ver more than 2 miles
below, at Twenty-third street, would be very serious impediments. If
this thoroughfare, so important to the commerce of the country and the
State of New York, is to be crossed by bridges, each scheme for that
purpose should be considered by itself and its merits and advisability
determined by the circumstances which naturally belong to it. The
objection to piers in the river for the purpose of supporting bridges is
in any event so serious that the considerations which would determine
the question of a bridge located at Sixty-sixth street ought not in
such an indirect manner as is done by this bill be applied to a like
structure at Twenty-third street.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _March 29, 1894_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

I return without my approval House bill No. 4956, entitled "An act
directing the coinage of the silver bullion held in the Treasury, and
for other purposes."

My strong desire to avoid disagreement with those in both Houses of
Congress who have supported this bill would lead me to approve it if I
could believe that the public good would not be thereby endangered and
that such action on my part would be a proper discharge of official
duty. Inasmuch, however, as I am unable to satisfy myself that the
proposed legislation is either wise or opportune, my conception of the
obligations and responsibilities attached to the great office I hold
forbids the indulgence of my personal desire and inexorably confines me
to that course which is dictated by my reason and judgment and pointed
out by a sincere purpose to protect and promote the general interests of
our people.

The financial disturbance which swept over the country during the last
year was unparalleled in its severity and disastrous consequences. There
seemed to be almost an entire displacement of faith in our financial
ability and a loss of confidence in our fiscal policy. Among those who
attempted to assign causes for our distress it was very generally
conceded that the operation of a provision of law then in force which
required the Government to purchase monthly a large amount of silver
bullion and issue its notes in payment therefor was either entirely or
to a large extent responsible for our condition. This led to the repeal
on the 1st day of November, 1893, of this statutory provision.

We had, however, fallen so low in the depths of depression and timidity
and apprehension had so completel