He died in February, 1883, the cause of death being, as then certified,
typhoid fever.
His claim for pension on account of rheumatism seems to have been
favorably determined after his death, for it was made payable to his
widow and was allowed from the time of filing his petition to February
25, 1883, the day of his death.
The facts of the case as now presented appear to me to lead in the most
satisfactory manner to the conclusion that the soldier's death was in no
way related to any incident of his military service.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 12, 1889_.
_To the House of Representatives_:
I return without approval House bill No. 9163, entitled "An act granting
a pension to Eli Garrett."
This beneficiary enlisted in the Confederate Army December 1, 1862. He
was captured by the United States forces on the 26th of November, 1863,
and enlisted in the Union Navy January 22, 1864.
He was discharged from the Navy for disability September 8, 1864, upon
the certificate of a naval surgeon, which states that he had valvular
cardiac disease (disease of the heart), and that there was no evidence
that it originated in the line of duty.
His claim for pension was rejected in 1882 upon the ground that the act
which permits pensions to Confederate soldiers who joined the Union Army
did not extend to such soldiers who enlisted in the Navy.
I can see no reason why such a distinction should exist, and the
recommendation of the Commissioner of Pensions, made in 1887, that this
discrimination be removed should be adopted by the enactment of a law
for that purpose.
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