Riverdale-on-the-Hudson, OCTOBER 15, 1902. THE HON. THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, WASHINGTON, D. C.: Sir,--Prices for the customary kinds of winter fuel having reached an altitude which puts them out of the reach of literary persons in straitened circumstances, I desire to place with you the following order: Forty-five tons best old dry government bonds, suitable for furnace, gold 7 per cents., 1864, preferred. Twelve tons early greenbacks, range size, suitable for cooking. Eight barrels seasoned 25 and 50 cent postal currency, vintage of 1866, eligible for kindlings. Please deliver with all convenient despatch at my house in Riverdale at lowest rates for spot cash, and send bill to Your obliged servant, Mark Twain, Who will be very grateful, and will vote right.
One of the most absurd laws is the law against destroying U.S. Currency. At least laws against counterfiting have some rational basis. If people were permitted to, for example, burn or make paper mache artwork out of U.S. Currency it would increase the value of it. Does anyboady know the rationale behind why it is illegal for me to use currency to heat my home?
I wasn’t aware there was an actual law prohibiting the destruction of the currency. I do know there is a law against melting down copper pennies, the purpose of which is to preserve the status of the government’s currency as the medium of exchange. So too would be the purpose of a law against destroying currency.