Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-04-06
A WING.
For the Madison Whig .3droccte.
Social responsibilities 4.

I
| Our first position regard 70 gaming was,
that in all instances it is fraud. a nd the last
number was closed with partial reply to the
| objection, that as the money won, is taken
with the loosers consent, it cannot be fraud, as
| is - case in property taken by the highway
man or the u.r--lar An answer to this objec-
ton is now designed, toget.:er I'm some te"
other arguments against the principle o. @7nm-
ing. Let it be observed then, that the fact as
sumed-that the money won is taken by the
winner with the lOosers consent, is not true. in
the only sense which avail the obiector.
The looser gives up his money, not as man
gives up his property when receiving an honest
| equivalent, but for the or a similar rea-
| son that the traveller gives up his purse to the
Ihigh-wayman. That is, il is the best under his
| circumstances that he can do-not with his
eo'aserat, but from ne cessity! Unless the looser
gives up his money and Vi, Ids to the fortune
OF the game, he is barred all future prospects OF
winning from others. No man ever sat down
| to gamble with the intention, or expectation,
or willingness TO loose. tbs is not the object
for which he stakes his monev, but as the ne
cessary means of winning or get-ng that Of
others for nothing. The mutual design of gam
bleTs is, not TO loose their own property, but to
obtain that of the other without the cost of an
equivalent; and the honesty of the Transaction.
so far as based on the consent with which the
property is given up, is much the same as that
of the hairless heir who gives up lsiat has con-
sent Gl000 to hire the assassination of his Pa
rent that he may the speedily inherit
EI00,000 The consent then with which
money LOST, in gambling, is given up, imparts
no honesty 10 the transaction.
A gain-The means By which the parties ox-
pect to succeed are Inconsistent with fair and
honorG5ie dealing. These means are either
superior skill, or superior good fortune. a dml
superiority Of skill, test of honestv, in the
acquisition of property, and you sarciify the
spoilation of Poland, the piracys of La F.tte
and the robbery and designed cons Jiraeies o
Murreil: The high-wayman and the swindler
both expect 10 succeed, either hy superior
skill, or by good fortune in getting the propert.
of others Tor nothing. But have | right. in
consistency with any social responsibilities, to
avail myself of my superior mental acuteness.
or OF the mistortunes of others, to sucn All
end! The consideration of supeiior good Tor
tune, as means of success IN gaming, pre-
SCENTS this peculiarly abhorrent feature. In |
games OF chGgtce an appeal Is directly made to /
PierideHce. And what IS the natuIe OF THIS |
appeal as made b. the gamblerl 1t is simply |
asking a God of justice to give him his neigh
boris property for nothing to rob the righifuI
owner and give ii to HINT. Such is the psefg
OF the principle of gambling.
Again-The objection canno, avail, because
no man has right, or rirtuousiy yield up
the possession of his property such terms or
in such manner.
As graviiaton binds the material universe
into one harmonious whole, SO our social res
possibility is the cohesive power which pre-
serves social existence As the end of the for
mer Is physical order; 50 that OF the latter is
social order and happiness. And this end. in
both cases. can be attended only by such indi-
viduai yielding implicit obedience to the prn-
cipie on which It is 10 be gained. Every mem
Der OF society il then sfetcdrd Of social order
50 Tar as ne has the means of promoting social
happiness. His property is a very important
means 10 this end. His property then is to be
used tor the wel-being of himself and others;
and any disposition of that property, calculat
ed 10 inlurc society, is wrong. But does the
yielding up of property in gambling answer
any good seciai end Is il beneficial use of