To the House of Representatives:[92]

House bill No. 3341[93] is herewith returned without my approval, for the reasons, first, that it appropriates from the Treasury a large sum of money at a time when the revenue is insufficient for current wants and this proposed further drain on the Treasury.  The issue of bonds, authorized by the bill to a very large and indefinite amount, would seriously embarrass the refunding operations now progressing, whereby the interest of the bonded debt of the United States is being largely reduced.  Second, I do not believe that any considerable portion of the ex-soldiers who, it is supposed, will be beneficiaries of this appropriation are applicants for it, but, rather, it would result more in a measure for the relief of claim agents and middlemen who would intervene to collect or discount the bounties granted by it.  The passage of this bill at this time is inconsistent with the measures of economy now demanded by the necessities of the country.

U.S.  GRANT.

[Footnote 92:  Pocket veto.  This message was written in the President’s room at the Capitol, but failed to reach the House of Representatives before the final adjournment of Congress.  The original is filed at the Executive Mansion.]

[Footnote 93:  “An act to equalize the bounties of soldiers who served in the late war for the Union.”]

[The following messages were sent to the special session of the Senate convened by proclamation (see p. 324) of February 17, 1875.]

SPECIAL MESSAGES.

WASHINGTON, March 8, 1875.

To the Senate of the United States: 

I nominate in the Medical Department, Army of the United States,
Benjamin F. Pope, assistant surgeon, to rank from May 14, 1867.

Note.—­October 5, 1870, Assistant Surgeon B.F.  Pope, United States Army, applied for discharge to date December 31, 1870, under section 3, act of July 15, 1870.

By letter from the Adjutant-General’s Office, War Department, November 2, 1870, he was informed he could not be discharged as requested, as the President had decided staff officers did not come under the provisions of the act.

Subsequently the President decided that staff officers who applied and could be spared could go out under the act.  Accordingly, Assistant Surgeon Pope was discharged, on his original application, to date December 31, 1870, by special order of that date, this because time did not permit to communicate with him, and the belief that his desire to leave the service was unchanged.

He drew a year’s pay and mileage under the order, came to Washington, and on May 19, 1871, applied for revocation of the order of discharge on the ground that, having been officially notified of disapproval, he had made arrangements to remain in service.  Forwarded by the Surgeon-General recommended.  Disapproved by the Secretary of War May 23, 1871.