The PRESIDENT m tempereThe Chair has also received and en requested to present to the Senate a petition of Benjamin Bowls, of Columbia, SCarolina. The petitioner de scribes himself as an old man, 93 years of age. He says that he was the owner of a house, with furniture and other property connected with it, at Columbia, worth at least 10,000 dollars, which was all the property he possessed, being the fruits of a long lilo of labor and industry, and that it was all do stroyed in a single night by the Army of the U.S., leaving him in a condition not able to buy a loaf of bread. He says that he has always been loyal to the Government of the U.S., has taken an oath to support the Constitution, and has never broken it;tat, during the days of nullifieation he suffered pe cuninrily for his devotion to the Union cause, and has never yielded in his devotion from that day to this. lhe last mntence of his petition is very short, and with the permission of the Senate the Chair will read iit " May the Grand Architect of the universe.who. by his wisdom. founded the earth and by His understandin established the heavenmsuperviseanddirect all the cliborutions and leirislntive netsofyonr honorable body to the total extermination from our prometestbordersof the evil spirit of strife discord and war and erect in its stead the beautiful temple of peace.harmony and friemhhip the U.S. ” The petitioner prays that Congress will make some provision for the loss that he has sustained. This petition, if there be no objection, will be referred to the ComClaims. Mr. WADE. I present a petition numer ously signed by citizens of Ohio, praying congress. gr]. Not to restore any State thathasrebelled and warred against the U.S. to its pllace in power as a governing partner in the iiion till adequate security has been obtained against its renewing the attempt to secede, c. H. Not to allow any distinction on account of color or descent in the laws or municipal regulations of the DistCol. H. To propose for ratification by the sev. eral States amendments to the Constitution, substantially as follows: 1. The Union of the U.S.A shall be perpetual., 2. If, by the constitution or laws of any State, persons are denied on account of their race or calm the right of voting equally with others, then those inhabitants of that race or color shall not be counted in determining its number of rereseutatives in Congress. 8. That the national faith of the Union shall be forever sacred, and any State which shall be hereafter admitted or restored to this Union shall thereby, as it becomes a partner in the national power and treasure, to assume its proportionate share of the national responsibilities, &c. 4. That no State which shall hereafter be admitted into this Union, or which may have attempted to withdraw from it, shall make any distinction in its constitution, laws or muni cipal regulations on account of color or de scent or an payments, either by the State or the U.S., for emancipated slaves. 5. Congress shall have power to enforce these articles by appropriate legislation. I move that this petition be referred to the ComReconstruction. The motion was agreed to. Mr. WILSON presented the petition of officers of the Dedham Institution for Savings, praying that savings banks or institutions for savings, having no capital and whose business is confined to receiving deposits and loaning the same on interest for the benefit of depos itors only, and which do no other business of banking, may be exempted from the payment of the internalrevenue tax upon deposits or otherwise; which was referred to the ComFinance. Mr. DOOLITTLE presented resolutions of the Legislature of IWisconsin in favor of a grant of lands to aid in the construction of a ship canal across the base of Kewenaw Point from Lake Superior to Portage Lake; which were referredto the comPubLands, and ordered to be printed. Mr. COWAN. I present the petition of divers citizens dwelling upon the banks of the Dela ware river, in which the set forth that the public piers at Marcus H00, on that river, are in a very dilapidated condition and need repairs. They therefore ray that an appropriation of $10,000 be may O to build 2 new piers, and $2,000 for the purpose of repairing the old wharves. I move that this petition be referred to the ComFinance. The motion was agreed to. Mr. COWAN. I also present a petition verynumerously signed by Singer & Co., of the She field Steel Works, acob Knapp, and others, praying Congress to pass such a tariff as will protect the national industry, replenish the national Treasury, and develop our vast national resources, makingus in fact, as well as in theory, a great, prosperous, and independent people. I move that this petition be referred to the ComFinance. The motion was agreed to. Mr. COWAN. I also present a petition signed by mechanics and laborers in American manufacturing establishments, and members of that great creative force whose hands built and equipped our Navy, and so plied the materials that armed, equipped, an kept the nations armies in the field, and literally saved its life. They pray the Senate and HoRep, in the discharge of their duty, to watch over and promote the interests of the people, to avert from them and their wives and children the misfortunes with which they are threatened, by amending the tariff so as to protect their labor to the extent of the differehce of the cost of ca ital and labor here and abroad, with the addition of the taxes iuid by American industrial products, from which the foreign are free. This petition is signed by David Reeves, J. P. McAllister, George H. Sellers, and others. I move the reference of this petition to the ComFinance. The motion was agreed to. Mr. COWAN. I have also another tition of the same import, sied by John H. uckly, Henry Riehl, illiam. Fordham, and others; also another signed by William Murray Neveil, George J. Neveil, John Boardman, and others; also another signed by James McBride, Daniel Keen. Cornelius T. Peacock, and others. I move that these petitions be also referred to the ComFinance. The motion was agreed to. Mr. SUMNER. I offer a petition of citizens of the U.S., respectfully praying congress not to restore any Statethat has been in rebellion, and warred against the Union, so that it shall become a governing artner in the Union until adequate security has conobtained for the future. The terms of securit desired by these petitioners are set forth in their petition. I ask its reference to the ComReconstruction. It was so referred. Mr. SUMNER. I also offer a petition of the members of the Park street church or congregation, in Boston, well known as one of the most important religious societies in Massachusetts, asking Congress so to legislate as will secure to every inhabitant of these U.S.equality before the law. I ask the reference of this petition to the ComReconstruction. It was so referred. Mr. MORGAN presented a petition of as sistant assessors of pthe 6th co ection district of NewYork, prayin for increased compensation; which was reerred to the ComFinance. Mr. HARRIS presented the memorial of J. B. Van Petten, late colonel and brevet brigadier general, praying for an amendment to the act of March 3, 1805, entitled “An act makings propriations for the support of the Army fort e year ending June 30, 1866, ” so as to include in the benefit of its provisions not only those officers in the U.S military service at that date, but also those who were mustered into the service subsequently and were discharged at the conclusion of the war; which was referred to the ComMilAffrs . Mr. BROWN. I present the petition of George S. Park, of Parkville, Missouri, in which he recites that in 1855 his press was thrown into the Missouririver, his property destroyed, his life threatened, and that he was driven from his home and country; that he appealed to the Governor of Missouri; that he said he had no power to act, but referred him back to the cir cuit judge and sheritl. The judge was a counselor and the sheriff a leader of the mob. He further states: “I then appealed to the POTUS He could find no power to prqteot me. I then found that our Government. while it iotccted the American citizeninforeign countries on ontheocean, utterly failed to protect life, liberty, and property from domestic violence and the infringementofj justice by local officers. Many similar outrages have occurred. Ihorcfore yourpetitioner respectfullyasksan amendment to the Constitution of the U.S. that will IilVQ the necessary powpr in such cases.compelling:11 officers, State and national. to protectevery American citizen, without regard to race or color, in everyright: or if such protection can besecured more fully, to authorise the appointment of who will be independent commissioncis oflocal influence, or in any other way your wisdom may dictate: so that every American citizen may feel and kiiow that the government of his country will hearhis voice and protect im and your petitioner Will everpray.” I move the reference of this petition to the ComJudiciary. The motion was agreed to. Mr. POMEROY presented the petition of James G. Clarke, praying for compensation for services and expenses as acting charge de afimres in Belgium, from June 11, 1857, to September 8, 1858; which was referred to the ComForRel. Mr. STEWART. I ask leave to present resolotions of the Legislature of the State of Nevada, instructing her Senators and requesting her Representatives to procure, if possible, the passage of an act by Congress prohibiting the Central Pacific Railroad Company, orany other railroad companythatma hereafterreceivedonations of public lands by congress inaid of its construction, from acquiring any right, title, or interest whatever to the minerals of whatever character except iron and coal, and asking that mineral lands may 1be held for prospecting and explo ration. will state "in connectionwith these resolutions, that I understand those reservations are substantiallyin all the laws that have been passed on the subject. However, I will ask that these resolutions be referred to the ComPacificRR. they were so referred. Mr. WILSON presented the petition of Daniel French, and 100 an 13 others, citizens of Waltham, Massachusetts, relative to the condition of the late rebel States, and praying for certain amendments to the Constitution and for the adoption of guarantees to prevent any State from a sin attempting to secede; which was referre to the JtComReconstruction. Mr. WILLEY presented the petition of J. F. Caldwell, praying for compensation for 4 ns alleged to have been taken from his house in 1862 by orderof General Crook; which was referred to the ComClaims. Mr. GRIMES presented resolutions adopted at a meeting of soldiers in Maren, Iowa county, Iowa, on the 5th day of 1 ebruary, 1866, in favor of an equalization of bounties; which were referred to the ComMilAffrs . Mr. CHANDLER presented the memorial of C. A. Sheldon, praying for the passage of an act authorizin him to register the bark Mary in the customouse at Detroit; which was referred to the ComCommerce. Mr. TRUMBULL presented the petition of U.S. asst assessors of the 1st district of Illinois, praying for an increase of their pay and allowances; which was referred to the ComFinance. Mr. JOHNSON. I present the Mrs. Serena McLaue who states that she is the widow of the late Captain George McLane, who was killed in 1860, in a battle with the Nevajo Indians in NewMexico. He was so distinguished in the war with Mexico that he was brevetled twice for gallant conduct. She states that her eusion, under the laws as they now stand, will expire during the present year, and she asks that the pension may be continued to her during her widowhood. She was left a widow with i 4 infant children, and represents herself entirely without the means of supporting them. I move that this petition be referred to the ComPensions. The motion was agreed to. PAPERS WITHDRAWN and REFERRED. On motion of