Skip Skip PETITIONS and MEMORIALS.R. CONNESS. Ipresent the petition of many 1,000s of the working men and trades societies of the city of SanFrancise o, California, addressed to the Senate and HoRep of the U.S.A., in which they say: “ We, the undersigned  citizens of the State of Californi respectfully pra that you will be leasedto enact that 8 hours shall be the period xed for a legal days work of labor.as to all workmen Iartisans or laborers in the employof the U.S. an that us weights. measures. 860., have been fixc and ascertained by law. you will, in like manner and spirit, fix the number of hours at 8. which shall constitute a legal days labor." I simply desire to say, Mr. President, in connection with the presentation of this petition, that the subject was before the Legislature of California on a like ctition to this, and it was believed for a length of time by the workmen of that State that favorable action would he had upon it. I doubt not that State action is the more legitimate mode of arriving at this result than Federal action; but it will be observed that the otition only asks that a law be passed to fix the hours otylahor which shall constitute a legal days work in the employment of the U.S. I desire to say in addition, on presenting this petition an I speak from a loan experience, that I fully believe labor wouId be as profitable to the whole nation if 8 hours constituted a legal days work as now that ten hours mostly do so, because I believe that the labor which could be and would then be performed in 8 hours would be fully the equiv alent of the abor that is generally performed now inten hours. I present the petition and move its reference to the ComNavAffrs, to whom a like ctition, I believe, has heretofore been referred? The motion was agreed to. Mr. SUMNER. I offer a memorial of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts addressed to the Senate and HoRep, in congress assembled, and praying Congress to reim urse certain moneys expended by Massachusetts for the common defense. "his me morial, which is somewhat claborate, sets forth at length the occasion on which these moneys were expended by Massachusetts and why Massachusetts undertook to expend them, and the consequent liability of the U.S. to reimburse them; and it concludes as follows: “ The government of Massachusetts under instructions from the General Government actedwith all its accustomedvigor and liberality, and may now justly call upon the parental authorities of the general oUfnion for the measure 0fequity in reimbursement. which the CXEOCHIUOD was raised by their own promise. The ommonwealth of Massachusetts. therefore. rough its Legislature, respectfully asks that Congr ss ivill pass an act to provide for the refunding by the General Government of the expenditures made by Massachusetts as herein stated and explained." This memorial is duly authenticated by the officers of the Legislature. I offer it and move its reference to the ComMilAffrs ; and at the same time, as it is a memorial from a State, Ipresume that if it does not some positively Within the rule of the Senate, I shafl) not go too far if I ask that it be printed. The memorial was ordered to be printed, and referred to the ComMilAffrs . Mr. HARRIS. I present the petition of William Sypliax, who represents that some 40 years ago the late Mr. Custis, of Arling ton, gave to his mother, Maria Syphax, on manumitting her, a piece of land of 15 acres; and he asks that Congress may confirm the title to that piece of ground to his mother and her heirs. I move that the etition be referred to the ComPrivLandClms. The motion was agreed to. Mr. WILSON. I present the memorial of the Sons of Temperance and Good Templars of Worcester, Massachusetts, in which they set forth that they are members of an organization of 250,000 persons in the U.S., and they go on to speak of the evils brought upon the country, in e public service, civil, militar, and naval, by intox ication; and they ask Congress to pass a law providin that intoxication shall work a dismissal O an public officer in the civil, Military, or uava service of the country. I move the reference of the memorial to the ComJudiciary. The motion was agreed to. Mr. CHANDLER presented a petition of citizens of Midland, Michigan, praying for a grant of land to aid in the construction of a railroad from Sa naw to some point on Lake Michigan in the direction of Bay do No uette and in the Grand Traverse reon; whi was referred to the comPubLands. Mr. JOHNSON. I present a memorial from 95 citizens of the counties of Dorset and Somerset, in Maryland, statin that they were assessed by General Lockwoo in several 1,000 dollars for the purpose of rebuilding a church that had been urned, and with the burning of which they say they had nothing to do. I move its reference to the ComClaims. The motion was agreed to. Mr. VANWINKLE presented 6 memorials from citizens of Alexandria city and county Virginia, remonstratingAgainst the proposed retroccssion of that county to the DistCol; which were referred to the ComDistCol. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.