The Newtown bee., 1880-03-10
Uuriosrties or the Conscience Fund.


 At irregular intervals, says the Wash nouncing the receipt by the treasury department of a contribution to the " conscience fund" These contribu- tions nowadays vary from one dollar to between one and two hundred. A few years ago they were much larger. The money comes from all parts of the country, Philadelphia and New York leading in the number of contributions. A member of Congress from New York, when Mir. Bristow was in the treasury, referring to this fact, remarked that it showed conclusively that New York and Pennsylvania were the most re- igious States in the Union. MT. Bris- tow replied that in his opinion it showed that those two States had done the most stealing. The moneywhich comes in from conscience-strickeI people is on account of frauds on the customs, frauds under the old income tax law, or on the revenue. The income tax having been abolished some years ago, contributions on it's account are very few now.
 The first record of money received by the government from repentant de- frauders was in 1863. When General Spinner was treasurer he kept the ac- count separately, but the practice was discontinued. The money now, as it has been for the greater number of years since 1863, when the contributions be- gan, is turned into the treasury as mis- cellaneous receipts. Repeated attempts have been made by members of Con- gress to secure appropriations to be paid oWt of the conscience fund. If the money goes into the treasury as miscel- laneous receipts it ceases to be sep So nd ha I It is not known how much the con- science money now amounts to. The total amount from December l, 18f 3, to June 30, 1874, as given in the treasurer report for the latter year, was Sl62, 9l4. Since then no account of the contribu- tions has been kept. Treasurer Gil Allan, however, estimates that the money now foots up $25O,000.
 The contributions, as a rule, come through the mail with note saying for what purpose the money is forwarded. Very frequently 8 penitential explana- tion is included. Some of these eXplana- tions are very curious and some very laughable. The ladies contribute a good deal. They repent principally over false returns made under the in- duties upon articles of dress.
 A lady visited this country in 1864 from England. She smuggled in while here silk dress pattern. A short time ago she wrote confessing the evasion of customs duties and sending Sl5 to clear her conscience. She gave the value of the dress and wanted the balance sent back to her if the duties did not amount to $l5. The customs division of the treasury made a compu- tation based upon the duties charged in 1864, and found that the lady owed exactly $7 50. The balance was re- mitted. Ministers of the gospel are very frequently the medium through which the money is refunded. While admin istering spiritual consolation, the con fession of deirauding the government is made, and a restitution follows. The clergy transmit the money without mentioning names. The largest amount ever received as one contribution was SI5,O00 in United States 7.30 notes This contribution was announced in the newspapers. Many and ingenious at tempts were made to get this money out of the treasury. One man said that his father made the contribution, and that he was crazy. The contributor of it had carefully cut out the numbers of the notes so as to make it impossible to discover from the books who had sent them.