y legislation as is proposed could hardly fail to
provoke retaliatory measures, to the injury of many of our citizens who
now find employment on adjoining foreign soil.

The uncertainty of construction to which the language of these
provisions is subject is a serious objection to a statute which
describes a crime. An important element in the offense sought to be
created by these sections is the coming "regularly or habitually into
the United States." These words are impossible of definite and certain
construction. The same may be said of the equally important words
"returning from time to time to a foreign country."

A careful examination of this bill has convinced me that for the reasons
given and others not specifically stated its provisions are
unnecessarily harsh and oppressive, and that its defects in construction
would cause vexation and its operation would result in harm to our
citizens.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

POCKET VETOES.

["An act granting a pension to Mrs. Mary Gould Carr, widow of the late
Brigadier and Brevet Major General Joseph B. Carr, United States
Volunteers, deceased."]

DECEMBER 30, 1896.

This bill was presented to me on the 16th day of December, 1896.
Congress, pursuant to a concurrent resolution adopted by both Houses of
Congress, adjourned from the 22d day of December, 1896, to January 5,
1897. I have not approved the bill.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

"An act to increase the pension of Caroline A. Hough, widow of
Brigadier-General John Hough."

DECEMBER 31, 1896.

This bill was presented to me on the 16th day of December, 1896.
Congress, pursuant to a concurrent resolution adopted by both Houses of
Congress, adjourned from the 22d day of December, 1896, to January 5,
1897. I have not approved the bill.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

PROCLAMATIONS.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas an act of Congress entitled "An act to adopt regulations for
preventing collisions at sea" was approved August 19, 1890, the said act
being in the following words:

_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled_, That the following
regulations for preventing collisions at sea shall be followed by all
public and private vessels of the United States upon the high seas and
in all waters connected therewith navigable by seagoing vessels:

PRELIMINARY.

In the following rul