It seems to me that all the reliable testimony in the case tends to show beyond a doubt that the soldier's death was not due to any incident of his military service. I do not find that the medical testimony given by his neighbors makes a suggestion that it was, and upon all the facts I am of the opinion that the pension which has been already allowed was a liberal disposition of the case.
The beneficiary named in this bill is aged, and it would certainly be a gratification to grant her relief; but the question is whether we do well to establish a precedent for the allowance of claims of this character in the distribution of pension funds.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, April 30, 1888.
To the Senate:
I return without approval Senate bill No. 465, entitled "An act granting a pension to William Sackman, sr."
The beneficiary named in this bill served from December 24, 1861, to February 29, 1864, in the Fifth Regiment of the Missouri Militia Cavalry.
He was discharged on the day last named for disability. His certificate of discharge states his disability as follows:
Palpitation of the heart and defective lungs, the disability caused by falling off his horse near Fredericktown, Mo., while intoxicated, on detached service, in the month of September, 1862. Not having done any duty since, a discharge would benefit the Government and himself.
It appears that a claim for pension was filed in the year 1881, in which the claimant alleged that—