The cause of the soldier's death was yellow fever. There is in my mind
no doubt of this fact, and the attempt to establish any other cause of
death, if successful, would go far toward fixing a precedent for the
rejection of all evidence which stood in the way of a claim for pension.

The bill herewith returned is disapproved for the reason that the death
of the soldier had no relation to his military service, and I do not
think there should be a discrimination in favor of this applicant and
against many thousands of widows fully as well entitled.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _June 18, 1888_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

I return without approval House bill No. 5522, entitled "An act for the
relief of Elijah Martin."

By this bill it is proposed to increase the pension now paid to the
beneficiary therein named, who was a soldier in the War of 1812, from $8
to $20 per month.

Prior to May 22, 1888, an application was made for reimbursement of the
expenses attending the last sickness and burial of this pensioner, and
on the day mentioned such application was transmitted to the proper
auditing officer for adjustment.

I have no other information of the death of this soldier, but as his age
is stated in the report of the House committee to be 87 years, and as
there can hardly be a mistake as to the identity of the person named in
the application mentioned, I am satisfied that the beneficiary has died
since the introduction of the bill for his relief.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _June 19, 1888_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

I return without approval House bill No. 488, entitled "An act granting
a pension to Elizabeth Burr."

It is proposed by this bill to grant a pension to the beneficiary
therein named as the widow of William Burr, who enlisted for one hundred
days in 1864 and was discharged on the 3d day of September in that year.

He is reported as present on all roll calls during his service. He died
April 7, 1867, of dropsy, never having made any application for a
pension.

His widow filed an application for pension in 1880, thirteen years after
the soldier's death, alleging that the disease of which he died, claimed
to be dropsy, was contracted in the service.

The claim was rejected by the Pension Bureau on the ground that the
dropsy causing his death was not due to his military service, but that
he was subject to the same before his enlistment.

I am