Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-09-05

of fairness in gambling, does not its true
nature lie in this, that The gambler covets
and seeks to gel The property OF his neigh
bor without fair consdcra: iona just
equivalent Now this prominent feature
in gambling takes it out of the course of
the ordinary transactions of men, which
are settled by mutual agreement. For in
such transactions among just and honest
men, one man offers sum Of money for Il
commodity or possession Which his neigh
Dor has, which sum is considered lis an
equivalent for the article to be purchased.
Both parties arc henefitted, or suppose
themselves beneGlIed by the exchange.
But nothing of this kind takes place in
gambling. No exchange is contemplated.
No equivalent is thought Of. Two men
stake up, each a thousand dollars, making
the sum of Two thousand dollars. A card
Is turned, or the dice are thrown, and it is
decided, that The two thousand shall he the
property of one Of llle parties. What has
the loser in exchange for his proportion of
The sum slaked What has the winner
done 10 gain this amountl Is there fair
ness lis there honesty ?-is there bene-
violence in such transaction Is there
not covetousness in the whole concern
covctousncss which is idolalry, and which
excludes from the kingdom of God!
II has been supposed that there may be
honest and honorable gamblers. One,
supposed TO be SD by the community in
which he lived, said 10 gentleman OF that
community -" SIR, there can be no such
character as an honest or honorable gam
bier. III is mistake 10 suppose that
such character can el7St."
trust that it is now demonstrably evil
dent, that tie very nature and tendency of
gambling is wrong, and destructive. That
it violates the constitution of things under
wIlichw are placed, and the written laws
of God. No form, therefore, which gam
bling can assume, Is right, Or should he
comulcnanced. But the lottery scheme
has Obtained favor in the eyes of good
men, professors of religion, and even
Cleroymcn. Grave Senators, and wise
Legislators have lent their sanction to the
lottery system, by legislative enacfnenIs;
and he erection and endowment Of literary
institutions, aud places of worship, in ho-
nor of rhe lloly One of Israel, have been
promoted by lie profits arising from such
schemes.
Let us examine minutely The principles
Of these schemes. In the organization of
lottery given amount is to be raised.
For this purpose lumber Of tickets are
sold at stated price. The avails Of these
tickets cunsi,uc the funds. Usually there
arc about Two blanks to prize. Two
thirds Of those who purchase the tickels
are losers, whilst onc-lhird only gain. At
the time appointed, the managers have
two wheels constructed. To each of
these box is attached, which is turned by
the wheel. Into one hox is put he tickets
or their numbers. and into lhc "ther The
blanks and the prizes or their numbers.
The wheels are turned. A number is
drawn from the box, containing The tickets
or their numbers, and then from the box
containing the blanks and prizes, another
ticket or number is drawn. If opposite
10 the number oithe ticker there is drawn a
blank, the owner of the ticket is loser.
If a prize. the owner Of The ticket is a
gamer. This is the process. Now it is
evident that there can be no beneficial
exercise ofthc intellectual or mora powers
on The part olthe managers, The turner's of
the wheel, or the purchasers Of the tickets.
The whole depends upon what we call
chance. The parties arc altogether win
ncrs; or altogether losers. There is no
beneficial exchange of services or commo-
ditics. The purchasers of Tickets, as those
who gamble with cards or dice, or any
olhcr way, stake up The price Of the ticket,
not thai their amonntso slaked shall go as
an equivalent for some valuable commo-
dity, but as the means of getting large
sum, and what they stake up, too. Thus
obtaining, if they succeed. the property of
Others without equivalent, and keeping
what they seemed willing to give Tor it,
Suppose there be nine thousand persons
who purchase as many tickets al SlO IL
ticket this will tnsake the sum raised
S9O.OOO. There is one prize of $4,000,
another of S10,O 900, another Of Sj.OGO, a1d
smaller prizes to the amount of S20,UO0
more-lhis will make S6D,OOO 10 be
drawn by the purchasers of tickets, and
$50, 900 will remain for the lottery max
ers. Now these $4,000 are clear loss
.urhe lottery ticket purchasers aud as the
proportion Of blanks TO aprize is about two
blanks to prize, i, is evident that out of
the nine thousand persons, who purchase
the tickets, six thousand are losers. Not
only do these lose the time spent in the
purchase of The ticket, but they lose the
time spent in their thoughts and imasina-
tions on their supposed gains.
Now, let us sum up the vain imagln
ings, the foolish calculations, that are in