Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-01-02
For IKE CoNsT!TU VIoNAI. WIG.
LOTTERIES

binary facilities which they afford for the simultaneous
participation of numerous avcnnrers; and has often
occurred To OF surprise, that many Legis-
natures OF the United States while they have sndea-
tonred by highly Pcnalaws to Suppress gaming IN liz
ordinary tons should have given t'e sanction Oh law
to this species of gaming, which, IN my estimation, is
the most perniCous of all; nay that 'iiey should not
only have tcyuiiSd il, hut that they should have gran
ted the privilege of ra,siig money by Lottery,
n1aopoly TO ndv iduals and corpoi Some States
Virginia an! believe Massachusetts, with Others J
have gone still further; they have only authorized
the drawi ing of Lotteries, and granted them as mono.
pn!es to corporations Individuals of their respective
states; bat ~ secure If possible these monopol;ss
al; the intended brneh.s they have denounced heavy
penalties against al their citizens, who should presume
sell purchase any tickets in Lotteries authorized
by ANY other Stale. 's not so coins,oa would not this
he strange" But may well continue the quota
tioa and add-'T:at lis culniaon, this is stranger
still"
Virginia. however has conducted in relation TO ,ot
t"rics with polite caution and consistency, pec liar
perhaps, Il, herself Wills, her Legislatures have
very jealousy endeavourei 10 prevent tie influx of
toteiSn Lottery tickets into this State, they have not
Un'H Gerry recently, authorized more fit is bcIcved)
tan two or three Lotteries, within their limits.
III was subject of deep regret many citizens of the
state, that the Leg sature shculd, in single
isence. have given implied sanction, that, which,
b. their penal laws they had distinctly conleinned
but, it hoped, that addition would be made to
the number of Lotteries authorized by Virginia and
that, the barrier which had been erected TO prevent
the threatened dcluge Of the State by foreign Lottery
tickets, would in time become ,ecual secure the
state against system deemed iraiuna and immoral
IN principle, and highly injurious III lis effects 1t
would, indeed, have been mulstrous TO suppose that
the Legislature, who had been recently adding TO the
ri5our of their penal laws il relation the sale of
foreign tickets, by treating such sale as an immoral
act, and subecting the seller to isnoninious impr
snnent, would suddenly change their course, aulho-
rize Lotteries to indefinite extent and thus conclu-
sivey show, that their penal laws had been enacted
not tor the preservation Of the morals, but the money
OF their constituents. 1t IS, however, useless to
speculate upon the hopes the authorizations of the
people IN relation to the conduct OF lie Legislature,
Nio have themselves put all speculation rest Tie
last Assembly sealed tine fate Of this State Lot
t.ries.
During the session of the last Assembly, late in the
month o! February the privilege ofraisng by Lottery
eirhiySeren thousand dollars fras granted 10 several
corpora ons; not BY law however, bu: sererai laws
which were, might have been passed with some de-
gree Of deberation. This, OF course, was complete
removal OF every objection, which the Assembly could
pretend to make 10 the principle involved in the grant
of Lottery; and If others, who wished 10 hare the
same privilege extended to themselves appeared the
Assembly to be well entitled those whom
1t had been already granted, il is surprising, that
other laws should have been passed for the pur>
pose Accordingly, II appears, (Sess Acts, page 10
that the 7th of March, the last day but the
session, bill passed, which grants TO sir corpora
tions companies the privilege of raising by Lottery
ouehundred thousand d,itsrs! Our citizens therefore
will henceforth be pcntifuly supplied with Lottery
tickets of domestic manufacture and will have less cause
10 regret the imposition of pre!ti5itory duties upon
those of foreign fabric One hundred and eighty seven
thousand dollars 10 DC raised by Lottery Vaginal
es, and the Assembly thought, doubt, that they
had acted with wise precaulion, limiting the respe
tive companies to particular sums! Botctourt Wythe,
Monroe, and Monongala, to ten thousand eacl and
Fredericksburg to fifty thousand do.:s! We shall
sac, presently, the effect of these wise limitations.
Since then, this trade in Lotteries is fixed upon rs
far many years. perhaps ages Gomez since any citizen
OF tue State may buy ticls;', without exposing
himself fne of one hr:dyed tioii,,s and any Of
Cur fellow citizens may sell us such ticket, without
being liable to prosecution for msdenlecuour the
payment of fine of itoo hundIed dollars, and
PriSonaae OF S'T onts;-i speak of course, OF tick
cts, manufactured in State, which be al
least good foreigs and vii! pr bly, super
sede them, )-t may be well for To inquire whether
we have any assurance that This traffic will be fairly
and honestly conducted. Let first inquire, wlIa,
the Legislature itself has done, for tie reg ua,ion
the Lotteries already authorized. will quote uerb1-
tim, part of one act which part contains all that
relates to the Lottery 'Be it further enacted that
tor the purpose of eecting the navigation aforesaid
'he said trustees shall! have power raise By Lottery
"a sum not exceeding two thousand dollas.n (Sess.
Acts 1926, page 52.) These The very words, and
all OF them. 'nO, exceeding two Thousand doiiarsiu
WHO determine, whether the sum is ised or no
TIE trustees! What is there 10 prevent them from
raising two huldred thousand, two mjiiions? No
thing! But suppose the sbOnd honestly deter.
mine not 10 exceed the limit; ihcy bound manage
tue Lottery themselves? VIII they not d,spose Of the
privilege TO some pe'son who will agIce 10 pay them
the to he raised? Aud What is to prevent the pur-
Chaser from continuing 10 draw Lottery after ano-
tueito indefinite extent Will the trustees ur,.;er>
take 10 restrict the purchaser, and say 10 him, 'you
may have SO many ctnsscS, containing many tickets
each, which we find will enable ycu 10 paw s our 1000
dollars and TO make handsome profit for yoursef?''
III ~ needless TO multiply questions; single glance at
the law is sufficient 10 that as TO Tie amount
60 he raised the limitation Is merely nominal
The Legislature then, have already authorized an
indefinite sum OF money TO be raised by Loeryi Did
they 10 do ths' Certainly not. Is it too late
even now, TO impose restrictions This is pro-
per subject for their consideration ard it to be hoped
fiey will attend 10 IT,
&Eaio, we see tlat the law la: down no rrincipl s
ar rules III relation to tic LOery Itself; lis sctenc, by
which nean Tue fixing lie number anI price &C lie
tickets, ther fornatiOn and Tie allotment ortbc pri-
as, Fnd the mode Of dyGo;n@. There is nothing 10
Ieguidte tue amount Cf commission profit bc!. The
managers shall be allow Ell TO make com
mission which they May take opeHiy and 0c0;rediy as
jor Instance, II Tie scheme contained 10 900 tickets
so each. and IIe Lr,.es Amounted 10 100000. sub