CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, June 28, 1884.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I transmit herewith a communication from the Secretary of the Interior, calling attention to certain omissions, etc., in the act (H.R. 1340) entitled “An act to establish a Bureau of Labor Statistics,” and invite the attention of the Congress to the same.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, June 30, 1884.

To the House of Representatives:

I transmit herewith, in compliance with resolutions of the House of Representatives respectively dated March 22 and April 19, 1884, a report from the Secretary of State, communicating information in regard to moneys received from Venezuela under the treaty of April 25, 1866, and their distribution to holders of awards by the Department of State.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, July 3, 1884.

To the Senate of the United States:

I transmit herewith, in response to a resolution of the Senate of the 11th of February last, a report of the Secretary of State, relative to the papers on file in the Department of State touching the unsettled claims of citizens of the United States against France for spoliations prior to July 31, 1801.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, July 7, 1884.

To the House of Representatives:

In compliance with the concurrent resolution of the Senate and House of Representatives of the 5th instant, I return herewith House bill 6770, entitled “An act making appropriations for the consular and diplomatic service of the Government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, and for other purposes.”

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

VETO MESSAGE.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, July 2, 1884.

To the House of Representatives:

After careful consideration of the bill entitled “An act for the relief of Fitz John Porter,” I herewith return it with my objections to that House of Congress in which it originated.  Its enacting clause is in terms following: 

That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint Fitz John Porter, late a major-general of the United States Volunteers and a brevet brigadier-general and colonel of the Army, to the position of colonel in the Army of the United States, of the same grade and rank held by him at the time of his dismissal from the Army by sentence of court-martial promulgated January 27, 1863. * * *

It is apparent that should this bill become a law it will create a new office which can be filled by the appointment of the particular individual whom it specifies, and can not be filled otherwise; or it may be said with perhaps greater precision of statement