Skip Skip PETITIONS and MEMORIALS.R. GRIMES. I present the petition of J. E. Johnson, who prays Congress that the homestead law and all pree mption laws of the U.S., except such as are provided in the freedmens Bureau bill now pending before Congress, shall be suspended for the period of ten years, and he further prays that warrants for 320 acres of land he issued to all soldiers, their widows, or heirs, who enlisted for 3 years prior to July 23, 1863, and who, did not accept of the veteran bounty. I move that it be reerred to the ComPubLands. The motion was agreed to. Mr. GRIMES. I also present a memorial of the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, praing Congress to establish certain mail routes an to pass a law declaring the Des Moines river and Turkey river in that State, so faras it runs between the town of El Dorado, in Fayette county, and the junction of the Volga with the Turkey river, to be not navigable streams. I move its reference to the ComCommerce. The motion was agreed to. Mr. LANE, of Kansas, presented a resolution of the Legislature of the State of Kansas in favor of a grant to that State for the use of common schools of the 16th and 36th sections on the Indian reservations or an equivalent thereto from the publiclands; which was referred to the ComPubLands, and ordered to be printed. Mr. WILLEY. I present a memorial of 12 citizens of Stafford county, Virginia, setting forth that the have always been 10al and true to the U.S. Government; at during the occupation of that county by the Federal forces they furnished divers supplies to the Army. They pray that congress will, at an early date, grant such needful legislation as will enable them to audit their accounts, and to provide compensation. for them either now or at such time as Congress shall deem proper. As a kindred matter has been referre to the ComJudiciary, I ask that this memorial be referred to that committee. It was so referred. Mr. COWAN presented a petition of manufacturers of agricultural implements, praying for a reduction of the taxes upon sales of agricultural implements; which was referred to the ComFinance. He also presented the petition of Dr. William Schmoele, praying for the suspension or repeal of the homestead act, and for the passage of a law by which the price of our public lands be graduated and the minimum price fixed at 5 or 6 dollars peracre, and that the amount thus realized be dedicated to the payment of the national debt; which was reerred to the ComFinance. Mr. HOWE. I ask leave to present the ctition of David Burdick, of West Milton, in Visconsin, dated the 3d of February, 1866, in which he respectfully requests the Senate and HoRep to spend no more time in discussing the theory whether the rebellious States are in or out of the Union, and that we spend no more time in talking of amendments to the constitution, for it will take a long time to secure such amendments, bad, if made as am is and pure as could be innde by angels, an e ement exists among traitors that would jump over any constitution, as in the case of the late rebellion; and that we imme diately use our power to protect the loyal from oppression and put a stop to the shedding of innocent blood. I am not in a situation which enables me to say exactly that I indorse the whole of this petition, but I present it, and move that it be referred to the foint ComReconstruction. The motion was agreed to. Mr. SUMNER. I present a memorial of citizens of Massachusetts, in which they set forth that the constitution of the U.S. prescribes that the U.S shall guaranty to every State a RFG; and they entreat congress, in the execution of that power, to proceed to secure a RFG, which, in the opinion of these petitioners is a realization of the principles of the DeclarIndep. ask the reference of this memorial t9 the JtComReconstruction. It was so referred. Mr. SUMNER. I also have, sir, a petition which coiucs from the State convention of the colored citizens of the State of Mississippi, as sembled at Vicksbur, on the 22d of November, 1865, in which they respectfully set forth their grievances, and call upon Congress to interfere for their protection by providing for them the safeguards promised in the DeclarIndep, and, in other ways, securing to them the guarantee of a RFG. Iris accompauie by a series of resolutions adopted by that convention. I ask their reference to the JtComReconstruction. It was so ordered. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.