for a post route from Parks post-office, Scott County, Ark., by way of Davis Place to Black Fork, in Scott County, Ark.; which was referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads, without being read.

Mr. H. W. Bruce presented a letter of J. W. Davies; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, without being read.

Mr. Machen presented the memorial of B. H. Willis, acting quartermaster; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, without being read.

Mr. Crockett offered the following resolution; which was read and agreed to, to wit:

Whereas the President of the United States, in his late message to Congress, recommended to the border slave States of this Confederacy now in the military occupation of the United States, the adoption of a system of gradual emancipation; and

Whereas the so-called Union citizens of said States may attempt to carry into execution the recommendation of the President; to counteract which

Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the expediency of prohibiting by law the importation of slaves for merchandise or otherwise into any of the other States of this Confederacy from any States or State that may adopt a system of gradual emancipation.

Mr. Chambers presented the letter and account of John Hunter, of Natchez, Miss.; which was referred to the Committee on Claims, without being read.

Mr. Clapp presented resolutions as to the prosecution of the war and other matters; which were read and laid on the table.

Mr. Miles presented a communication from the QuartermasterGeneral; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs and ordered to be printed.

Also, a communication from the Chief of Ordnance; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, without being read. Mr. Miles gave notice that at the proper time he would move to amend the rules of the House by adding thereto the following, to wit: That the Committees on Military and Naval Affairs have leave to report to the House at any time.

Mr. Atkins gave notice that at the proper time he would move to amend the rules of the House by adding thereto the following, to wit:

The Speaker of this House shall call the States for bills and resolutions on Monday of each week and on no other day during the remainder of this session of Congress. Mr. Foote offered the following resolution; which was read and agreed to, to wit:

Resolved, That the President be requested, if he shall deem it compatible with the public interest, to direct the Secretary of War to send to this House a copy of the official report of General A. Sidney Johnston to the interrogatories propounded to him by the order of the President, touching the recent military disaster at Fort Donelson; also a copy of General Gideon J. Pillow's supplementary report in regard to the Fort Donelson affair and the attendant documents.

Also, the following resolution; which was read and agreed to, to wit: Resolved, That the President be requested to direct the Secretary of War to respond to the interrogatories heretofore propounded by this House to his immediate predecessor in office, touching the recent military disaster at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson and the surrender of the city of Nashville into the hands of the enemy, if he shall deem it compatible with the public interest that said interrogatories shall be answered.

Also, the following resolution; which was read and agreed to, to wit:

Resolved, That a select committee be appointed by the Speaker of this House, to consist of five members, charged with the duty of inquiring into the alleged abuses in the Medical Department of the Army, the defects of the system, if such exist, and failures in the administration of the department.

A message was received from the Senate, by the hands of the Secretary of that body, Mr. Nash; which is as follows, to wit:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have indefinitely postponed a joint resolution of this House of the following title, viz:

Joint resolution for raising a special committee for purposes therein named.
Which I am directed to return to the House of Representatives.

A message was received from the President, by the hands of his Private Secretary, Mr. Harrison, informing the House that the President had approved and signed

A joint resolution to authorize the suspension of an act to authorize the President to cause to be constructed certain gunboats, approved December 24, 1861.

Mr. Currin presented three designs for a flag; which were referred to the Committee on Flag and Seal.

Mr. Herbert moved to reconsider the vote by which

A bill to authorize the Secretary of War to receive into service a regiment of twelve months' volunteers from Texas,

was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

The motion prevailed.

On motion, leave of absence was granted to Messrs. Preston, Swan, and Tibbs.

Mr. Staples offered the following resolution; which was read and agreed to, to wit:

Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill authorizing the appointment of a special commissioner to proceed to the counties constituting the military district late under the command of BrigadierGenerals Floyd and Wise and hear proof of claims against the Government for provisions, stores, clothing, and other articles furnished the armies of the Confederate States,

Mr. Russell, by unanimous consent, withdrew his motion to reconsider the vote by which the message of the President in regard to the enrollment of persons for military service was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Goode presented a memorial; which was referred to the Committee on Post-Offices and Post-Roads, without being read.

The Speaker presented the memorial of James D. Hawkins, for services as collector of war tax; which was referred to the Committee on Claims, without being read.

Mr. Lyons presented the memorial of "Women of the South;" which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, without being read. Mr. Lyons offered the following resolution, to wit:

Resolved, That the Senate be requested to return to the House the resolution passed on Friday last, fixing the seventh day of April next for the adjournment of Congress.

On motion of Mr. Royston, the resolution was laid on the table. And on motion of Mr. Garnett, the House resolved itself into secret session; and having spent some time therein, again resolved itself into open session.

And on motion of Mr. Holt,

Adjourned until 11 o'clock a. m. to-morrow.

SECRET SESSION.

The House being in secret session,

Mr. Holt moved that the House resolve itself into open session. The motion did not prevail.

A message was received from the Senate, by the hands of Mr. Nash, the Secretary of that body; which is as follows, to wit:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill from the House of Representatives (H. R. —) making appropriations for the support of the Government from April 1 to the 30th of November, 1962, and for objects hereinafter expressed.

On motion, the House went into Committee of the Whole, Mr. McRae in the chair, on

A bill to prevent the exportation of either cotton or tobacco the growth of the present year, except in certain cases;

and having spent some time therein, rose, and Mr. McRae, their Chairman, reported that the committee had, according to order, said bill under consideration, and had come to no conclusion.

Mr. Lyons presented the memorial of Messrs. Cropper & Baker, praying the remission of duties on certain railroad iron.

Mr. Conrad moved to refer the same to the Committee on Ways and

Means.

Mr. Garnett moved to refer to a select committee of three.
The motion was lost.

And the question recurring on the motion of Mr. Conrad, the same was agreed to.

On motion of Mr. Miles,

The House resolved itself into open session.

THIRTY-SEVENTH DAY-TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 1862.

OPEN SESSION.

The House met pursuant to adjournment, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Moore.

The Chair announced as the committee under the resolution offered on yesterday by Mr. Foote, the following:

Messrs. Ralls of Alabama, Menees of Tennessee, Sexton of Texas, McLean of North Carolina, and Johnston of Virginia.

Mr. Jones moved that the call of the States be suspended and that the House proceed to the call of the committees; which was agreed to. The Chair laid before the House a communication from the Secretary of War, inclosing copies of the official reports of the battle of Bethel; which was read, laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. On motion of Mr. Burnett, leave of absence was granted to Mr. Chrisman.

The House then took up for consideration a report from the Committee on Rules; which is as follows, to wit:

Resolved, That there be added to the standing committees of the House a committee on war and ordnance, to consist of nine members, to be appointed by the Speaker. On motion of Mr. Perkins, the same was laid on the table.

Mr. Moore moved to reconsider the vote by which the resolution offered yesterday by Mr. Foote, requesting the President to have certain interrogatories propounded to a former Secretary of War answered by the present Secretary.

Mr. Foote demanded the question; which being ordered, the motion was lost.

Mr. Smith of North Carolina, from the Committee on Rules and Officers of the House, to whom was referred

A resolution inquiring as to the expediency of adopting a rule that no bill should be put on its passage until printed and distributed, unless by a two-thirds vote,

reported a resolution, with the recommendation that it pass; which is as follows, to wit:

No bill or joint resolution shall be put on its passage except by a vote of two-thirds of the members present, until the same has been printed and distributed;

which was read and laid over under the rules.

Mr. Holt, from the Committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred

A resolution in relation to the production and purchase of cotton, reported a bill to provide additional means for the prosecution of the war by the purchase of cotton; which was read the first and second times and placed upon the Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Garnett, from the same committee, to whom was referred sundry bills in relation to the tariff, reported the same back, asked to be discharged from the further consideration of the same, and that the bills lie upon the table: which was agreed to.

Mr. Garnett, from the same committee, also reported

A bill to admit imports duty free, except such as may be imported from the United States of America;

which was read the first and second times.

The rules were suspended, and the bill was taken up.