enteen years after his alleged injury), which was rejected
apparently on the ground that he was not in the military service when
the disability claimed was incurred.

He was drafted in 1863 and served until he was mustered out in 1865.

It is entirely clear that this claimant was not in the military service
at the time he claims to have been injured; and his conduct in remaining
at home until he was drafted, nearly two years afterwards, furnishes
proof that he did not regard himself as in the meantime owing any
military duty. These considerations, and the further facts that upon
being drafted he was accepted as physically qualified for service, that
he actually thereafter served a year and eight months, and that he
waited seventeen years before claiming pension for his injury, in my
mind present a case upon which the claimant is entitled to no relief
even if charity instead of just liberality is invoked.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _May 25, 1886_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

I herewith return without approval Senate bill No. 1290, entitled "An
act granting a pension to David W. Hamilton."

A claim for pension filed by him in November, 1879, was rejected by the
Pension Bureau on the ground that his alleged disability existed prior
to his enlistment.

An examination of the records in the Adjutant-General's Office and
a statement from the Pension Bureau derived from the claimant's
application there for pension, with a reference to the report of the
committee to whom this bill was referred, disclose the following facts:

The claimant was mustered in the service as first lieutenant in
September, 1861, and as captain June 12, 1862. He is reported as present
with his company until the 30th of that month. For the six months
immediately following the latter date he is reported as "absent sick,"
and for the ten months next succeeding, and until October 27, 1863, as
"absent on detached service." On the day last mentioned he tendered his
resignation at Camp Morton, in the State of Indiana, to enable him to
accept an appointment as captain in the Invalid Corps. He was thereupon
so appointed upon account of "chronic enlargement of the spermatic cord
of several years' standing, consequent upon hydrocele." He remained in
the Invalid Corps until July 12, 1864, when, upon the tender of his
resignation, he was discharged.

Less than four months afterwards, and on the 6th day of November, 1864,
he was