e had any connection with his army
service.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _May 19, 1888_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

I return without approval House bill No. 4580, entitled "An act granting
a pension to Farnaren Ball."

In the report of the committee to which this bill was referred the name
of this beneficiary is given as "Farnaren Ball," and in a report from
the Pension Bureau it is insisted that the correct name is "Tamezen
Ball."

Her son, Augustus F. Coldecott, was pensioned for disease of the lungs
up to the time of his death, which occurred June 2, 1872.

The cause of his death was an overdose of laudanum, and whether it was
taken by mistake or design is uncertain.

The mother is not entirely destitute, deriving an income, though small,
from the interest upon a mortgage given to her upon a sale of some real
estate.

The proofs with which I have been furnished fail to satisfy me that the
Government should grant a pension on account of death produced by a
self-administered narcotic in the circumstances which surround this
case.

As a general proposition I see nothing unjust or unfair in holding that
if a pensioner is sick and through ignorance or design takes laudanum
without the direction or regulation of a physician the Government should
not be held responsible for the consequences.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _May 26, 1888_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

I return without approval House bill No. 339, entitled "An act for the
relief of J.E. Pilcher."

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to pay to the party
named therein the sum of $905, being the amount of one bond of $100 and
$805 in paper money of the Republic of Texas.

It is directed, however, that this money be paid out of the Texas
indemnity fund.

This fund was created under a law passed on the 28th day of February,
1855, appropriating the sum of $7,750,000 to pay certain claims against
the Republic of Texas. By the terms of said law a certain time was fixed
within which such claims were to be presented to the Treasury
Department.

Between the passage of said act and the year 1870 the sum of
$7,648,786.73 was paid upon said claims, leaving of the money
appropriated an unexpended balance of $101,213.27.

This balance was on the 30th day of June, 1877, carried to the surplus
fund and covered into the Treasury, pursuant to section 5 of chapter 328
of the laws of 1874.

Thu