The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-17
raE acoNscIENCE RCNnr.

Six acres " Lue ShiVSa
the monument.
THE CONSCIENCE FUND.-.
The Amounts Paid 10 this Fund-States
thai are the Largest Contributor.
Boston Herald.
AT irregular intervals paragraphs APP
pear in papers announcing the receipts by
the Treasury Department ofa contribution
TO the conscience fund" These con:
tributions nowadays vary from n dol
lar 10 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
4eadingi In the number of contributions. A
member Of Congress- from New York,
when Mr.. Bristow was in the Treasury,
Teferriug 10 this fact, remarked that Il
showed co~nclusively that New York and
Pennsylvania were the most religious
States In the Union. Mr.. Bristow replied
that he did not regard 1t In that light; IN
his opinion It only showed that those two
States had done the most stealing. Inc
money that comes in from conscience
stricken people Is on account OF fraud on
the CUSTOMS, frauds under the old income
tax law, or on the revenue. The income
tax having been abolished some years
ago, contributions or Its account are very
few now. The first record OF money re-
ceiyed by the Government from repentant
d~efrauders is in 1858.
When General Spinner was Treasurer
he kept the account separately, but the
practice was discontinued. The money
now, as II has been for the greater num-
Der OF years since 1868, when the contri-
buttons began, Is turned intosthe treasury
as miscellaneous receipts. This is I'M
doubtedly the safer plan. Repeated at.
tempts have been made by members OF
Congress 10 secure appropriations 70 be
paid from the conscience fund. II the
money goes into the treasury as miscella-
neous receipts 1t ceases 10 be a.separate
fund, and cannot be raided upon. AS
late as yesterday q member OF Congress
was at the treasury. inquiring about the
fund, with an eye to q slice OF 1t for some
purpose or other. He was informed that
the fund had ceased TO be anything but
money in the treasury, and that 1t could
not be touched. 1t Is not, known how
much the conscience money amounts to
at present:
fhetotalamount from December ], 1858.
to June 80, 1874, is givenin the Treasurer's
report for tie latter year. 1t was Sl62,-
Ola. Since then 40 account OF the contri-
buttons has been kept. Treasurer Gilhl:
Ian, however, estimates that the money
now ioots up $3.50, 900. As Gen. Spinner
kept the account separately, there Is o re-
cord OF 1t from 1s67to1s74. The amounts
for ese'years were as follows: 1857, $751;
$50 72; 1868, S47, 11411; 1859, Sl7,299 81;
1906 S3,406; 1871, SS,749 81; 1872, ST.
se7 AZ; 1878, $25,551 81; 1874, SS,21S 70.
Thecontributions as q rule, come through
the mails, with a+note stating for what
purpose the money Is forwarded. Very
frequently O p%enitentiall explanation Is In
cluded. Someof these explanations are
very curious and some very laughable.
The ladies contribute a good deal. They
repent, principally, yer false returns
made under the income tax, and for
having evaded the duties upon articles Of
dress. A ladylvisited this country in 1854
from England. She smuggledg in while
here a silk dress pattern. Ashort time
ago she wrote confessing the evasion OF
customs duties and sending SIS to clear
her conscience. She gave the value OF the
dress and wanted the balance sent back to
her II the duties did not amount to Sl5.
The customs division Of the Treasury
made q computation based upon the du-
ties chargedrin 1864; and found that the
lady owed exactly 81 80. The balance was
RENTED. Ministers Of the gospel are very
frequentlythe mediumthrough which the
Government Is refunded. While admin
istering spiritual consolation the confess
sion Of demanding the Government is
made, and q resolution follows. The cler-
Ky transmit the money without mention.
Ing names. The largest amount ever re-
ceiyed as one contribution was'S1 600 in
United States $50 notes. This contribu-
ton was announced in the newspapers.
Numerous and ingenious attempts We're
made to get this money out OF the Treas.
ury. One man claimed that his father
made the contribution and that he was
crazy. Other efforts were made. A search
Of the Treasury books showed o. blocksof
$4,000, which II was thought correspond
ed to the contribution made. The money
was then hurriedly covered into the
Treasury. The contributor OF Il had care
fully cut out the numbers OF the notes so
as to make il impossible TO discover from
the books who had sent them,
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