The records show that he deserted September 16, 1862, a little more than a month after he was mustered into the United States service; that he was arrested April 25, 1864, one year and seven months after his desertion; that he was restored to duty by general court-martial with loss of pay and allowances during absence (the time lost by desertion to be made good), and that he was mustered out July 16, 1865.
This enactment seems neither to have law nor meritorious equity to support it.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, July 6, 1888.
To the House of Representatives:
I return without approval House bill No. 8807, entitled "An act granting a pension to Harriet E. Cooper."
The husband of this beneficiary served as a major in an Illinois regiment from September 3, 1862, to April 1, 1863, when his resignation was accepted, it having been tendered on account of business affairs.
He was pensioned for rheumatism from April, 1863, and died October 3, 1883.
It is admitted on all hands that Major Cooper drank a good deal, but the committee allege that they can not arrive at the conclusion that death was attributable to that cause.
There is some medical testimony tending to show that death was caused from rheumatism, but one physician gives it as his opinion that death resulted from rheumatism and chronic alcoholism.