"
Instead of adopting the recommendation of the Chief of Engineers the
provision of the bill limiting the extent of the use of this land
declares--
That the United States reserves to itself the fee and the right forever
to resume possession and occupy any portion of said lands for naval or
military purposes whenever in the judgment of the President the exigency
arises that should require the use and appropriation of the same for the
public defense or for such other disposition as Congress may determine,
without any claim for compensation to said city for improvements thereon
or damages on account thereof.
The expediency of granting any right to the occupancy of this land is,
in my opinion, very doubtful. If it is done, it should be in the form of
a mere license, revocable at any time, for the purposes used by the
officers to which its use and disposition are now subject.
It seems to me that if any use of this land is given to the city
of Tacoma it should be with the proviso suggested by the Chief of
Engineers, instead of the indefinite and restricted one incorporated
in the bill.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, _August 9, 1888_.
_To the House of Representatives_:
I return without approval House bill No. 8761, entitled "An act granting
a pension to Mrs. Anna Butterfield."
It is proposed by this bill to pension the beneficiary therein named as
the "dependent mother of James A.
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