The residents of these States and Territories have separate and especial interests which in many cases make an interchange of labor between their people and their alien neighbors most important, frequently with the advantage largely in favor of our citizens.  This suggests the inexpediency of Federal interference with these conditions when not necessary to the correction of a substantial evil, affecting the general welfare.  Such unfriendly legislation as is proposed could hardly fail to provoke retaliatory measures, to the injury of many of our citizens who now find employment on adjoining foreign soil.

The uncertainty of construction to which the language of these provisions is subject is a serious objection to a statute which describes a crime.  An important element in the offense sought to be created by these sections is the coming “regularly or habitually into the United States.”  These words are impossible of definite and certain construction.  The same may be said of the equally important words “returning from time to time to a foreign country.”

A careful examination of this bill has convinced me that for the reasons given and others not specifically stated its provisions are unnecessarily harsh and oppressive, and that its defects in construction would cause vexation and its operation would result in harm to our citizens.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

POCKET VETOES.

["An act granting a pension to Mrs. Mary Gould Carr, widow of the late Brigadier and Brevet Major General Joseph B. Carr, United States Volunteers, deceased.”]

DECEMBER 30, 1896.

This bill was presented to me on the 16th day of December, 1896.  Congress, pursuant to a concurrent resolution adopted by both Houses of Congress, adjourned from the 22d day of December, 1896, to January 5, 1897.  I have not approved the bill.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

“An act to increase the pension of Caroline A. Hough, widow of Brigadier-General John Hough.”

DECEMBER 31, 1896.

This bill was presented to me on the 16th day of December, 1896.  Congress, pursuant to a concurrent resolution adopted by both Houses of Congress, adjourned from the 22d day of December, 1896, to January 5, 1897.  I have not approved the bill.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

PROCLAMATIONS.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas an act of Congress entitled “An act to adopt regulations for preventing collisions at sea” was approved August 19, 1890, the said act being in the following words: 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following regulations for preventing collisions at sea shall be followed by all public and private vessels of the United States upon the high seas and in all waters connected therewith navigable by seagoing vessels: 

  PRELIMINARY.