The Van Buren press., 1896-03-14
A TROUBLED CONSCIENCE.
1t Leads Many Wrongdoers to
Make Restitution.
Stray Leaves from Uncle Sans Confess
sional-A Strange Letter Received by
President CIeveIand-C Contributions
to the Conscience Fund.

STRAY Leaves from iHe1s sam tonfcs-
sional-A Strange Letter Received by
President cIeveland-Co Contributions
to the Conscience Fund.
During the past year over 500 was
sent to the treasury department BY
/ different persons who confessed that
they had come by It dishonesty at the
expense Of tie government. This sum
was dropped into the treasury as the
conscience fund" The public occa-
sionally notices acknowledgment for
conscience contributions published by
the government in the newspapers. Al
though few have heard definite in
formation concerning IL, Uncle Sam
conducts a sort of confessional agency
Ct his own. He encourages wrong
doors to repent and ease their con-
sciences b. returning money for value
dishonesty taken from him in the past.
lie guarantees that there shall be no
questions asked" and no effort made
to prosecute a penitent person brave
enough to purge his soul in this way.
The spondenee which fhissystem
brings to the secretary of the treasury
ind to other government officials
eften to the president himself-is ex-
tremely interesting. The writer has
been given the unusual privilege of
examining the official files in which
these odd communications are pre-
served
a letter recently received by the pres
i'lent is from child. evidently but IS
years Of age. II reads:
DEAR PTsEsDEEri I am In dreadful
state Of mind. and thought J would write
and tell you all About two years ago. a.
near as l can remember It was two years
/ used two postage stamps that had been
used before on letters. perhaps more than
two stamps, but ! can only remember Of
doing 1t twice. / did not realize what |
had done until lately. My mind is con-
stantly turning on that subject, and |
think Of 1t night and day. Now. dear pres
ident, Will you please forgive me and I
promise you / will never do It again. In
closed find cost Of three stamps, and plea se
forgive me, for | was then but 13 years
old; for / am heartily sorry for what l
have done.
FROM ONE OF YoUa SUBJECTS.
This pathetic appeal for forgiveness
vas not dated, nor did the writer sign
his or her name. The penmanship is
Characteristic of child, probably a
girl, but the spelling is good, the whole
indicating youth rather than ignor-
ance.
A letter dated Washington is from
clergyman who signs his name and in
closes four dollars and fraction. He
explains that it was owed to the gov
ment as duty, and interest since ac-
cruing, on several cheap watches SNUG
gled into this country q number of
years ago by man who has since CON
lessed to him. 'The man who pays
this money" the writer goes on to say.
''vas converted few weeks ago in the
-- meetings held in this city regular
ly. This act attests the genuineness of
tne work of regeneration by the Holy
Spirit"
a person evidently at one time con-
nectcd with the navy wrote to Secretary
Carlisle from New York several weeks
ago. His communication was printed
IN square letters upon a sheet of fools
cap from the top of which the manufac-
turer's stamp had been carefully torn.
lnclosed was five dollars which the
sender explained was "for conscience
fund, navy 1889" 81 forwarded to you"
he continues, October 4, ten dollars
for the same purposes and on the 18th
of October, 1895, ! mailed ten dollars
more 10 the treasurer OF the United
States, Washington, ID. G., because you
did not comply with my request TO ac-
knowledge receipt of the same through
the New York newspapers, neither did
the treasurer You viii confer great
favor on me-a aconscience-stricken man
if you will 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 (S25)."
All conscience money is aclnowl-
edged through the newspapers of the
city or town post-marked upon the en-
velope in which il is received. Very
often, however, the s., RS of the
money fail to notice these acknowledge
ments which simply state that the
treasury department has received GER
tain amount from person living in
il.at locality. The name is never pnb-
lished. even though signed by The send
er of the money.
Another penitent spirit VINO squares
up his old scores on the iustallment
plan, writes from New York city, al
though the postmark is all that gives
evidence of his whereabouts. The en-
] ,elope Is addressed TO Secretary Carlisle
in an intelligent mans cramped back
hand, with no apparent attempt Va dis
guise. Inside $40 was inciosed la q
smaller envelope, upon whica was writ
ten: The treasurer of the United
States. The inclosei belongs fo The
Uzited States" A similar indefinite