Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-07-17


Ani g U,,h cru ches. Ovetol~ness
De, hat Inen lie IA her cradle"
DEcSER.
FOR the ana semsnt OF my readers in
general, let Us take morning stroll in
To that portion of our great city calico
Southwark, and see what can be elected
from among The very respectable popull
lion WHO there iIhaOit. Watcher al
are respectable who live SHOWN town. =
we leave 10 the decision oflawyers al
cLSuIsts That there are some who ore
Ter liquor 10 prayer, Is manifest the mo,
inen' one pops his nose into a grog shop,
OF which ear governors IN that quarter
heye ruined down enough 10 supply the
population of the whole state, AMI a :
most drive the tempe rance societies into
Oei.an As II Is yet early in the morn
rag you may have fair specimen OF
the bibI,ouS Propensitics Of your fellow
men and women who crowd the counters
OF The drunkerles with their cents. as il
pardon for Il death warrant was 10 be
had. and in fact many Of the s1ualid
wretcheS whom you now see, are recciv.
ing their three cent glasses short re.
prleye from death, for without the ex
citement which they buy so cheaply,
Though they pay dearly in the end i.
- probable 4 miserable death would spce
div overtake them.
But here is shop where two lucra
;ive trades appear To- be carried on
Three huge golden balls over the door
projected from three iron gsindicatr
pawn brokers' establishment, while
The rubicund bottle IN the window, and
the sncaking looks Of the customers, in
"Icatr that Ilquor is sold, and that en-
enlargement Is gwen TO theft Do not
~ surprised. MeSSieurS the PawnbIo-
kerS! know that most Of you are IL
CENcED. know that many Of You arc
repute 10 I've rich. | know you some.
times receive sto'cn goods without know
ing II. The public knows that some Of
the profession are respectable, bat it is
demonSlrable that others are no bette,
than they should BE-. A gentleman
whom II Is unnecessary TO name, was
one evening qn'erly smoking his cigar.
when. rogue quietly entered his front
door, whipped or two new coats. pro-
ceeded directly TO n certain establish
men; AT q certain corner, for the purp So
-oi diSpoSing Of his prize. IL is known
that he did so, because an advertisement
appearing in morning paper the mex
day, an individual wrote TO the advert
ser that he was present when a black
man pawnei two new coats like those
described in the advertisement, and the
hour he named was not twenty minutes
after they were missed They were
pawnel for Gfty cents and n glass Of
grog!-thoJgh the owners name was
conSpicuously marked on both, and the
two had cost within few weeks fifty
nine dcila,s. No questions were ask ed.
for a single pertinent query would have
defeated Inc whole aiIuir. aud the nego
tlatIon was Effected in two minutes. On
application from the owner, the wretch
oil dccelver denied having them, and
only. exhibited them on being threatened
with a suit Examples of character
equally hagltious could be multiplied
w'lhou: any difficulty. | set it down,
therefore, as one Of the crying evils Of!
our city,an one Which we are surprised
ihat any phiian'hropic rambler through
our streets cau so FIRE lucnuy overlook, !
that ihc facilities which pawnbroker's
shops afford TO lomrstics in private fam
lies, 20 apprentices, 10 iourneymen, 10
borers, oilers, and vicious persons Of all
descriptions, by receiving and paying
down money for every article that is
brought 10 them, out asking a single
question, has been the means Of debauch
ing vast body Of the people young and
old, and Of carrying the system Of pill.
fcring in a small way 10 an extent which
almost exceeds credibiIity, but to which
the rdS Of our courts bear melancho-
y testimony. The rapid growth Of this
trade within few years, aud the effect
produced upon the morals Of this me-
fropolis,are strong arguments why some
-effectual remedy should be administered
as speedily as possible, TO such tempta.
lions being held out.
The land wants such
\ dare with vigoi cNecuie the laws;
Her iesierd members must be lane ed and tented;
He's bad surgeon that for pity spares
The pari corrupted I'LL Tho gangrene spread,
And all the body perish; he that's msrciful
Unto the bad is cruel 10 the good"
1 know the subject ofu reform in this
matter presents a multitude old fficulte,
and that il has frequently attracted the
attention Of our State Legislature. IL is
perhaps not the province Of anna'ist or.
essayist like me, 10 enter on the discus
sion OF the proper means to lessen the
mischievous tendency Of this licenced
trade But ] may say. nevertheless,t that
the pawnbrokers ought to be watched as
but little regard is paid to the restric-
tons which the public interest has made