demands of the service in any particular case, and it certainly
may be assumed that they desire to properly accommodate the public in
the matter of postal facilities. When the appropriation is sufficient,
the decision of the Department should be final; and when the money in
hand does not admit of adequate allowances, postmasters should only be
reimbursed money voluntarily expended by them when recommended by the
Postmaster-General.

Any other course leads to the expenditure of money by postmasters for
work which they should do themselves and to the employment of clerks
which are unnecessary. The least encouragement that they may be repaid
such expenditure by a special appropriation would dangerously tend to
the substitution of their judgment for that of the Department and to the
relaxation of wholesome discipline.

I think, when the application of Mr. Worden for an increase in his
allowances was twice declined for any cause during the year covering his
present demand, that if he made personal expenditures for clerk hire,
and especially if he did so without the encouragement of the Department,
they were made at his own risk. It appears, too, that the amount of his
claim is larger than can be justified in any event.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

The time allowed the Executive by the Constitution for the examination
of bills presented to him by Congress for his action expired in the case
of the bill herewith returned on Saturday, May 19. The Senate adjourned
or took a recess on Thursday afternoon, May 17, until to-day, the 21st
of May.

On the day of said recess or adjournment the above message, disapproving
said bill and accompanying its return to the Senate, where it
originated, was drawn, and on May 18 was engrossed and signed. On
Saturday, the 19th of May, the Senate not being in session, the message
and the bill were tendered to the Secretary of the Senate, who declined
to receive them, and thereupon they were on the same day tendered to the
President of the Senate, who also declined to receive the same, both of
these officials claiming that the return of said bill and the delivery
of said message could only properly be made to the Senate when in actual
session.

They are therefore transmitted as soon as the Senate reconvenes after
its recess, with this explanation.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

[May 22 the Senate proceeded, as the Constitution prescribes, to
reconsider the said bill returned by the President of the United