day of May, 1861, and prior to the 1st day of January, 1864; and said
investigation to be made upon the following basis: He shall ascertain
the additional cost which was necessarily incurred by each contractor
in the completion of his work by reason of any changes or alterations
in the plans and specifications required, and delays in the prosecution
of the work occasioned by the Government, which were not provided for
in the original contract; but no allowance for any advance in the price
of labor or material shall be considered unless such advance occurred
during the prolonged time for completing the work rendered necessary by
the delay resulting from the action of the Government aforesaid, and
then only when such advance could not have been avoided by the exercise
of ordinary prudence and diligence on the part of the contractor. * * *

The present joint resolution transfers the investigation to the Court of
Claims, and repeals "so much of said act as provides against considering
any allowance in favor of any such parties for any advance in the price
of labor or material, unless such advance could have been avoided
by the exercise of ordinary diligence and prudence on the part of the
contractor." It seems to me that the provision thus repealed is a very
reasonable one. It prevents the contractor from receiving any allowance
for an advance in the price of labor and material when he could have
avoided that advance by the exercise of ordinary prudence and diligence.
The effect of the repeal will be to relieve contractors from the
consequences of their own imprudence and negligence. I see no good
reason for thus relieving contractors who have not exercised ordinary
prudence and diligence in their business transactions.

U.S. GRANT.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 28, 1871_.

_To the House of Representatives:_

I herewith return without my approval House bill No. 2566, entitled
"An act for the relief of Henry Willman, late a private in the Third
Regiment of Indiana Cavalry," for the following reasons:

The records of the War Department show that Henry Willman was mustered
into the military service April 4, 1862, and that he was mounted on a
private horse. It appears from evidence presented by himself that his
horse died May 18, 1862; that he remounted himself on June 8, 1862, and
so continued mounted till October 1, 1862, when his horse was killed by
the enemy, and that he was not afterwards