Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-26

eIlaD
Sahd such - the most numerous class of gamblers to
Nc very circunspect. The eye Of the public il on
i-his complaints, or any attempted censuies of my
course on his part will but expose himself For myself
do not deprrcatc the vigorous assaults Of oppo
nents generaed by their filthy gain: but il any such an
one, by inudicious or thou less opoosi,inn A., mo
conuuet shall draw the finger Of public ON him
Sen' let HIM not blame me, charge that have made
war Oh md y'dnas, aud holy warfare on the s,ro-
c'ous CRIME III aud ms elan i,ni:y perp,irsu That
repeal, DO not mediate will not be i'm
dong u the individuals Concerned aud their friends
WIN suffer me To orbeas But to do this e1posc tie
e.ne ana Merfcy 10 prestm as perpetration, have Just
Cause and COMPETENT authority aud some oodly de-
gree, am satisfied, have anipl. means
VIII now show ,chen Il took upon myself the
task of acquiring the means of ex POSING the cr, oc
ping by AID OF tricks. will do this Io,o i'm confustion
Oh the charge which q iearn has already been started
mat tho course on this subject have announced my in
'enton 10 pursuc, has been duced by recent
events And here will bring forth the record During
,e "nths oil March, April May, and June. of the year
IcZo, wrote and Published in the Petersburg lntell
gencer, then edited by Francis g. laacev series of
Nos over the signature of"M. p. (uait1,n in Pa,ro
In those Nos invcgh ed against gambling as b.iug
ecrabe in itself and productive of doleu
and furthermore, declared my determination Ito CON
tribute my mite to eStiIpae the pencious practice of
gambling. In one of the Nos, 1 infinitely desf ribed
certain tricks de xrrously played oil game at which
another person and myself had been hseced by three
gamblers who bore the character of gentlemen, o. who
III o'her Words were not professional gamblers did
SUI, more: introduced into that No, their names
WIN The intent OF course expose those three eentee
gamblers This No. thus containing tescrpion Of The
tricks and the naurs of the dexierous neriarners of
them was rejected by the Editor of the nell,yencer in
an article addressed 10 correspondents; that portion
winch being to the point. reads follows and may be-
found in the lntellgencer of tho 18th day OF May
1925, 10 ou:
He who attempts reform the injurious habits of
society, like the physician &c should exercise tender
ness, f'rbeaiance and caution
To STRIFE tho vice, but spare Tic sers,a still,
acqursced in this rejection of the article and did moi
offer to the editor OF another for publication
because, when it was rejected by Mr. Yancey who,
WnS rot YCtn al h. 4.
hail. 1t occurred TO me that had adopted e wises,
course was at once satisfied that in my eff lrt to nut
down the crime of gambling at cards, ought strike
Tue vice, and sparc The person guilty of il, and
Knew was not then well enough acquainted with tricks
az cards TO expose them to any considerably beneficial
extent Therefore it was then dessled from the re-
cuiion Of the purpose now distinctly avowcd
did not, in ic23, disclose specifically the mr.
pose then conceived and have cherished since ex
cep' during very short period becau We disclosed
my purpose distinctly than did disclose il in The
series Of Nos aiorc-n noned had been to cut MYSELF
on from all opP1<l1ny to secure The knowledge of
the tricks, necessary etfecual accomplishment,
OF my purpose TO expose-t-llell. If my purpose
had been fully disclosed, the -ey9-y vigilance and
.le imperturbabie prudence OF the gambTef,-would
most certainly have led him TO exclude me from TN
scenes OF his that We an
aspect, IN my view except far they af.
oroed the desired ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of crime with
come familiar. ~ "
Having been SO long engaged in this unprecedented
enterprise II may be well to refer To few facts TO
culpate myself from the mpuaiion of mcrcenarv m .
tives In the first place, then assert that if conss,n,
ly with my determination not to expose any ndv;iai
could CAL on the men of experience in these Times
they would testify TO the extreme difficulty nav 10 ibr
impracucabhty, of making ones self sufficiently ia
mliiar with these tricks at cards expose them in
any other way than by actual practice Nor will This be
ultimately left to my IL will be cIeor IN ev.rv
body when the dexerty of the performance shall hay.
oeeheXPosed In the second place call upon all who hay
observed my conduct, to bear out in the assertion
(or openly to contradict t that, fur from Ina wing sough
games with the Inexperienced have uniformly avaisd
MI with
iu IN oil der TO ascertain their frauds And i'm tho third
pace, wien have met with young of fortune and
OF Promsr-lncn whose generous bearing | admired hui
IN whom disceTned propensity To gamble nj cards
and OF whom have, iglt have had chances n, Win
"hen nave met with such men, have generally
whenever have found them to BE- accessible and trust
worthy not only told them that such frauds were prnc,is
Cd but explancd to them hoic hcy were pracsed
And Will add lastly, that If me cenarv motives nro
pei me- IL had been wise seek (and opportuntes nre
not wantng) To practise the frauds propose to EXPOSE
uch more can, and If nec ssary shall BE- br .ughl in
10 review before the public, To show have moi heen
stimulated by mcrcenary motives All who know mo
VIII bear me out in The assertion that have always de
eaiea caro- Playing TO be Perncious practice. Now
seek 10 si NV To all The strongest point of rue PRrcryr
by exposing the most odous feature of the practice al
ten THE hXAMrIE ofabstaining from the lucrative
ucc, VIII be more iorcbie because the selfdcnial VIII M
more obvious and IFS sterling more
IL must be obvious TO every body, that J. at least am
convinced that good will resEit from Inc .i'
1 nave SO long contemplated. All who know me must
Know would not have exposed myself to public prriu
dice, IN struggngso long for object which if Obtain
NC vi no uNdil 10 others. Surely
rye-I hare not d,Tired-and know have moi cxncc,
ed, any other benefit If the annunciation of The 60
sure OF TIE frauds or the exposure itself shall nronce
~" beneficial result, and sauaTy influence III.
iaul VIII not he mine and if will not rive me ed;,
ioI goo9 motives they may do themselves me inus.
ice by imputing bad ones
In addition TO the publications in the pe,.,sh,rI
ligencer, IN lS2, and the rejected publication aCocmen
uohed, IN proof of the assertion that INV announced
purpose OF exposing the frauds practsed nj cards os ~
lohg oeen contemplated by me, will now state tl,a,
member OF the present General Assembly Of V;roi;
then also member, fccoliectS tina. IN ISaS g p ~
heaTd me declare On substance that if il took me Ter
years, ana cost me all worth and all made in a
ume would strive to detect the tricks practised a,
Gurus, In order 10 expose them. Besides; some or
ycaIs ago, czen oil the Town Of PeersburU heard mo
say (and such at that time mn ckeyisIed MIN f
oPesdtionS that would attempt to cxoose card nln
as u was tnen carried on, by writing pay to be called
ne cahoier. The names of these gentlemen can he
hscerained by any one, who, having sociiude enoub
ABOUT inc matter, viii make the inquiry ofInc do not
give neF names publicly because is not my Intention
III making The exposure, TO introduce the name of nrv
one unnecessarily, before the public. And will hero
remark, that have given my own name TO the nublic
only because am persuaded that il will be moro m, m
attract public attention 10 the truth and 10 exe, snI,
ary influence, than if the communications were given
s'''"
cannot doubt there are many mscons,r,c,i,ns &c
my contemplated course, which have not reached mo
anu WHICH; "f cou5e, am not called on to answer
nor can doubt there msre presentations and xag
gfuons OF acts Of my past life, carried along confused
" on The rack of scattering reports and t. my nro
dice, all closing IN together like Sampsons fxrs his
were J"inrd IN The tails though their beads were se
Vered suspect this, mainly because Eno,p there 4, RI
some influential men, (who honest before the world
because honesty IS the best pocy--inhuenal men who
"e uhconqueTaby opposed to my purpose, because il
conflicts with their iHfcrcs) who will not sctnule II
Ia mn critr a