Veto Message

To the Senate of the United States:

For the reasons presented in the accompanying communications, submitted by the Secretary of War, I have the honor to return herewith without my approval Senate bill No. 561, entitled "An act for the relief of Major Junius T. Turner."

U.S. GRANT.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, August 14, 1876.

The PRESIDENT.

SIR: I have the honor to return Senate bill 561, "for the relief of Major Junius T. Turner," with copy of the report of the Adjutant-General of this date, stating objections to the approval of the bill.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J.D. CAMERON,

Secretary of War .

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

August 14, 1876.

Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War.

The following objections exist to this bill becoming a law:

The bill as passed both Houses awards "such sum as shall equal the travel pay of a captain of volunteers from Washington, D. C., to San Francisco, Cal. ," whereas at the date of the discharge of Junius T. Turner he was a private of Company E, California Battalion, Second Massachusetts Cavalry, and not a commissioned officer.

Aside from this, under the established regulations and rulings of the Treasury and War Departments, "a soldier, on receiving and accepting a commission as a company officer, is not entitled to traveling allowances." A departure from this rule, heretofore adhered to, would open up a very wide field for similar claims.

Private Junius T. Turner, Second Massachusetts Cavalry, was discharged by way of favor March 28, 1864, to accept promotion as second lieutenant, Third Maryland Cavalry, and was mustered as of that grade in said regiment March 29, 1864.

He was honorably discharged September 7, 1865, as captain, Third Maryland Cavalry, as set forth in the inclosed official copy of a letter* from this office, dated June 7, 1876, to Hon. C. D. MacDougall, M. C., of Committee on Military Affairs, House of Representatives.

E.D. TOWNSEND,

Adjutant-General.

*Omitted.

(The Senate proceeded, as the Constitution prescribes, to reconsider the said bill returned by the president of the United States with his objections, and pending the question, Shall the bill pass, the objections of the President of the United States to the contrary notwithstanding? it was ordered that the message be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. At the next (second) session of the Forty-fourth Congress the following message was received:)