The Russellville Democrat., 1889-08-29
 HENDERSON EXPLAINS.
The Senator's Letter to Commissioners Tan ner In Regard to His Rsrating and in- crease of Pension.

The Senator's Letter to Commissioners Tan
 ner in Regard to His Rerating and in-
 crease of Pension.
 OMAHA. Neh, Aug. 24 Senator Charles
 F. Manderson has handed the following
 letter to Corporal Tanner, concerning his
 reI ntod pension, to United Press repre-
 sentatiye:
 70 Hon. James 7hnHer, Conansissionsr of Pen
 sions, Washington;
 My DEAR SIR: returned to my home yes terday after an absence of nearly two months,
 dui ing which have been beyond mall commu.
 nication, having been during great part Of the
 time in Alaska with the Senate Committee on
 Indian Affairs. With my accumulated mail I find a blank voucher, transmitted oy
 the United States pension agent at Des
 Moines, Ia-. to hz executed and returned
 10 him that may draw pension duo me
 under reissued pension certificate No 63,6i7 correcting the rate from Sf5 to s39 per month
 rom March IS, 1865 Accompanying this blank
 application is the reissued pension certificate
 described and your letter Of inclosure stating
 the facts of it's issuance and that check for
 the amount due me will be forwarded on my re-
 turn Of the voucher properly executed. Before
 my departure for the Alaskan trip 1t had been
 stated to me by parties claiming to know, that
 the pension bureau had rerated my pension
 without any application or knowledge on my
 part and have even read in some newspapers
 one IaiSe statement tnat Dau reCelVeu aDOuJ
 S,0D pension due me under the rerating
 The letter, certificate and vouchers received
 by me to-day are the first formal offcial
 notification have received that the Bureau of
 Pensions had on it's own motion issued new
 certificate granting me rerating. You will
 bear me out in the assertion that this action on
 the part Of the officials of your bureau has not
 only bee1 without my application, but has been
 without my agency or suggestion, directly or
 indirectly applied and without my knowledge
 that 1t was to be done or was contemplated.
 Not that such application by me, and such re-
 rating by you, would not be just and right under
 the law and in common fairness, but make the
 statement that the exact statement may be
 understood.
 have read to-day in papers issued during the
 past few weeks so much of untrnth maliciously
 written, and so much that is unjust to you and
 unfair to me, that feel outraged and indig-
 nant For your administration of the affairs of
 your office with proper regard to the law or the
 country. which does not recognize a soldiers pension as bounty or charity but as his com tract right and looks upon the Republics obligation to it's defenders, not as a duty, but as q privilege, you are to be broken down by outrageous misrep- resentations and personal abuse. So far as my own case is involved, 1t is immateriai what may be said or written concerning me. l will pursue the courxe that shall give me the ap-
  clamor and not fearing abuse, counting fair criticism and desiring the good opinion Of the just. II is due to you, however, as a corirade
 much esteemed, that l should pursue course
 that shall throw full light upon every important fact.
 ills and have not been one of those who ''ex- hibited their wounds in the market places"
 Although for twenty-five years have suffered
 the inconvenience and pain incident to severe
 gunshot wound and unextracted bullet, I
 have not been in the habit of boring my friends and intimates with the recital of my woes Perhaps the fact that was 'shot in the back"
 has had something to do with my reticence It would seem to be proper now that should give the detail, however unpleasant personally | to myself I entered the service in April, 1881, and resigned because of physical inability on March r. 1865. filled every grade of rank in the Nineteenth re giment of Ono infantry, and on my resignation as Colonel was breveted Brigadier-General of Volunteers, as expressed l in the commission, for gallant meritorious and long continued services during the war Of | the rebellion
 | I was in charge of my regiment in nearly 1 every battle Of the center, west and on Sep | tember2, 1s6I at Loveioy's Station, Ga. my command having taken the enemy's front line | of rife pits, was leading 1t upon the main work when was shot mimic ball striking l the spine and passing into my right side. IL is l not necessary for me to say to you that if my | back was to the fe my face was toward | the men of my own regiment l was car | ried into Atlanta, remained there bed fast and partially paralyzed until that city was | burned, when was moved by easy stages to | the North. practically recovering the use of my | legs. Carefully nursed until the next spring, I tried to return to duty, but was declared by the | surgeons unfit for military duty" and re- | signed. In July, 1865, believing it to be not | only right, but duty, to get upon what I con- | ceived to be the roll of honor, I applied for a | pension, was examined by board of surgeons,
 who rated me at one-half disability, With the test of total disability an injury equivalent to | the loss Of the left hand, I have always felt | that was rated too low but did not complain | or make application for higher rating, simply | accepted the situation as it was made for me, | but there never has been time when would | not have willingly suffered the amputa-
 of the existing injury with the constant | painful reminders of the limitation of my | powers and its ever present threat Of l a dreadful result from carelesspess or indiscre- | tion, the incapacity and danger growing greater | with the advancing years. l doubt II l would | ever have made application for such increase | but you have seen tit to take up my cause with
 out my knowledge. and with the kindness of a | eomrade, himself grievous sufferer from | wounds, have done that which you believe just l and right under the laws you are sworn to ad-
 minister.
 l For this thank you most sincerely, but un- 1 der this attack uTon you there must he left no
 room for doubt or cavil as to the full propriety
 Of your conduct. The medical and legal ex- | perts Of your oflce have acted upon the record | as made in your office, and upon 1t, including | these examinations made since the war (thc l record Of none of which have ever seenl. de.
 clared that I was uniustly rated. Before l ex- | l steps in this matter desire that there should l be a rigid and searching examination by med | teal experts to the extent of the present dis l ability.
 Thanks to a careful life and an abundant l vitality have no expectation of an early death, | and know my remaining days would be greatly | solaced and blessed if competent medical board could give me the assurance that my pains and ills are mere Pigments of the im- | agination, and that am whole in body and | sound in mind. For such a result would be almost willing to apologize for having fought on
 the right side in the war Of the rebellion therefore respectfully ask that either you | or the honorable Secretary of the Interior dis | ignate a board of medical examiners some where in the country, charged with the duty Of
 making physical examination and report the facts as to my condition If this request shall l be complied with please advise me of the time
 and place, my only preference being, In view of other engagements, that 1t should be after October l. Very respectfully
 CHARLES F. MAHDERsoN. F. S.-In one of the newspapers just read by me, the statement Is made that certain officials l in your office have been dismissed because of th ir action in my case l do not know who they arc, and do not think am personally ac- quaintei with any Of those who acted. besides yourself will you kindly advise me of the facts l in this behalf,
 No Bids Accepted.
 WASHINGTON, Aug. 4-In the Navy