gain return the bill under consideration without approval.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

[Footnote 31: See pp. 469-470.]

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _January 18, 1889_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

I return without approval House bill No. 9296, entitled "An act granting
a pension to Bridget Carroll."

This bill proposes to pension the beneficiary therein named as the
dependent mother of Patrick Carroll, who was enrolled as a sergeant in
the Regular Army in 1881, this being, as it is stated, his second term
of enlistment.

In September, 1886, being absent from his command at Fort Warren, Mass.,
he was drowned while sailing in a small boat with two companions.

The beneficiary is aged and in need of assistance, but there is no
pretense that the soldier's death was in the least degree related to his
military service.

I am sure no one could fail to be gratified by an opportunity to join in
according aid to this dependent old mother of a faithful soldier, but I
can not believe that such a departure as is proposed should be made from
the just principles upon which pension legislation ought to be
predicated.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _January 18, 1899_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

I return without approval House bill No. 9175, entitled "An act granting
a pension to George Wallen."

The beneficiary named in this bill filed an application for pension in
June, 1873, alleging as his disability a fracture of his right arm.

In a subsequent affidavit filed in 1883 he alleged deafness, which
appears to be the disability upon which the special act proposed for his
relief is based.

The records establish that he enlisted July 27, 1861, that he deserted
April 25, 1862, and returned February 20, 1863, after an absence of
about ten months, and that he deserted again April 30, 1864, and
returned prior to August 31, 1864. I am informed that his record shows
two enlistments and desertion during each. He was discharged December
31, 1864.

An application to remove the charge of desertion against him was denied.

Without especially discussing the question of disability chargeable to
military service, it seems to me that a soldier with such a record
should not be pensioned.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _January 31, 1889_.

_To the Senate_:

I return without approval Senate bill No. 3264, entitled "An act
granting a pension to Mrs. Ellen Hand."

The husband of the beneficiary name