The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-09


me and wish to Make Restitution.
confession of "A 4-Cent Sin From
a Young offender.
From the Philadelphia Times.
washington. Jan. 2L-During the past
r.sr over 500 was sent 10 the treasury
5s,a~rment by seventeen different people
r.5o confessed that they had come by it
sisbonestlv at the expense of the govern
mont This sum was dropped into the
-rassurv as the conscience fund" The
,,,b1ie OCCASIONALLY notices acknowledge
ments for conscience contributions pub
Ushed by the government in the news
,snors. Although few have heard definite
Information concerning it, Uncle Sam con-
ducts a sort of confessional agency of
his own. He encourages wrongdoers to
reDent and ease their conscience by re-
turning 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 peni-
tent brave enough to purge him soul in
this way.
The correspondence which this system
brings to the Secretary of the Treasury
and to other government officials, often
the President himself, is extremely inter-
esting The writer has had the unusual
privilege of examining the official files in
which these odd communications are pre-
served.
A letter recently received by the Pres
ident is from a child, evidently but Is
To His Majesty, President Cleveland;
Dear President am in a dreadful state
of mind, and l thought l would write anu
tell YOU all. About two years ago, as near
/ 1
used two postage stamps that had Deeh
used before on letters, perhaps more than
TWO stamps but 1 can only remember OF
doing it twice. | did not realize what
had done until lately. My mind IS con-
stantly turned on that subject, ana
think of It night and day. NOW. dear
President. will YOU please forgive me, and
| promise you ] will never do IT again:
Enclose find cost of three stamps, anu
please forgive me- LOT Mtls Llle ~ III III 20 40
years old, for 1 am heartily sorry Tot what
From One OF Your Subjects.
This pathetic appeal for forgiveness
was neither dated nor did the writer sign
his or her name The penmanshlp is
Characteristic of child, a girl, put me
spelling is good, the whole indicating
youth rather than ignorance.
letter dated w Washington Is from
clergyman, who signs his name ana en-
closes four dollars and traction lie
explains that it was owned the govern
ment as duty and interest since accrulng
on several cheap watches smuggled INTO
man who has since confessed to lilm
The man who pays the money the
writer goes on to say, was converted
few weeks ago in the - meeting held IN
this city regularly. This act attests the
genuneness of the work of regeneration"
A person evidently at one time con-
nected with the navy wrote to Secretary
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 manufacturers
stamp had been carefully torn. Enclosed
was IS, which the sender explains IS TOT
conscience fund, navy, 1883. - Ior-
warded to you," he continues, 'Oct. 4 ten
dollars for the same purpose ana ON the
nth of October. 1898, mailed ten dollars
more to the treasurer of the United
States, Washington, d. c., because you
did not comply with my request 10 dC-
knowledge receipt of the same through
the New York newspapers, neither ull
the treasurer. You will confer a great
favor on me, a conscience stricken man,
!f you will kindly inform the papers ana
request publication of receipt and proper
disposition of the total amount-tWenty-
five dollars (S25).
through the newspapers OF the CITY or
town poStmarked upon the envelope IN
which III is received. Very otten, however
the senders of the money fail to notice
these Observation-Disclosures, which simply
state that the treasury department has
received a certain amount from person
living in that locality The name IS never
published, even though signed by the send
er Of the money.
Another penitent spirit, who squares up
his old scores on the tnstallment plan
writes from New York city, although the
pOstmark is all that gives evidence of his
Whereabouts. The envelope is addressed
TO Secretary Carlisle in an intelligent
mans cramped backhand, with no appar-
Cnt attempt to disguise. Inside $40 was
enclosed IN smaller envelope, upon
which is written, The Treasurer of the
United States. The enclosed belongs to
the L. S." a similarly indefinite COM
munication enclosing $50 was received
en- later
Several weeks ago another contribution
was received by President Cleveland. In
small scrap Of paper with the fol-
lowing scratched upon it in pencil Dear
Sir: This belongs to the United States
government. Ignotus."
The largest conscience fund contribution
received during the past year was note
Tor A65 drawn by bank of Montreal
upon bank of New York. 1t was ad
dressed to the Secretary of Treasury in
an illiterate hand and enclosed in q piece
OF paper which bears note in pencil
requesting that it be deposited in the ma
uonal fund. The sender signs a name,
but 1T is believed that it is fictitious. III
almost all cases where acknowledgment
are sent by the department to con6ribu-
Tors giving their names the receipts fail
10 reach any one and are returned.
ton" and addressed to John G. Car Car
Isle" contains a sheet of ruled paper
upon which is stated that the enclosed So
closes the account of an overpaid sol
der"
A conscious-strcl1en smuggler sends an
envelope postmarked Brooklyn" enclos-
ing $5 folded in a sheet of plain note
paper upon which is written the single
word Duties" Smugglers are said to
ne the most numerous of all offenders
VINO have yet made amends through the
conscience fund.
a feminine hand writes to the Secretary
OF the Treasury under New York post
mark, few months ago: Fifteen dol
iars to pay duty on a piece of embroidery
FOUGHT of poor lady in Canada to help
Ier along, but contrary to my wish
Drought across the line by her brother.
Slnout paying any duty. The United
states consul informed him at the time
tlat there was a duty of GO per cent. on
mat class of work. To this there is
signed no name
similar case is that Of person. evil
SSentiy man, writing from Hartford,
Sohn. He addresses himself to Secretary
carlisle, and says:
Dear Sir-Though I disapprove as
heartily as you of the recent tariff laws,
think 1T the duty of every honest man
70 declare fully the duty of articles sub
s.et to the same as he can only avoid
golng so by Derjuring himself. / did So"
~ continues, when | returned from Eu-
NE, with the exception of a few trifes,
rHlch, If examined, would have involved
he tc,Faf- of IL