Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-21
REFUSES TO RESIGN.
pENSlON-AGENT PHILLIPS AWAITS
The AXE or THE ExEcuTloNER.
Tie Writes a Long aud Windy Letter to the
Commissioners Of Pensions setting
Forth His Grievances.


WASHINGTON, January 20.-Henry A.
Phillips of New York, chief Of tho middle
division ia the Pension Offce. whose
resignation was recently demanded 10y tho
Commissioner Of Pensions. has written the
Commissioners The following letter:
WAsHISoToS. January 20, 1890.
General Groen r. Raun, Commissioner Of
Pensions.
Sir Referring so your note Of Novcm-
her 22d requesting nav resignation as chief
oI the division, repeated IN our recent per
sonel interview, have 20 say that / assume
that YOU VII not deny that this request il
not of'yoUr motion, but prompted by The
Secretary Of the Interior / accept the re-
Quest as a notice to the effect that II do
not accCdc my dismissal will follow. and
yet | must respectfully decline 10 reign,
aud SO plnce nv neck In position for the
axe q the cXccutiOnrr, who Just now IS so
lastly engaged IN completing the work be
run on the persons Of myself and Others,
who over quarter Of century ogo
figured or sou hern battie-hcidS. But IN
those long-gono DAYS y was more
o. an even contest. The foo of
that time was honorable, and gave
Us an oven chance of life for life. To-day
am ground in the dust under the weight OF
Official only superiority, and tho
foe who dictates this request, by Inference
a0nin-t the revenues of the nation went
down into the valley and the shadow OF
death 90 servo and save. For again you
elil not dispute that there ia no impeach-
Urut Of my general character. nor charge
thaf have not performed, and not tuliy
aIl faithfully performed, tho duties OF the
chief Of tho division that ann not labor
ing ard have not faithfully labored 70 eX-
unlifiouly settle an the toO-lOng deferred
,alne OF our comrades. You informed
Ilr That the Secretary insisted OF my go
lrr before my pension was increased and
ST ratcd. When ! informed you that IL
vHs month before ] was appointed that
t.c action wa taken IN 10y case ron sug-
g. tndthat was expecting appointment.
lu were right. I was expecting II. Tor
dad the word Of Commissioner Tanner That
1 .houid Dee appointed. II has been pub
l-hed time and again that my pension was
Increased 10y Comm s-ioner Tanner irom
o. 90 e2i per month. inc TACT ~ thal
General Black wmlo comml-"on'r put
irY pension up 20 %i7 and Tcratcd IT,
u.l I was not satisfied wltn that De
,.l-e 7 was informed That the Medical
Jrnmiuiur Board composed o. demo-
..lro doctors, bv n" wayl, who lad tho
ROUGHLY informed mo. bad reported that
,.ss eltticd to moro. SD dud not hesitate
4. seek al the hands ot C0mmls~oncr
luer that full measure OF justice
14.+ ard those HAIRS which undor
... law BELONGED % me and which had,
with the dollars belonging 10 $50 many
u.nsr comrades, been Eeld to increase inc
surplus. I'm granting my pension AZ 81
r.l month Commissioner Tanner did Just
nlAt three reputable members Oh tho
r.. eel division recommended him 10 do,
Dad ava informed tnat that Is the hgure
tne BROOKLYN board advised General Black
to grant Now against all tins comes tho
i.ltum 81 one uIl. vino, without medi.
.l or surgical skill. Uut. bis VIII and
YownT which tn" accident OF political pre-
trrmont gives hlm - root up and revoke.
'lc docs rot appear 20 appreciate that 70
r,rato is 80 correct an error. 50 only tho
quest on Is or should be-, Iid / suber
, ..Ym the error iu thg1ast! :" You may or
: ay not know = lt when action on the
's,e5 81 tlc employees Of TINS Once
WAS dlrt questioned Commissioner Tan
u.r subjected those cases u the test
off review by four of tic hest mon IN
ms Office, who's honesty and capacity
( 10 not believe the Secretary OF the lnte-
r.or VIII Qucs ton. They reported that the
u.f .Jn taken lu ms case WAS in accordance
with the evidence on file IN the case. II
thr action of the Secretary Of the Interior
n directing You 10 cah for my resignation
l. honest u its impulse, why, aak. docs
fl. NOT take the course provided by law Go
sill down the pension Wrongiuly granted
.r DO excc.sl Why not give me the oppor-
tnuity % defend. undrr oath and ~ pro-
-.lOunl testimony. what now recelveT
Why does he wrap himself in tine paropir
o. power, which eucircies a Cabinet
Minister, arrogMily cXclaiming, III ct
feet. - am the State" and bru-
auy strike the bread and buttcr from
fAp mouths az nv vito aud little ono?
.'c would never have held the power he
ruw does, President Harrison would never
l4yo had the power 90 put him where he
b.. If my comrades and myself IN the state
o' New York had not labOred 10 more et-
.rrt than ne did in Missouri last iall. / said
above: "If the action a. the Secretary be
honest" j. il not "a TACT that l was marked
l,enuse | am friend of Corporal Tanner
aud placed here by him? Very clear evil
d.nro would be necessary 10 convince me
iu the contrary. I'm bidding goOd-uy 20 this
Office. as / undoubtedly shall rs sOonas the
a.r can be swung, / shall 80, thankful that
for @ brief season at least / have had the
chance TO sorvo my suffering, needy COM
rades in this place / confess that as am
human / have t. call M all tho equanimity
| possess as ] contemplate tho fact that as
! 20 leave behind me hundreds in this
office who did their level best 90 keep our
luoltical opponents in power. | leave
: -hc-s who IN the contest of a quarter OF
luturv ago did their best TO make my
'.mrados eligible for "a pension or tho
rIate. Tor aucht know | shall leave be-
i.Yd me in tho Pension Office the very man
who sped the bullet which laid bare my
i-4in. condemned mo TO life Of misery,
and made meet tho pension and rcratlng.
Very respectfully yours.
HENRY A. Phillips.