Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-12-08

4 From the louisville City Gazette.
II OAKLAND RACES
Mr.. EDIroR:-Now that the Oakland races arc
over. wish, with your permission, 10 offer some
remarks upon them which have suggested them
selves my mind. They may not be IN accor-
dance with your own views, or those OF many OF
our citizens, vet should like to have them con
sidered before thev are rejected. Without intend
ING any disrespcct to those gentlemen who have
lent their aid and con;enance TO tins exhibition,
it is deliberate conviction thatIt is a great IN
Inrv to our city 20 have races re-estabilshed az
Oakland. These among my reasons;
4 !. Races bring to Louisville Innumerable
thieves and villains. | suppose more robberies
and other crimes have been committed during the
past fortnight in city, than IN SIX months pre-
vousv. In the small circle ofrny acqualntances,
three houses have been entered and robbed within
a week by plausible, gentlemanly locking vlialns
Others have heard Of The watchmen tell me
that the streets swarm with them. Ii they would
ONLY confne their attention to those who patron
ize and encourage races, / should hope that II
might he lesson to such. But they are quite
Iindiscriminate in their visits. 1t is well known
that the rufiians and reprobates are IN the habit
of following the races from New Orleans to Long
Island. No doubt Louisville contributes her pro-
portion to their support. Not long since III a ~
Orleans paper, after long list OF house break
ings, thefts, swindlings, and murders. the editor
remarks that these were owing to the races, which
Just closing.
Thinks "a great advantage will our Oakland
track be to Louisville, if, these are the kind OF
fish it brings to us.
g The races brings to Louisville gamblers 70
prev upon our Young men, Gamblers seem some
h ha course n More an an hnndred proba
blv last week in our city who gain their support
by this elegant profession. They did not proba-
bly, come here to prey upon one another; No
,hy,,- hose blood
seek Young men, many of them without
parents near to advise them, and some the only
STAY of a widowed mother, the pride OF many Z
circle of aifcctionatc hears-these are to be ri-
med that the gambler may sport his diamond
breast pin and fine clothes. Say net. they ought
20 protect themselves Youth is ardent, inexper
fenced, easily led away by its own generous and
noble inaulscs.-it ought to be protected BIZ the I
wiser and o!,'er portion of the community Throw
not temptations its way, YOU who are father, or
beware lest you are preparing them tor your child
;. Races increase the amount OF crime ii
villains are brought together, it IS natural that
vi.lanv will be committed. Robbery, MURDER
outrages on property and person, drunkenness,
hiasphemy. and RIGHTEOUSNESS of all kinds are no
,oriously abundant at such places A black man .
was killed last week at the race track. The last
race before this, Il white man was killed. Such
events are common and expected
4 Races encourage open defiance OF the
laws Of the land. BY the laws Of this State II Is
a peniton,iary offence TO keep Il gambling house
or table 10 play games for money at them
Yes, under the authority OF the best men IL oar
city, large building is erected and let to gac'-
blers and filled with Faro tables, Roulette tables,
Rouge ct Nair. &c. TO what purpose do we pass
laws, and lures find indictments and our pros c
ecutng officers make speeches, II they are to be
thus openly deied by the gentry of the land! |
Are our laws only ccb-webs to catch small flies c
and let large ones escape? What is it but whole i
sale hypocrisy. take the credit of being most
moral community by the purity of our statute I
books when our practice is the exact reverse!
Expungc your laws, or make your practice con- I
orm to them You are teaching the community I
20 despise that which ought to be ever sacred TO
heir miHds- the name of law. L
If these evils do attend races, (and few would C
leny IT'D how are they defended? 1t is said that
hey bring money to the city, that they improve b
he breed of horses, that the vicious will be VI
cious whether they at races not, that races Il
cannot be put down if we would, that the people Il
must have amusements- Let US consider briefly "
hese excuses.
L. They bring money to the City.-Yes, and so n
would bring money to the city where we to G.
ect splendid gin palaces, gambling houses or 8
,rolhels, and sell licenses to those who should Il
Keep them. The slave trade brough, money to b
Did England and New England, and was defended o
N that ground. Who defends it now, Piracy n
brought money 10 the West Indies, and also
defended BY those who thought money the pearl OF [
II price. But should sell peace, vlr- ii
ue. the tranquility of city. the morals of our Il
hildren, for money? The argument is too fi'nsy Il
o bear looking at. Il
Races, ii said, improve the breed of horses.
md what if they did, if they degrade the breed
f men. But doubt the truth Of this position u
some startling and stubborn facts the 9th IL
r side l never heard of races IN Arabia, yet p
he best horses and best blood in the world are b
here The great racing stock Of England and Ii
america came from the blood of the Godophin n
arabian There are no races IN New England, fl
ct the New England horses are worth in this q
ountrv from fifty TO hundred per cent, more RI
han southern horses. The horses for the plough, n
raw. saddle, stage. coach or gig. in New England
you'd bring under the hammer far higher prices
n racing sections of the country than their own b
orses Racing only improves the breed of race "
orses was told in Virginia BY the stage DIR b