Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1836-12-17


ga namg. ia rs ultimate tendency, Of the wO,st
description.
They who sink With repugnsnce from the idea
Of betDhg rPou race, from bazardng tbeir Inrans
upon A, tuu oi a card, OF the throw uf die,
have no hesitation 10 openly doug the sairt thing
upon tie result Of an election They would turn
with horror from the thleshold of a gaming house,
and consider ii dcrogatory TO be seen in company
wth men known 10 be ~ Tie habit Of hequentinE
such establishments. They are anxious for The
suppression Of The roulette table and the faro
bank, as suhvcrsiVe OF Tie morals Of society and
leptcto with The mos dangerous Effects; yet they
vii openly, and With eNuianon, diam lien poe-
ket' 10 tie last taithing, a axe upon the PEG.
PIES sense of The merits of such or such an lHdI-
vldua who may be brought forward as a candidate
for oicc. II is ldc 10 talk of protecting the me-
rails of the community by penal ,euucments a.
ganst gaming, while plaeiiCes like these artest
the aJteuu.l. al every urn, Licensed houses Of
play lhou-bsu' ow ciiios could not operate mole
WjuHous,J, IpaJ,, tie evil illus arising might
b. less, ior, As things ale at present, no place,
not even tie the, IS free from exhibitions Of the
gambling spirit Ii Is constantly before the eyes
OF Che young, the rash. and the inexperienced; ard
il It has nct already ,hoe is reason to tear that
the lime j. not far distant, when II viii be COLI
yeilcd into AN engine of political power, and be
used rs an instrument of banc.uI effect upon the
elective franchise. Should il continue 10 increase,
as il ~, Il not checked by pablo opinion, il
not easy 10 assign limits 10 its corrupng inlu-
cncc
Regarding Tie matter solely as to It's individual
opclau0n, 1t would be m impressive lesson u tie
pam ot mad, heavy losses, and We fear. nun aud
lWtc,chpdncss IN Philadelphia and New York
alone, uIslng om The late election, woIe held up
to public vicw. lie watnirg Mould lie one not
easily toigotcu, could We anne at a knowledge
! q but a part OF Tie misery Which u now enducd
item tho eau 10 WHICH wo relcr--c ould Ne hear
, bot Of portion uf those who are bow cursing
theIr folly ~ yielding 10 the 10 &C Of example ard
! tie impulse OF ex Itemenl, and m hazatdmg that
which 4 has taken them Years to accumulate, up
| on mistaken hopes aud deiuste assurances. The
suffering has not, unfortunately, been alone among
those able toltar II. Poor nen have been drawn
INTO the common vortex, and have not only their
heavy losses TO regret, but have deeper csilyt
experience IN the effect Of disappointment upon
then energies and IN the unsctng Of then habils.
There are few ware Of The enormous hazards
which have just been decided; aud Of the astound-
ng extent 10 which the madness tagged.
II is time that the press, to whatever party II
belongs, should speak out onihis subject. II has
no paitizan distinctions. The betting mania Is
as strong On side as II r. on the other. Eve
" man OF rejecting pmtanhrophlc sprt should
do his utmost to discourage and to cradle ate 1t.
Ii the wealthy must disburse u portion OF ihtil
surplus means on tie eve OF elections, let themdc
IT m manner ciedlabIo 10 themselves and hcno'
fetal to the community, by aiding the poor TO pa,
Their taAes, and discriminating useful mlornsatICi
among the people; and when Argument fan, Dc
not the offer Of bet, the irritating banor be s,li
hclent substitute tor reasoning. Surely there u
excitement enough ~ shuello which decides
dc poi, y and character Of ile go,elnn om Of
glcat uaon, without adding tie D,HboIeson'
agitation Of unnoc essals PocuniaI. llahs.--I ehn
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