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The feeling that anything that the old soldiers wanted should be granted was even stronger in the House； where about the only opportunity of distinction allowed by the procedure was to champion these local demands upon the public treasury。 It was indeed this privilege of passing pension bills which partially reconciled members of the House to the actual control of legislative opportunity by the Speaker and the chairmen of a few dominating committees。 It was a congressional perquisite to be allowed to move the passage of so many bills； enactment followed as a matter； of course。 President Cleveland made a pointed reference to this process in a veto message of June 21； 1886。 He observed that the pension bills had only 〃an apparent Congressional sanction〃 for the fact was that 〃a large proportion of these bills have never been submitted to a majority of either branch of Congress； but are the results of nominal sessions held for the express purpose of their consideration and attended by a small minority of the members of the respective houses of the legislative branch of government。〃
Obviously； the whole system of pension legislation was faulty。 Mere individual effort on the part of the President to screen the output of the system was scarcely practicable； even if it were congruous with the nature of the President's own duties； but nevertheless Cleveland attempted it； and kept at it with stout perseverance。 One of his veto messages remarks that in a single day nearly 240 special pension bills were presented to him。 He referred them to the Pension Bureau for examination and the labor involved was so great that they could not be returned to him until within a few hours of the limit fixed by the Constitution for the President's assent。
There could be no more signal proof of President Cleveland's constancy of soul than the fact that he was working hard at his veto forge； with the sparks falling thickly around； right in his honeymoon。 He married Miss Frances Folsom of Buffalo on June 2； 1886。 The ceremony took place in the White House； and immediately thereafter； the President and his charming bride went to Deer Park； Maryland； a mountain resort。 The respite from official cares was brief； on June 8th； the couple returned to Washington and some of the most pugnacious of the pension vetoes were sent to Congress soon after。 The rest of his public life was passed under continual storm； but the peace and happiness of his domestic life provided a secure refuge。
On the other hand； the rebuffs which Democratic Congressmen received in the matter of pension legislation were； it must be admitted； peculiarly exasperating。 Reviewing the work of the Forty…ninth Congress； 〃The Nation〃 mentioned three enactments which it characterized as great achievements that should be placed to the credit of Congress。 Those were the act regulating the presidential succession； approved January 18； 1886； the act regulating the counting of the electoral votes； approved February 3； 1887； and the repeal of the Tenure of Office Act； approved March 3； 1887。 But all three measures originated in the Senate； and the main credit for their enactment might be claimed by the Republican party。 There was some ground for the statement that they would have been enacted sooner but for the disturbance of legislative routine by political upheavals in the House； and certainly no one could pretend that it was to get these particular measures passed that the Democratic party was raised to power。 The main cause of the political revolution of 1884 had been the continuance of war taxes； producing revenues that were not only not needed but were positively embarrassing to the Government。 Popular feeling over the matter was so strong that even the Republican party had felt bound to put into its national platform； in 1884； a pledge 〃to correct the irregularities of the tariff and to reduce the surplus。〃 The people； however； believed that the Republican party had already been given sufficient opportunity； and they now turned to the Democratic party for relief。 The rank and file of this party felt acutely； therefore； that they were not accomplishing what the people expected。 Members arrived in Washington full of good intentions。 They found themselves subject to a system which allowed them to introduce all the bills they wanted； but not to obtain action upon them。 Action was the prerogative of a group of old hands who managed the important committees and who were divided among themselves on tariff policy。 And now； the little bills which； by dint of persuasion and bargaining； they had first put through the committees； and then through both Houses of Congress； were cut down by executive veto； turning to their injury what they had counted upon to help them in their districts。
During the campaign； Democratic candidates had everywhere contended that they were just as good friends of the old soldiers as the Republicans。 Now； they felt that to make good this position they must do something to offset the effect of President Cleveland's vetoes。 In his messages； he had favored 〃the most generous treatment to the disabled； aged and needy among our veterans〃； but he had argued that it should be done by general laws； and not by special acts for the benefit of particular claimants。 The Pension Committee of the House responded by reporting a bill 〃for the relief of dependent parents and honorably discharged soldiers and sailors who are now disabled and dependent upon their own labor for support。〃 It passed the House by a vote of 180 to 76； with 63 not voting； and it passed the Senate without a division。 On the 11th of February； President Cleveland sent in his veto； accompanied by a message pointing out in the language of the act defects and ambiguities which he believed would 〃but put a further premium on dishonesty and mendacity。〃 He reiterated his desire that provision should be made 〃for those who； having served their country long and well； are reduced to destitution and dependence；〃 but he did not think that the bill was a proper means of attaining that object。 On the 19th of February； the House committee on pensions submitted an elaborate report on the veto in which they recited the history of the bill and the reasons actuating the committee。 Extracts from Cleveland's messages were quoted； and the committee declared that； in 〃hearty accord with these views of the President and largely in accordance with his suggestions； they framed a bill which they then thought； and still continue to think； will best accomplish the ends proposed。〃 A motion to pass the bill over the veto on the 24th of February received 175 votes to 125； but two…thirds not having voted in the affirmative the bill failed to pass。 The Republicans voted solidly in support of the bill； together with a large group of Democrats。 The negative vote came wholly from the Democratic side。 Such a fiasco amounted to a demonstration of the lack of intelligent leadership。 If the President and his party in Congress were cooperating for the furtherance of the same objects； as both averred； it was discreditable all around that there should have been such a complete misunderstanding as to the procedure。
Meanwhile； the President was making a unique