The circumstances of the injury are neither given in the report of the
committee to whom the claim was referred by the House of Representatives
nor in the report of the case furnished to me from the Pension Bureau,
but on the conceded facts the granting of a pension in this case can be
predicated upon no other theory except the liability of the Government
for any injury by accident to a person in the military service, whether
in the line of duty or not.
I think the adoption of the principle that the Government is an insurer
against accidents under any circumstances befalling those enlisted in
its military service when visiting at home is an unwarrantable stretch
of pension legislation.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 25, 1889_.
_To the House of Representatives_:
I herewith return without approval House bill No. 10448, entitled "An
act granting a pension to Squire Walter."
The son of the beneficiary named in this bill enlisted in a West
Virginia regiment on the 28th day of June, 1861.
On the 15th day of September, 1862, while bathing in the Potomac River
near the Chain Bridge, with the knowledge and consent of his commanding
officer, he was drowned.
It is perfectly clear that he lost his life while in the enjoyment of a
privilege and when at his request military discipline was relaxed and
its restraints removed for his comfort and pleasure.
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