Skip Skip PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS. Mr. WILLEY. I have a petition of 553 citizens of Harper's Ferry and vicinity, asking speedy action on the bill for the sale of the Government interests at Harper's Ferry, in WestVirginia. At the last session I had the honor to introduce a resolution making inquiry of the War Dept whether it was the purpose of that Dept to continue the manufacture of arms any longer at Harper's Ferry. The SecyWar referred the resolution to the ordnance dept, who reported that it was not the intention of that dept any longer to use the property and water power there for the purposes of the Government, and recommended that a sale be made of the U.S. property at that place. A bill was prepared and referred to the ComMilAffrs, and by them reported, providing for the sale of the property at that place. It has not been acted upon, and I desire now to attract, if the chair man of that committee please, his attention to this petition, so numerously signed, asking speedy action on that bill. I move that the petition lie on the table. The motion was agreed to. Mr. MORGAN Presented a memorial of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of NewYork, remonstrating against the passage of House bill No. 718, to provide increased revenue from imports, and for other purposes; which was referred to the ComFinance. He also Presented a petition of ship builders, ship owners, merchants, and others, of NewYork, praying that the law be so amended as to allow the sale and employment of American vessels to friendly belligerents; which was referred to the ComCommerce. Mr. CHANDLER Presented the petition of. Levi C. Casson, praying to be allowed a pension in consequence of a wound received while protecting the postoffice in Dexter, Michigan, from being robbed; which was referred to the ComCommerce. Mr. YATES. I Present the petition of Mary Loup, whose husband, was killed by rebels in the NewOrleans riot of July 30, 1866, praying for relief. Mr. President, as this case in its application is somewhat peculiar I will make a statement of the facts in regard to it for the consideration of the Senate. The husband of the petitioner for 3 wears had been in the U.S. Army. He was a southern man. He had raised a company under great difficulties without any U.S. bounty, and served faithfully, as I have stated, for 3 years, and was Present at the convention in NewOrleans on the 30th of July, 1866, as a mere spectator, taking no part whatever in the transactions of that convention. While there, and because he had been true and faithful to the Union as a brustoaulltyhern man, he was attacked and most and inhumanly murdered. The details of the tragedy ini. case are unequaled by any in that horrible massacre which sent a shudder throughout the world. He left at his death a widow and 2 children in a most deplorable state of destitution and poverty, and yet of the very highest respectability. Sir, I hope to see the time come when all men shall know, and especially when the rebels in the southern States, where murders are frequent, and where men for the mere exPression of opinion are denounced and assassinated, shall understand, when from the highest officer in the Government down to the lowest it shall be understood, that the Government of the U.S. extends its protection over all the widows and orphans of the Union soldiers and all those who have died in the Union service. I hope when this question comes up, as this is a marked case, and as I believe every Union sufferer during that riot