discharge, stated under
oath (affidavit dated July 27, 1870) that he left his command without
leave and returned to his home February 28, 1866, having previously
applied for a furlough, which was refused.

"This man, according to his own statement under oath, did desert as
reported, and if this bill becomes a law it will be an injustice to
every soldier who served honorably with his command until his services
were no longer required by the Government, in addition to falsifying
the record, as the bill directs the record shall be made to show he
is _no deserter_.

"This is only one of many similar cases."

The remarks of the Adjutant-General adverse to the passage of the bill
are concurred in.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ALPHONSO TAFT, _Secretary of War_.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _March 31, 1876_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

For the reasons set forth in the accompanying communication from the
Secretary of the Treasury, I have the honor to return herewith without
my approval Senate bill No. 489, entitled "An act for the relief of
G.B. Tyler and E.H. Luckett, assignees of William T. Cheatham."

U.S. GRANT.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, _March 30, 1876_.

The PRESIDENT:

Referring to the letter of the 25th instant, written by your direction,
transmitting Senate bill No. 489, "for the relief of G.B. Tyler and B.H.
Luckett, assignees of William T. Cheatham," and requesting my opinion as
to the propriety of its approval by you, I have to say that there are no
data on file in the Department, so far as I can learn, which indicate
that the amount it is proposed by this bill to refund to the assignees
of Mr. Cheatham was wrongfully collected or that the amount should be
refunded.

The Commissioner of Internal Revenue, in his report to me in reference
to the matter, says:

"The reimbursement to the United States by said Cheatham of the salary
paid to this storekeeper by the collector of internal revenue for the
months of December, 1869, and January, 1870, was in accordance with the
provisions of joint resolution of March 29, 1869 (16 U.S. Statutes at
Large, p. 52), and there appears to be no reason for the refunding by
the United States to the assignees of said Cheatham the salary of this
storekeeper that would not apply with equal force to similar payments by
all other distillers who were operating their distilleries or had
spirits in their warehouses at that time."

The facts above state