, and sentence of the
court-martial were approved by the President, who ordered the sentence
to be executed; and on the 13th day of October, 1877, in pursuance
thereof, Lieutenant Eugene Wells was dismissed from the service.

Since that time repeated efforts have been made to vacate this judgment
and restore the dismissed officer to the service. While a number of
committees in Congress have made reports favorable to such action, at
least two committees have recommended a denial of legislative relief.
Both of these reports were made on behalf of House Committees on
Military Affairs by distinguished soldiers, who, after patient
examination and with an inclination to be not only just but generous to
a fellow-soldier, were constrained to recommend a refusal of the
application for restoration. One of these reports was made to the
Forty-seventh and the other to the Forty-ninth Congress.

I am impressed with the belief that legislation of the kind proposed is
of extremely doubtful expediency in any save very exceptional cases, and
I am thoroughly convinced by the facts now before me that the discipline
and efficiency of our Army, as well as justice to its meritorious
members, do not permit my approval on any ground of the bill herewith
returned.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _August 11, 1894_.

_To the Senate_:

I hereby return without my approval Senate bill No. 1438, entitled
"An act for the relief of Louis A. Yorke."

In the year 1886 the beneficiary named in this bill was a passed
assistant paymaster in the Navy. In December of that year he appeared
before a naval examining board convened pursuant to law for the purpose
of passing upon his fitness to be promoted to the grade of paymaster.

The investigation of the board was conducted fairly and thoroughly. Much
of the evidence relating to the candidate's moral fitness for promotion
was documentary, and the examination touching his professional
competency was of the usual character in such cases.

Considerable evidence was before the board showing quite a large amount
of personal indebtedness owing by the candidate, and it appeared that
in a few instances his accounts with the Navy Department had not been
promptly settled. It was also shown that he had not at all times
deposited the Government money intrusted to his care in the places
required by law and the regulations of the Navy. In connection with his
personal indebtedness incidents and circumsta