The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-03-28
CONSCIENCE FUND
Uncle Sam Conducts a Sort Of Con-
lessional Agency
Guarantees That No Penitent
WIN BE Prosecuted.

ufY Department by seventeen persons,
who confessed that they had come by
money dishonesty NJ the expense Of
the government This sum, says the
New York Herald, was dropped into
the Treasury as the Conscience
Fund"
Although few have heard definite
information concerning 1t, Uncle Sam
conducts a sort Of confessional agency
Of his own. He encourages wrong
doors to repent and ease their con-
sciences by returning money for
value dishonesty taken from him in
the past He guarantees that there
shall be mo questions asked, and no
effort made to prosecute a penitent
person brave enough to purge his
soul in this way.
The correspondence which this sye-
tenn brings to the Secretary Of the
Treasury and to other government
OfAcials-often the president himself
lis extremely interesting.
A letter, dated Washington, is from
q clergyman, who signs his name and
encloses four dollars and a fraction.
He explains that it was owed the gov
eminent as duty, and interest since
accruing, on several cheap watches
struggled into this country years ago
by man who has since confessed to
him. "The man who pays this mon
ey," the writer goes on to say, ''was
converted few weeks ago in the -
meetings held in this city regularly.
This act attests the genuineness of the
work OF regeneration by the Holy
Spirit"
A person evidently at one time con-
nected with the navy wrote to Secre-
tary Carlisle from New York several
weeks ago. His communication was
printed in square letters upon a sheet
OF foolscap from the top OF which the
manufacturer stamp had been care
fully torn Enclosed we're five dol
lars, which the sender explains are
''For conscience fund, Navy, 1889. y
az forwarded YOU" he continues,
October 4, ten dollars for the same
purpose, and ON the 18th Of October,
1895, l mailed ten dollars more to the
Treasurer of the United States, Wash
ington, d. c., because you did not
comply with my request to acknowl-
edge the same through the New York
newspapers; neither did the Treas
urer You will coufer a great favor
on me--a conscience stricken mani
you wall kindly inform the Herald and
other New York papers, and request
publication of receipt and proper dis
position of the total amount-twenty-
five dollars $685."
All conscience money is acknowl
edged through the newspapers of the
city or town postmarked upon the en-
velope in whichsit is received. Very
often, however. the senders of the
money fail to notice these acknowl
edgments, which simply state that the
Treasury Department has received {
certain amount from Il person living
in that locality. The name is never
published. even though signed by the
sender of the money.
Another penitent spirit who squares
mp his old scores on the instalmen
plan writes from New York city, al
though the postmark is all that give
evidence Of his whereabouts. The en-
velope is addressed to Secretary Car
Isle in an intelligent mans crampeC
back hand with no attempt to dis
gnise Inside $40 was enclosed in
smaller envelope, upon which is writ
ten, "The Treasurer of the United
States The enclosed belongs to tn
U. s."
A similarly indefinite communica
ton enclosing $50 was received from
the same person few weeks later.
Another contribution was receive,
by President Cleveland. In this wa
a flye-dollar note, upon which wa
pinned small scrap Of paper wit
the following scratched upon it i
pencil: ''Dear Sir-This belongs t
the United States government. Ig
natus
The LARGEST conscience contributio