Smyrna times., 1858-11-11
MIS- CELLANE ECU S.
Written for the Smyrna Times.
The Lottery Question.

The Lottery Question.
Mr.. EDIToR ,--Rumor says that, at the next
session of our Legislature, efforts will be made
10 secure the passage of bill 10 continue to
license the issue and sale of lottery tickets
Sir, there is reason. fear TO believe, that an
effort will be made by wholesale gamblers to
purchase the honor, integrity and fair fame OF
our " Diamond State" with accursed gold
the price of widows tears and orphans groans;
men whose God is gold will bring this Paltry
pelf and profier it as barter for honesty, NOR
ality and religion. l care not how they may
urge the necessity Of public improvements as
the basis of their merciless trafic-they may
mock US by pleading our poverly-they may
weep over the barren sands of Sussex, and wall
a mournfnl dirge Ito what they may term) her
impoverished sons,-but they plead her necessl-
ties that they may take advantage of lhem.-
Can they, in the face OF an intelligent cOmmu-
nity, offer bribe, bonus," for all that we
hold dear TO us as Christians phianthropists, and
guardians of the rights, of the morality aud re-
ligon of our own and coming generations 3
Will they seek TO fasten on US that monstrOus
vice which other sister States have proudly
hurled from them! Will we take the viper to
our bosom? Will we contribute to quench the
piety, extiuguish the intellect and convert our
sohs and sons sons into toma tons, living num-
mics, mere mechanical members of diabolical
gambling machine! Will we permit our soil,
purchased by the blood of our fotelathers, TO be
the only asylum for a banditti of men whose
hands are literally against every mans, whose
interest clashes with every mans interests,
whose purest love is the " love of money W
Shall this heaven-favored State afford fnlcrum
upon which this lever of woe and wretchedness
shall be placed! Shall our soil be a fountain
of putrescence from which shall flow pestifer-
ous streams through the Middle, Eastern aud
Western States! Humanity would weep over
such a result-unborn generations would curse
the day! Will we hazard both worlds this
plague to win!" | answer, No. Let these
avaricious gsmesters dare attempt it. Let but
the whisper escape their lips, aud they will find
men enough to whom the honor of Delaware is
almost as dear as life, who will rise up against
them. They will find the pulpit true TO itself,
its God and Christianity-they will find the
press, the palladium of our rights, invincibly
guarding the escutcheon of Delaware from so
infamous blot. Let them pile their gittering
gold as high as the Statehouse dome, aud bring
personal considerations to every member of our
next Assembly,--let their miserable tools ply
their utmost energies. Yet, with ALL will not,
dare not believe that Delaware will not be
true to herself-that the gentlemen who shall
preside over the interests of our Commonwealth
will be SO far forgetful of themselves the State
aud country at large, as 10 pander to such ne
farious system of licensed robbery-that they
will suffer their names to be borne to coming
generations attached to such a blll-that they
will allow the records Of the State to bear 10 Ill
coming time the burning shame and disgrace of
such an Act.
We have fully determined to meet this ques-
tion, and commence early in the day. We pro-
claim unceasing. uncompromising and unfalter-
ing hostility: The sword is drawn, the scab.
bard we have thrown away, and now for the
fight. II men intend to make 10 effort to force
bill, let US know it; dou't lurk in the dark !;
come out, show yourselves, and we ask no
quarter. We challenge you in the name of
Israers God, and he will give US this Goliath
who challenges the God of our fathers.
Yours, VIGILANCE.