Evening star., 1880-02-07
THE CONSCIENCE FUND.

At irregular intervals paragraph appears in
THE STAR announcing the receipt by the Treas
ury department of contribution to the "con-
science fund.- These contributions nowadays
vary from one dollar to between one and two
hundred. A few years ago they were much
country, Philadelphia and New York leading in
the number Of contributions. A member OF
Congress from New York, when Mr.. Bristow
was in the Treasury, referring to this fact, re-
marked that it showed conclusiyely that New
York and Pennsylvania were
THE MOST RELIGIOUS STATES
in the Union Mr Bristow replied that he did
not regard it in that light; in his opinion it only
showed that those two states had done the most
stealing. The money which comes in from
cOnScience-Strcken people is on account of
frauds on the customs, frauds under the old in
come tax law, or on the revenue. The income
tax having been abolished some years ago, con-
1To9tlons on ITS account are very ~ Few NV now
ernment from repentance defrauders Is
in 1868. When General Spinner was treas
urer he kept the account separately,
money now, as it has been for the greater
number Of years since 1863 when the contribu
tionS began, is turned into the Treasury as mis-
safer plan. Repeated attempts have been made
by members OF Congress to secure appropria-
ti0ns to be paid out or the conscience fund. II
the money goes into the Treasury as miScella-
neouS receipts, it ceases to be separate fund
and cannot be raided upon. AS late as yester
day member OF Congress was at the Treasury
fnqutrtng about the fund, with an eye to Slice
of it for some purpose or other. He was in
formed 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 now amounts to. The total
amount from December 1St 1868, to June 30th,
1874, is given in the Treasurer'S report for the
latter year. 1t was Sl62,9l4. Since then no ac-
count of the contributions have been kept
however
the money now foots UP s250,0O0. As General
Spinner kept the account separately there is
for these years were as follows: 1861, sl3539. q
1865 s47, 14.11; 1869, S17 29e3l 1870, s.. 1906 1871,
sS74s.5l; 1872, S2.g9,.42; 1873 S25,55l.2i; 1874,
SS,Z1S.16.
THE CONTRIBUTIONS,
as rule, come through the mails with note
stating for what purpose the money is for
warded. Very frequently penitential expla-
nation is included Some OF these explanations
are very curious and some very laughable. The
ladies contribute good deal They repent
principally over false returns made under the
income tax and for having eyaded the duties
upon articles OF dress.
A sMUGGLED DRESS.
A lady visited this country in 1864 from Eng
land. She smuggled in while here silk dress
pattern. a short time ago she wrote confessing
the evasion Of customs duties and sending SIS
to clear her conscience. She gave the value OF
tine dress, and wanted the balance sent back to
her If the duties did not amount to SIS. The
customs division of the Treasury made a COM
putation based upon the duties charged In 1864,
and found that the lady owed exactly $3.50.
The balance was remitted. Ministers of
the gospel are very frequently the medium
through which the government is refunded.
While administering spiritual consolation, the
confession OF defrauding the government is
made, and a restitution follows. The clergy
transmit the money without mentioning names.
The largest amount ever received as one contrib
ton was SIS, 600 in U.S7.30 notes. This contribu
tion was announced in the newspapers. Numer-
GUS and ingenious attempts were made to get
this money out of the treasury. 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 block OF
Sl5,Ce0. which it was thought corresponded to
the contribution made. The money was hur-
contributor OF it had carefully cut out the num-
berS OF the notes so as to make it impossible to
discover from the books who had sent them,