Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-12-26
Wall Street Gambling.

The evil of stock gambling, as carried on in Wall
street, occasionally exhibits itself in the OF
Jacob Little, where fifty families feel It's effects as
sensibly if some great calamity had fallen upon
the country, a tornado had swept million OF dol
lars worth of property away. Ii is not that SO much
money has been suddenly lost, property destroyed,
for the same amount and quantity of both exist but
that these families brought at to realize that
they have squandered valuable time which cannot be
recaed-that this time is simply the money they sup
posed they had made, and could afford TO spend, but
in reality only borrowed of their future earnings,
that must now be given to repay IT,
Gambling al the faro and roulette tables, with
cards, and at the dice box, is condemned by society
evil of the greatest magnitude, hut no living
soul can give any reason why it is worse than gamb
ling in stocks al the Board of Brokers' The keeper
of a gambling he'll in Broadway or Little W alter
street may be honest in all his dealings with his fell
low men, may be kind and gentle, charitable, and
res ectable SO long his business is not known
but when once known gambler, his character is
gone, and he is branded fit inmate of the State
prison.
Now what makes the difference Why is the
Wall street gambler not branded the same as the
Broadway gentleman ?-bolh MN money, both obtain
The means of living and wealth without giving any,
thing in return. Whatever each one gets comes from
others who receive no compensation Therefore the
conscience of each is scared, or it tells him that the
ten collars the thousand dollars in his pocket
from a loser, and the wife of each knows that the
money she spends for a dless breakfast is that
which another has lost and not tor which her nus
band has g ven anything in return.
The silk goods merchant who sells French gewgaws
and European fOllies, and the book merchant who
sells obscene pictures bad enough, heaven knows,
for both pander to a vicious and depraved taste, and
feed the wckedness which contributes to their gain
but the faro and the stock gambler be lost to
ell OF right, OF Justice and mercy, and pocket
the last cent OF these losing victims with little
the ackalI tears the hide from dead horse.
1t is renal kable fact that, since the board of
hrOk vase cd h1tOn
ulator has retired from the business rich and he cut
his own throat soon after giving up the business. -
Thus it would seem that the favor of heaven as we'll
as fortune, never rested with this class of men, and
that Natures law is true TO it, and does not per-
nit any man to long retain that which he gets IN
wOrhy.
But what is to be done ?-this evil exists and how
can it be removed? The first thing in looking fo
a remedy is 10 find out the of a disease anc
now that we have shown through but feebly the
evils and wickedness of stock gambling, it is oul
next duty to point out the cause
Plainly and distinctly, the first is in the moral, o.
rather, immoral sentiment of society. Did society
look upon gains of wealth i'll gotte,., unworthy
10 be retained, stock gambling would cease. Ou
missionary societies, most of them gambling anc
: fraudulent cocerns themselves, receive the stock gam
blers contributors, and made stock gamblers homo
: rary members, readyas they would wealthy
|. mechanic farmer. So il is with churches
81 bible societies. and charitable institutions, thu
e able citizens
u And next, the newspapers, and all, quote th
% prices OF bets, and report the sayings and dongs
u these gamblers with much regularity and
&c they do the sale of cattle grain, pork, thing
- that enter directly into the business and wealth
/ the country. And whilst old stock gambler wi
warn his I" from the street - with the ca
u nesness and deep feeling that he ions him again
g entering hell in Broadway, he will set down an
! write glowing account of the transactions at til
., stock board for the papers, Bank cashiers and of
~ GERS, who will turn off clerk teller and bran
him with the mark of Cain for borrowing q trife fro
TIE drawer to pay up stock bet, will invite Il
IT, greatest gambler IN the street to the back office.
'e negotiate loan with him of Millions 10 carry on h
~ business and pay up his bets, and whilst the Re
~ Velvet Plush pours forth Sunday morning mo
eloquently against the faro and the lottery dealer
~ in the afternoon be lays his hands the head of
y stock gambler, and ordans him elder in his churc
-. Gentlemen, gambling is gambling and betting
betting, the world oyer, and however respectable "
,'0 may make stock gambling by the laying of HAND
negotiating large loans, reporting the lransacto
~ in the newspapers, it is all one and the thil
- in the sight of Heayen, and just God looks with
more favor on him who wins Erie and New Yo
,e Central, than on him who wins the ten spot a
nc the right bower. Money from another is mon
10 stolen, and when all Wall street is alive with m
NV eager 10 extract money from each others pockets
- the game OF stocks, the recording angel, well
~ the common sense of the masses write the buslne
H. down on the same page with bets of the faro gam
Ter and the pickpockets at the Astor House.