Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-11-11
COMMERCIAL GAMBLING


There few things that shock the moral feelings oil
ordinary wel.condlcted Englishmen more than any
open undisguissd form o. gambling. Thank Heaven,
genes OF chance absolutely prohibit n this country
that il, wherever the Law reach them The boy who
play at chuckfirthug in the ia whip
ped to teach him better morals; the publican who per-
mitts anything more haEdous than whist his premi
sea s deprived o: h;s license; and the young uooemsn
who stake. his fhcss money at roulette rougee noir
in St. Jimes likely to appesr ut the policecou under
the Of John Smith, No. 80 Albcrts,reet Penton-
vile. Our national adherence of tho vice begins verr
carly. Wnan read tia; the Miiys delight in cock
fighting, running muck, dice, rejoice that Engsh
men other are-g,mblers and a,sissius.-
We too industrious, honest, sensible peopl
commit such foies. We prefer the bread of toll
wealth by chance from its rightfu possessors u
the map Of Europe ombourg, Baden, and all the other
resorts of the gambler, dark to the moral eye
cholera district in the map Of a sanitary reformer We
hate g-mLlng-we despise i; have put down o,ter
ies AID are preparing crusade against rslcrs. Yet
strange 10 say, England after ali, is the gambling
country i'll the world, aud our mercantile classes the
gamblers in IL. More money changes hands by sheer
gambling in week in this country than is lost aud
won in whole year at German watering place The
Offenders not htshy looking fellows with huge
cho-, speaking rgon Of all languages but dull sober
minded men, Of grave conversations, aud unprcenjng
manners and modest apparel.
They would not touch Il dicebox for the world, except
for a game at back tnimon with venerable aunt and ~
likely not they would send Master Tommy bed il
they found him cards. Nevertheless with n conscience
unhutt, aud with mistaken opinion of their virtue,
they able To run risk to the amount Of fifty thou
sand more well knowing that they worth fifty
pounds. knuwiug that they started with nothing, and
have nothing except credit they will purchase n-ny
ships or many thousand quarters Of wheat the
chance that by they will be able either sell
again advantage, embark in fresh speculation
Always entering into till larger risks they will go
this game Of double quits till in unurky hour the
tide hapy inls and they left stranded the shore.
when it is found that with profusc expenditure and
immense business they were always nsoIyent. There
who do this pnd respectable respectable even
though DO known, or at least shrewdy guessed that
they have done this, il happens, with success. man
who seems To have sort o good genius protecting him
through game Of this SORT and who, somehow other
always manages To keep HE legs, is trusted by ocrs
not Tor his protiy, but Tor his fortune Many merchant
thus who would speculate himself rashly aud dig
honestly, nevertheless avas himself Of anOers rasnes
aud 20 il happens that, whcn Of does at
last get the end Of his tcther many found
he more or less injured by his f-l.
Certain disclosures recently made at Liverpool Dublin
Limerick aud Corr Illustrate the plausible aud dangerous
character Of practice which il il really unfair to
pare with the vice al ordinary gambling IL IL unfair
the gambler. The who throws down his last napo-
leon tho roulette table, and walks with empty
pockets may at least he able to congratulate himself
he hiss deaued nobody, and has not wif share
his dts'ituion. Even stakes Than he has the
certainty that hi' father his friend will make good his
losses hc does that by virtue Of existing relation with
his father bis fend-vz an understanding that HE
father hi, friend IL fool enough for the purpose lIa
must pay these with whom ho plays, and whom he 10
logger able to do the uermost franc he bid
adeu to tina. honorable society He must either he hon
eat himself, or have somebody ready TO make him
honest man. Thus tho sentiment Of honor 10 not wholly
los. at tue gaming table, nag, between the gamblers
themselves il is the very boud Of society. Nay more,
ordinarily matter Of fact, people do not 20 beyond
their depth at tho gambling table aud, a. tue
phrase 10, are only their enemies. All this
IS honor aud virtue compared with the pys-
TEN Of commercial gambling. man assumes
tho appearance vi ineEhausbo wealth, buys aud buys
ard buys sgaD, each time With the credit derived from
former but still unsettled transactions he asks
dstion and gives in return he exchanges support with
others who either know not his case or are ia the same
pefilous position as himself SO long as the markets
rising all is we'll But he either is not disposed to wind
up when he can, or he is not able At the first consider
able sl Of the market he breaks down, aud dozen
two Others jail With him. like castle Of cards. SO far
his fellow sufferers sbarers in hs schemes well 10
his Losses they not TO be pitied they have not been
dcfaudcd they were able to help themselves aud ava
only assisted TO back up man whom they 10 be
playing desparste game. But il commonly happens that
large portion Of the public wholly out Of tie secret
and arc 80 deceived by Appearances to he really the vic
ins Of fDposturo when adyenturer OF this sort
his creditors, may be, hsEa.crown in the pound.
But what i. the OF moszipg about such prac,icep
II will be asked II condemns itself in the ruin spreads,
II ~ not likely TO find much favor it'll ho ubloftUnsc
dupes; ami as for the spectators bemscvcs they
the people TO piy much attention to Newspaper homily
Certainly IL 10 rot Of much to preach 10 who
credit for wealth which he knows TO have no
existence and toss for thousands the speculation oil
pockcing the gain aud leaving others bear the loss
or as little usc Is IL TO preach to that large class
which will not exercise due caution, and which shut their
eyes TO danger aud their ears TO warning There arc
those however, who neither rogues ioo AT less
60 far either TO originate desperate speculation
TO be wholly deceived by H. IL IL 10 this class sbd IL Is
10 this degree OF completely bst the plausible and
most dangerous form Of gambling consists. Why do
merchants OF respectab y and long standing trust tboee
whom they have believe wholly Of their DEPTH