Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-07-12
CONSCIENCE MONEY.
MAKING PEACE WITH THEM
Sci YES FOR CHEATING
UNCLE SAN.

SELVE.S FOR CHEATING
UNCLE SAN.
PERSONS WHO MAKE RESTITUTION
TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR SOME
SLIP IN THE PAST-THE REMIT
TANCEs SO MADE AS TO CONCEAL
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES RE
CEIPTS.
A remittance of $50 was received
at the treasury from Cleveland as
a contribution to the "couscience
fund" l bad a talk with the chief
clerk of the division OF public
moneys in the treasury department
about it. The money so received
is not kept in separate fund, but
is turned into the treasury the
same as money that comes in from
other sources of revenue. The
amount received each year appears
in the annual reports. 1t varies a
good deal. One year il may be
$500 and the next $4,000. 1t is
usually made up of small SUMS
though not infTequently single re-
mittances run up into the hun
dreds and now and then INTO the
thousands.
HOW THEY ARE KNOWN.
II will be unders TODD that these
amounts are sent Ivy persons who
have, purposeIy or otherwise, de-
frauded the government, and are
induced by the smltingS OF con
science 70 make restitution. In
forty.nine cases ont OF fifty the
money is sent in such way as not
to afford the slightest possiblec lew
TO the identity of the sender. The
fact that Uncle Sam has the money
seems to be a sufficient sedative to
the perturbed conscience, without
that "Open confession which is
said to be "good for the soul"
Sometimes brief explanatory notes
are sept, stating for what the
money is due the government, bnt
a signature of any kind Is extreme
Nv rare. Some merely say, "This
money belongs to the United
States or words of similar import.
In many cases there IS not a
scratch of pen OF pencil, the money
beng simply inc losed in an en-
yelope, perhaps folded in a sheet
Of blank paper. All such are pre-
sumed TO be cases of "conscience"
and are so treated. 1t is, of course,
impossible to give any receipts for
the money. Now and then one
will write, "Please acknowledge
receipt in the newspapers" This
is the reason why care is usually
taken to have the receipt OF soon
science money mentioned in the
Associated Press dispatches. The
senders are likely to be watching
for such items, and when they see
that the money is in the treasury
thew 70 doubt feel that they are IN
better shape for the final reckoning
in the hereafter.
"The only cases." said the clerk,
(which have anybOdy's name con
nected with them are those similar
to one we had a year or two ago.
A Catholic prizes in Boston wrote
that one of his Pensioners, on his
deathbed, confessed to him that ne
had wrOnged the government out
of $50. He could not die IN peace
without making restitution, but
desired that his name be withheld.
The priest Endorsed the amount,
with interest for nine years at 5
per cent, SS6in all. The man evil
IDENTIFY didn't want that debt to
bother him 10 the next world and
prolong his stay in purgatory The
priest, of course, signed his own
name, and we acknowledged by
letter the receipt of the money. We
have had a number of instances of
that kind, in which conscience
seemed to be q uickened by serious
illness or the confessional.
"The most common reasons Civ
en- for REMIT ing, when the senders
make any explanation at all, are
that the none Y is due for internal
revenue taxes or customs duties
evaded, or for frauds to avoid the
payment OF postage. | remember
one case of a wealthy lady who,
after spending some time abroad,
returned to this country, bringing
with her a valuable article of wear.
ing apparel. I think it was fCr
her personal use, and not strictly
dutisble, but her conscience
troubled her about it. She went
back to England, and while there
told the story to one of our cOnsuls
requesting him TO ascertain what
would be the amount Of duty on
snch a garment. He did so, and
she promptly RENTED it to us. She
sent with it nice little note ex'
planning the matter. It was full OF
contrition, aud expressed the hope
that Uncle Sam would forgive her,
but she hadn't the courage to sign
her name to il.