Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-11-09


press OF this city, when speaking of the capture
any maefactor by police officer, OF the apprehen.
sion, after long and arduous chase, of a refugee
from justice, to trumpet the praise of police of
fcer who effected the exploit, and TO designate him
as eactive,'s "inteligent,'' ssndefatigable,u and
"viglant,' and TO exhaust the laudatory terms OF
the dictionary in euloguns upon his tact and asst.
duty, his unerring sagacity, his skill in developing
the deepest laid schemes of inqu,ty and his inte-
gritty in wlthstanding the most auring offers to in.
duce him 70 connive at the escape and impunity OF
the Offenders. We have doubt that all this is
well toulded, and that the police of New York is
endowed with the most super-emnent keenness of
observation, and that as ''committee of public
safety' they are unrivalled and vet how is il.
that, with such efficient, omnscient, and omnpre-
cent characteristics, hear daily such complaints
made of the prevalence of gambling, and the ruin
Of mSny individuals, and the distress of SO many
families attributed to this shocking propensty and
infatuaton! In the immediate neghborbood of
the theatres, we told, that these dens of inmy
and villany, these veritable "hells,'' flourish ex-
ceedingiy, and are carried ON openly, and without
Precaution; that access thereto isa matter of the
completest facility, and that young and DID, trades
men and clerks, to be found there nightly, WOO
ing tho nckie goddess, and rushing to her embraces
over ground strewed with ruined hopes, perverted
genius, mental qualities which have become a curse
to their possession, and all the bright promises of
lie furnished and bafled and offer up as sacri-
nee to the fatal idol of excitement and avarice,
which end in madness, and whose disappointment
As met by despair and suicide.
The approaches to this ensnaring vice are more
ansdious than the Establishments by which the young
and inexperienced are aured to any other forbid
den enjoyment; amusement becomes habitude;
and an evil habit degenerates into positive vice;
VICIOUS ndulgences assume the aspect ofcrime, and
the headlong descent to fraud, violence, and murder
is marvellousy rapid. While an individual gazes
IN iancied security at the scene, he is insensiby
hurried to the brink of the precipice !; and after
merely hazarding his own means, he comes by de-
TO take the property of others TO feed his des
tructive appetite for play, and his imprudcnce in
the hrst instance paves the way robbery; forgery
comes next; and the fearful catalogue of mortal
irailty is closed with self-destruction or murder
inc number OF these establishments where rou-
lette ana alo tables are accessible in this CITY would
brighten the innocent, and should be a matter of
deep anxiety tothe city authorities, and their agents.
~ Is not by adjudicating upon crimes already COM
United, and punishing the perpetrators, that the
peace and good order of society can be preserved.
nis can only be effected by removing and DESTROY
ing the facilities and means OF cfime-and this end
us In the power of the police to accomplish. They
know the location of every establishment If ,h;s
Kind as well as Of every blothe, and il ia their d.,
~ 70 ara IN, and become the instruments n, ,oo,;,
Out this deadly evil. If they do no, choose to deg
tam and expose those caught in the forbidden Gam.
they can at least destroy the implements Of mschef
-and until this be done, il will be absurd for us tn
raise an outcry against the vcousness Of other ci
ties, and proclaim our own superior morality. The
negligence and supineness of the police is, in fact.
Virtual Ace':e; and even in Paris, the great sink
OF European vice and depravity, they have refused
70 allow the existence of icensed establishments If
this character! -
unless this evil be thoroughly and timely probed,
slaalcs1ed, and searching caustic applied, the
consequences Will be awfuly manifest, and the in
crease OF crime. breach Of trust, plumber, forgery,
ana tne otner crimes which follow in the train Of dis
sa.e anu despair VIII succeed in fearful and rap
~ York zIanseript