The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-02-21
postnlark.


that there was a duty of 60 per cent. on that
class of work.
similar case is that of person,
evidently man. writing from Hart
ford. Conn. He addresses himself to
Secretary Carlisle and says:
DEAR S1R:Though disapprove as heart
fly as you do of the recent tariff laws. I
think 1t the duty of every honest man to
declare fully the duty of articles subject to
the same, as he can only avoid doing so by
perjuring himself l did so when / re-
turned from Europe. with the exception of
a few trKies which, If examined, would
have involved putting about the contents
of my trunk to the injury of my property.
but with the intention of sending the full
duty thereon to you"
Continuing, the writer expresses the
hope that the secretary will have the
present laws altered. and winds up by
saying:
81 hope this less on account of the eco
nomic ignorance which they display. than
because of the terrible decentralization
which they have powerfully aided to bring
about. Very respectfully. A. B. c."
This sample of eloquence accompan-
led $40 in greenbacks. the duty owed
on the 'few trifies."
An envelope postmarked Pleasant
Lake, N. D.. registered and bearing a
name, evidently intended for that of
the sender. upon the outside. crosswise
along the edge, is apparently from an
old person. He incloses ten dollars, as
surfing the secretary that there is
little more due in the near future" and
concludes: "All of us become honest as
we near the great hereafter. l need
only sign my name as Conscience.
letter postmarked Pomeroy, o.,
and inclosing S3S. betrays a desperate
effort to appear illiterate, on the part
of the writer. The note simply states:
money | owe to the public" Another
who poses as an ignoramus addresses
his envelope, postmarked Washington.
in an exceedingly artistic hand. and in
closes two dollars wrapped in a slip of
paper. upon which is scrawled: 1.-Two
the conshius fund" This spelling and
chirographv is looked upon as an in
territorial disguise. Similar attempts
have been made before. Several en-
velopes have been received inclosing
small sums of money accompanied by
slips of paper is half written. half print
ed "Konscience fund" The curves in
the script letters are gracefully made
and indicate intelligence. 1t is not
thought improbable that these mis-
spelt communications are from the
same person-maybe penitent depart
ment employee who has been dishonest.
A few weeks ago the superintendent
of the mint in Philadelphia received
an anonymous letter inclosing five dol
lars, which the sender requested TO be
put in the mint appropriation. This
was sent to Secretary Carlisle to be add
ed to the conscience fund.
4 letter received by the secretary
some months further back reads:
SIR: Please find my thirty dollars $50 to
be placed TO the credit of the conscience
fund, from the awakened conscience of an
old veteran who has been laying aside
little a time for some time, and who has
not been able yet to figure just what ii is.
but who hopes to light on the data yet ami
restore it before he is called to meet his
God"
This appears upon broad sheet of
foolscap. in an even business hand.
Ten dollars was also found with
letter in woman's handwriting which
states: "a number of years ago l
omitted or failed to pay tax on ali
article possessed by my family. | do
not remember exactly how much it
was. but think ten dollars will cover it.
And l here inclose ten dollars to you as
payment to the United States govern
ment for said tax, etc. Yours. Name
Not Necessary
The largest amount of conscience
was $4,000. sent by mail some years ago.
This was in the form of a note, which
the sender cut diagonally in half. He
mailed one-half and retained the other
until after he had received acknowledge
ment of the former through the press.
The note was. of course, good for tie
face value when both parts were in pos
session of the treasury. 1t was never
learned what the offense of this person
had been.
1t is believed by the treasury off,
cials that many of the contributions
received through this agency are from
feeble-minded persons suffering from
the hallucination that they are debtors
to the government. This type of crank
is said to exist in contradiction to the
individual who has claims against the
government for alleged services rem
dered or property confscated. On the
whole, however. this confessional
agency is an enterprise to be encour-
aged. 1t not only pays Uncle Sam. but
t lifts crushing weight from many
q repenting soul.-Detroit Free Press.
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