Grover Cleveland: “There is no intimation that the death of the son sixteen years after the close of the war was caused or in any way…”

Our pension laws should deal with soldiers' widows.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:I transmit herewith, for the information of the Congress, a communication from the Secretary of State, covering the report of the Director of the Bureau of the American Republics for the year 1896.

A departure from this rule, even in aid of cases of hardship, can not fail to establish precedents inviting the abandonment of reasonable and justifiable pension theories.

I return herewith without my approval House bill No. 9469.