GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, February 5, 1895.

To the House of Representatives: 

I return herewith without approval House bill No. 5368, entitled “An act for the relief of H.W.  McConnell.”

The reports of both the Senate and House committees, which favorably reported this bill, disclose an intention to partially relieve the former postmaster at Jacksboro, in the State of Texas, from liability on account of two remittances of postal funds which he dispatched at different times during the year 1883 to be deposited at Dallas, in the same State, and which were lost by robberies of the stage conveying the same.  In dealing with the first remittance the committees report that the postmaster should be relieved of liability to the amount of only $94, the loss of the remainder of the money being chargeable to his neglect and violation of postal regulations.  As to the second remittance, the committees report that by reason of like neglect and violation of regulations the postmaster should be held responsible for the loss of all the money transmitted except the sum of $42.

For these two sums, amounting to $136, an appropriation is made for the benefit of H.W.  McConnell.

The name of the postmaster intended to be relieved is H.H.  McConnell, as appears by the records of the Post-Office Department.  The person to whom the money appropriated should be paid is therefore not correctly named in the bill.

An examination of this postmaster’s accounts discloses the further fact that the amount proposed to be appropriated for his relief is too large by $42, that being the sum allowed him by reason of the second stage robbery.  This item has already been credited to him in the adjustment of his accounts at the Post-Office Department, and the claim for its reimbursement has been thereby extinguished.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, February 12, 1895.

To the Senate: 

I return herewith without approval Senate bill No. 143, entitled “An act for the relief of the heirs of D. Fulford.”

This bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury “to redeem, in favor of the heirs at law of D. Fulford, four bonds of the United States, consols of 1867, of the denomination of $500, $100, $50, and $50, and known as five-twenties, said bonds having been destroyed by fire the 9th day of July, 1872, and to pay to the heirs at law of said D. Fulford the amount of said bonds, together with accrued interest from July 1, 1872, to the date of the maturity of said bonds.”

The bill further provides that the heirs to whom the payment is to be made shall execute and file with the Secretary of the Treasury a bond “conditioned to save harmless the United States from loss or liability on account of said bonds or the interest accrued thereon, and to contain such words as to cover any liability resulting from any mistake in the designation or description of the bonds, so that in no event shall the United States be called upon by a rightful claimant for a second payment thereof.”