To the Minister for Finance, Quintino Sella

E III, 1451

He makes a request for a total or partial waiver of the heavy tax on milled grain

Turin, 15 August 1870

Your Excellency,

The dire straits in which the poor young people sheltered in the house known as the Oratory of St Francis de Sales find themselves compel me to appeal to Your Excellency’s charity.

Their number, which among all the establishments amounts to 1,200, the decrease in charity, the increase in taxes, and the multitude of abandoned children who come from all over Italy seeking shelter, give us hope for, if not a total remission at least a partial remission of the tax on milled grain, which exceeds twelve thousand francs.

This is the plea that the appellant makes on behalf of these poor people, which he hopes will be given favourable consideration in this exceptional case.

With gratitude, he professes himself

Your Excellency’s

humble appellant

Fr John Bosco