The following message was received from the Senate:

MR. SPEAKER-I am directed to inform your honorably body that the Senate has adopted the following resolution, in which the concurrence of the House is asked:

Resolved by the Senate, the House concurring, That the Joint Committee to investigate the condition of certain swamp land indemnity warrants, forwarded to the Executive office, be and they are hereby instructed to take the testimony in writing, and report the same to this General Assembly, in addition to finding of the facts as contemplated by the concurrent resolution under which said committee was appointed.

I am further directed to inform your honorable body that the Senate has adopted the following resolution in which the concurrence of the House is asked:

WHEREAS, The 37th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry was in the military service nearly three years, and all that time doing arduous and useful duty for their country, and

WHEREAS, A portion of said regiment were discharged for disability and were paid their full bounty promised them, whilst those remaining until the rebellion was crushed, received no bounty, but instead, the installment of twenty-five dollars received as bounty money when they were mustered into the service was deducted from their pay, therefore be it

Resolved, by the General Assembly of Iowa, That our Represen tatives in Congress be requested, and our Senators instructed, to use their utmost endeavors to procure the passage of an act giving those noble men bounties equal to any other volunteers.

2. That a copy of this resolution be forwarded by the Secretary of State to each of our Senators and Representatives in Congress at the earliest practicable period.

I am further directed to inform your honorable body that the Senate has concurred in the House resolution to hold a joint convention on Saturday, January 13, at 11 o'clock a. m., for the purpose of electing U. S. Senators.

I am further directed to inform your honarable body that the Senate has concurred in the House resolution to request the Governor to communicate with the Secretary of War in relation to the immediate muster-out of service of the 1st Iowa Cavalry and such other lowa Regiments or Companies whose services can be dispensed with.

I am further directed to inform your honorable body that the Senate has concurred in the House amendment to the concurrent resolution appointing a committee to investigate the alleged diversion of the Swamp Land Indemnity Fund, authorizing said committee to employ a Clerk.

I am further directed to inform your honorable body that the Senate has ordered the printing of 2,000 copies of the Governor's message in the English language, 1,000 copies in the Norwegian

language, 1,000 copies in the German language, and 500 copies in the Swedish language. J. W. DIXON, Secretary. Mr. Wilcox, moved to expunge from the journal so much of the proceedings as refer to the "knife" resolution.

The motion did not prevail.

PETITIONS.

Mr. Wilson of Dubuque, presented a petition from George Highley, praying for relief.

Referred to the Committee on claims.

Mr. Tisdale presented a petition from citizens of Chickasaw county, asking for an increase in the pay and jurisdiction of County Judges.

Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Mr. Sapp presented the petition of Adjutant-General N. B. Baker, asking for a revision of his claims and for a settlement with the A. & Chicago R. R.

Referred to Committee on military affairs.

Mr. Tracy presented a petition and remonstrance from sundry citizens of Orcutt township, Grundy county, asking for the passage of an act restraining stock from running at large. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Mr. Clark presented a petition from the Supervisors of Tama county, asking for power to levy a higher rate of bridge tax. Referred to the Committee on County and Township organiza

tion.

Mr. Bereman presented a petition of sundry citizens of Henry county, asking for the passage of an act regulating the collection of certain taxes.

Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Mr. Gamble presented a petition of teachers in Marion county, asking for an increase of pay for County Superintendents. Referred to Committee on Common Schools.

Mr. Thorne presented a resolution adopted by the City Council of the city of Clinton.

Referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. Morgan presented a petition of sundry citizens of Keokuk, asking for the passage of an act requiring a transfer book to be kept in each county.

Referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Mr. Serrin presented sundry Railroad petitions.

Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Mr. DeForrest presented a preamble and resolutions from the Board of Supervisors of Johnson county.

Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Mr. Thorne presented a preamble and resolution from the Board of Supervisors of Clinton county.

Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Mr. McKean presented a petition from certain citizens of Jones county, asking for the amendment of section 2241 of the Code of Iowa.

Referred to Committee on County and Township Organization. Mr. McNutt presented a petition from the Board of Supervisors of Muscatine county, asking for an act allowing the transfer of the relief fund of that county to the general county fund.

Referred to a committee consisting of the members from Muscatine and Louisa counties.

By leave, Mr. McNutt presented the following report from the Committee on Credentials:

The Committee on Credentials beg leave to report that they have examined the credentials of Mr. Douglass Leffingwell, a member elect from the 46th District, and find the same correct.

SAMUEL MCNUTT, Chairman. The report of the committee was adopted, and Mr. Leffingwell took and subscribed to the oath prescribed by the Constitution, and was admitted as a member of the House.

RESOLUTIONS.

Mr. Flanders offered the following resolution, which was laid over under the rule:

Resolved, That His Excellency, Governor Wm. M. Stone, be respectfully requested to furnish to this House such information as he may possess, or the records and correspondence of his office may show, touching the gross outrages and cruelty which have been inflicted, as punishments, upon members of the First Iowa Cavalry, or of any other Iowa regiment, contrary to the Regulations and Articles of War, by order of Major-General Custar, or any other officer of the U. S. Army, who has been in command of Iowa regiments now or recently in the United States service.

Mr. Finkbine offered the following resolution, which was adopted: Resolved, That the Speaker be authorized to separate the Standing Committees on "Schools and State University," and appoint a separate Standing Committee on each.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS.

Mr. Bennett introduced H. F. No. 3, A Bill for an Act fixing the time for holding Courts in the Sixth Judicial District.

Read first and second time, and referred to committee of the members from that district.

Mr. Burnett introduced H. F. No. 4, A bill for an Act to legalize

the action of the Board of Directors of the District Township of the city of Muscatine.

Read first and second times and referred to the Commitee on County and Township Organization.

Mr. Burnett introduced H. F. No. 5, A bill for an Act to confirm and legalize the acts of M. Block, a Notary Public.

Read first and second times and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Mr. Knox introduced H. F. No. 6, A bill for an Act defining the duties of the Register of the State Land Office.

Read first and second times and referred to Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Sapp introduced H. F. No. 7, A bill for an Act to amend an Act to define the time of holding Courts in the Third Judicial District. Read first and second times and referred to a select committee, consisting of Messrs. Sapp, Hale, Linderman, Huggins, and Sipple.

Mr. Holden, by leave, introduced the following concurrent resolution, and moved its adoption :

WHEREAS, A consistent regard for the principles of Republican Liberty, upon which our system of government is based, requires that the full privileges and rights of the citizen should be equally bestowed and accessible to all men; and,

WHEREAS, During the late civil war the colored residents of our State have voluntarily and generously contributed their efforts to the support of the Union cause, and have earned for themselves the right to an equal enjoyment of the liberties which are continued to us through the services of our soldiery; and,

WHEREAS, The constitutional prohibition of slavery having been adopted, it is now particularly fitting that we should discard political proscription, and make all men equal before the law; therefore,

Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, That an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa be proposed, to-wit: That from Section one of Article two, of said Constitution, the word "white" be stricken out, which proposed amendment is hereby referred to the next General Assembly for its approval. Mr. Darwin moved to refer it to the Committee on Constitutional Amendments. The motion prevailed, and the resolution was so referred.

Mr. Mills introduced a resolution as follows:

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, That we, the Representatives of the People of the State of Iowa, urge upon the attention of Congress the importance and justice of making the bounty of soldiers who enlisted in the army to put down the rebellion in answer to early calls, equal to that of soldiers who enlisted under calls near the close of the war; and we earnestly entreat Congress to make such enactments as will secure

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even justice all tosoldiers who enlisted under the various calls of the Government; and

Be it further ordered, That copies of this resolution be forwarded to our Senators and Representatives in Congress.

The resolution was adopted.

Mr. Wilson introduced the following preamble and resolution, and moved its adoption:

WHEREAS, No State can Constitutionally secede from the American Union, and all acts of secession are null and void from the beginning; and,

WHEREAS, It follows that no one of the States lately in rebellion against this Goverment has ever been out of the Union, but its relations thereto have only been suspended; and,

WHEREAS, The speedy restoration of the suspended relations of those States is a matter of paramount importance to the country, involving its peace and harmony, and the perpetuity of the Federal Union; and,

WHEREAS, The reconstruction policy of the President of the United States is wise. prudent, and promotive of these objects;

Resolved, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly of the State of Iowa hereby approves the same, and condemns the doctrine of State suicide, and the reduction of any State to Territorial vassalage.

On motion of Mr. Hale the resolution was referred to the Committee on Federal Relations.

Mr. Sapp introduced the following resolution, and moved its adoption:

Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Iowa, That the arch-traitor Jefferson Davis, ex-President of the so-called Southern Confederacy, is guilty of the highest crime known to the Constitution and laws of the United States, and in the opinion of the loyal people of this State, is not a fit subject for clemency, and in our opinion, it is due to the living and the dead, that he should expiate his crimes upon the scaffold.

Mr. Ballinger offered the following amendment: "Provided the same can be so done in accordance with law, and the usage of civilized nations."

Mr. McNutt offered the following amendment to the amend

ment:

Strike out the word "provided" and insert in lieu thereof the words "inasmuch as."

Mr. Bennett moved the previous question, which was seconded, and the question "shall the main question be now put?" was decided in the affirmative. Upon the adoption of the amendment to the amendment, the yeas and nays were demanded and ordered, and were as follows:

The yeas were Messers. Abernethy, Abbott, Alcorn, Barnes, Belt, Bereman, Bennett, Boomer, Brown of Louisa, Brown of