Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-08-03

TxEn nAnanrrrG-rrouara.

-
esshs VINO are IN the habit of ordering supper in p
ea'e room at Desonco's three nights ia the week
ls purpose OF playing brag at dollars ante will
II aitfiheu AZ The TILE Of our article. We do not
" any means include Delnonico's among The gam
o"shousess on account Of such things being done in
s private rooms. There is certainly no more entirelp
sspeciabls and correctly managed public house ia The
country MAN Delmonieo's; but how IS a landlord TO
yTo' now can ne possibly interfere wilh--what
uohe 1uiety by his guests in The privacy of their
rooms Il Delmonlco's were 10 be censured for this
! W. W. know OF plenty Of private residences ..above
bsehst, with freesiope frcats and real SILVER bell
ps4'sS, va, Wouid come undorfh ban directly. But il
y not With the private gamblers that we have now TO
90 lnvunerable TO The law. they escape even the
long reaching fingers Of the press and are secure from
all rebuke save that OF God and their own consciences
--ana perhaps now and then btgeared wife and
family There are more of them than an body knows
Of; and chamberdoors were made Of glass. some
people VINO are considered patterns ofpuncuality and
nioues Of financial proprety. woald appear TO very
great disadvantage on Changes and there would be
as great a revolution among good Names in Bank
as among the blouses in Paris. But, as we said. no,
word OF all mat
we wal begin, however, at the Clubs. These al
though assuming 10 be private, are in fact but toe
publc N The influence they exert over the mind and
haous OF me young, by placing dissipation and gaa
eiing IN Their most seductive and respectable as
poets, and making highs spirited young men ambitious
g be ruined j Is one Of the perhaps ncurabe soci-
al evils Of political Democracy, ,ha, il inspires men
Jpst entering ,no life in moderate circumstances and
WIN latr prospects, with nsxnguishabie passion
iot s'u'Hg atany cost, thai OF honor and repu-
aton Taught from cnIldhoed that an men are en,,ai
and as they grow up seeing This doctrine practically
carried out al the polls, (but nowhere ese,) and IN
cessanry talked about in the newspapers, they forget
or overlook the great fact that social distinctions
broad and well defined in this county as anywhere
eise in the world; and that the attempt OF a young
man whose fortune and position are yet 10 be made,
~ force himself into the society, upon equal terms, qi
the established and wealthy must lead 10 speedy and
inevitable ruin. The successful merchant o. banker
whose income is ten or twenty thousand dollars year
IS not necessarily compromised by losing lew nun
Adreds at faro brag, By expendng now and then
au extra thousand upon fashionable mistress
While the poor clerk. fired with the ambition Of not
beng ou,shone by his associates, and proud OF beng
admitted their society, finds his paliry salaryoos
expended and PUSHES headlons into debt and dishon-
or--endng too often. in crime and prison.
The literal translation OF "club" Is gambling
house" Nor does q club differ in any essential res
pect from public rendezvous of this kind, except ~
the Tact that IN The former the business pucklng iae
pigeons and putting through" the green hornsis done
by The respectable members, while IN the latter u Is
confined professed blacklegs. In the club as in the
gambling house. you have hot suppers and cool wines
Joym ASSOCIATION and the most seductive freedom oil
naners. In both, the pretence Is pleasure and The
business gaming. But the club is more aristocraiic
and more desirable 10 ambitious Young man, as be-
NC faucIed means Of somehow Che doesn't exactly
know how) eeva,ing his social position and giving
which he lives to see realized. The wives and
daughters oil the as;ocraiies members despse lhe club
from Inc bottom of their hears--and with very good
reason, II is, OF all devices Tor desoaiing the do
tnes1c circle, narrowing the affections and driving
Woman 10 that course OF independent action ever ia
tai to her delicacy If rot her purty, she most perni
cious and comprehensive in It's influence. The habi-
tucc Of club said married lady US The other day
scarcely by any possibility be good father,
good husbandor good neighbor.
we WEI IN llv of the uau
bling houses--eyisingi in open defiance of the laws,
and with as little real concealmeni the coffee hous-
es or oy ser cellars The public know all about thesa
I--where they are, who manage them. and who are
their regular frequeniers Once in while, 10 save
appearances. establishment is complained Of and
perhaps tried and convicted. The keeper pays FIVE
hundred or a thousand dollars, by way OF fac or gfa-
iuy-Jusiiee is satisfied. and the business goes on
This has been and always must be the uaill we
can have City Government composed of men WHO.
have DO party pledges to inIflno political ambition
10 CRAFTY, no hungry pockets oeed with bribes--
| When will that be
II you wish TO visit frst-sate gambling house you
had better make the acquaintance ofsome gentleman
~ bIackleg-"sporng man. is the title BY which he
prefers TO be known in his PROFESSIONALISM put your
self under his protection" lfthIs is not convenient
however, it will make no particular difference Walk
down by YOURSELF any alter ten o'clock at night
TO one Of the finest looking houses in Park place. and
ring the bell A co)ored gentleman VIII open the
door; and if YOU proceed as il you know what you
about he will lake it for granted thatt all right
and will Immediately disappear--eaving you 10 make
your own way. ou open the door oil the paTor on
the right hand, and caIelessly ln--prohably
meeting one of the proprieiofs, who asks you IN n
tone OF perfect aud upobtrUsve hospitality III you
Will take supper You generally decline but on this
particular occasion you may sit down at luxurious
" furnished table and mention to The waiter who is
instantly AT your side. what you would like. You
need not hesitate 10 consult your finest Game
according 10 ae season. of every variety and exqui-
1f,sr
in short you have fancy for-7svl be instantly
joracoa,ina. A bottle OF iced chsInpagne-the gem
une Hiedsiek---is at your elbow ;and II you have
fancy for glass of rare burgundy old SouIh-side
Aladera, you have ony 10 make II known, and you
4 will he Supplied directly.
4 Having supped leswely for which remember you
are 10 pay nothing (utless you choose 10 'try your
luck'' al lighting the figN)you sauner lesurely into
the other parlor, wherea group OF fifteen or twenty
seldom more except duing the races and other times
OF unusual escement--is gathered about "long,
low black" table, in the centre of which is cloth
containing separately listened down by the backs. all
the cards OF the .'iul deck" AT one end OF the table
IL seated little crooked man. with fingers like eage's
tcIaus, who has little lin box before him. from which
mYsieriously slips one card al time, which he lays
on one ftwo piles, which grow imparally by alter
nate distribution beneath his hand. Every card ,ha:
IS dealt occasions commoon and great change OF
places pmong sundry heaps of large ivory buttons
some white, some red-lying promiscuousy about on
the stationary cards on the table. You money
except now and then, when one Of The players is
..boke, y he passes OF X up The dealer, and
receives lis equivalent in buttons. The white ones
count Dollar apiece and the red ones 6veso tina,
you can readily see how easy II is for man with a
lad OF Ack !le several hundred dollars in the
course oil aa evening,
Aud lhas the gapaa goes on, from night ill gray
morhng--the pallid, eager, dull beaming. reckless,
and despawing faces gathered around he table pre-
sen,lng apanoama Of anman passions which ii is
interesting yetpasnrul 10 contemplate. This is the We
4 ~ inner shrine fNhe temple OF Mammon and the