mas P. Morgan, jr., in the year 1881 entered into a contract with the
Government to do certain excavating in the harbor of Norfolk.

He performed considerable of the work, but though the time limited by
the contract for the completion was extended by the Government, he
failed to complete the work, which necessitated other arrangements, to
the damage of the Government in quite a large sum. His contract was
forfeited by the Government because the progress he made was so slow and
unsatisfactory. It seems that a certain percentage of the money earned
by him in the progress of the work was, under the terms of the contract,
retained by the Government to insure its completion, and when work was
terminated the sum thus retained amounted to $4,898.04, which sum was
justly forfeited to the Government.

The object of this bill is to waive this forfeiture and pay this sum to
the derelict contractor.

Inasmuch as I am unable to see any equities in this case that should
overcome the fact that the amount of loss to the Government through the
contract is greater than the sum thus sought to be released to him, I am
not willing to agree to his release from the consequence of his failure
to perform his contract.

["An act for the relief of Charles F. Bowers."--Received August 2,
1886.]

It appears that Charles P. Bowers, while acting as regimental
quartermaster in 1862, received of John Weeks, assistant quartermaster
of volunteers, the sum of $230, for which he gave a receipt. On the
settlement of his accounts he was unable to account for said sum, for
the reason, as he alleges, that certain of his papers were lost and
destroyed. Thus in the statement of his account he is represented as a
debtor of the Government in that amount.

This bill directs that a credit be allowed to him of the said sum of
$230. But since his account was adjusted as above stated, showing him in
debt to the Government in the amount last stated, he has paid the sum of
$75 and been allowed a credit of $125 for the value of a horse; so that
whatever may be said of the merits of his claim that he should not be
charged with the sum of $230, if he should now be credited with that sum
the Government would owe him upon its books the sum of $30.

The bill is therefore not approved.

["An act to provide for the erection of a public building in the city of
Annapolis, Md."--Received August 3, 1886.--Memorandum.]

The post-office at Annapolis is now accommodat