Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-01-02
A National Convention of Gamblers.

The Chicago papers state that the gamblers Of the
United States are holding National Convention in
in Chicago They are said by the Democrat Of that
city to make decided sensation, being distinguished
by their sleek appearance sharp looks, and display
of jewelry. The purposes Of the Convention are,
first to revise the old rules and establish new
for their gsmes and second, to impose on the pro-
fession non interference in politics The import
anee the first reform is said be indicated by the
fact that seversl lives have been lost in hrOs arising
from different constructions of the rules. The res
son Of the demand for the second is not stated 1t
is said that Alabama, Rhode Island and Minnesota
are the only States not represented in this eonven-
tion 1t must strike the reader as singular fact,
even in this progressive" or fast age, that
there is such a spectacle under heaven as congre
CATION of professional gamblers from all parts Of
the country met in council, solemn and sedate, for
the purpose of systematisiDg deceit and making it
science Were we less acquainted with the anatomy
of iniquty and the history of human guilt, says
the Philadelphia Journal, we might be led to ques>
ton the possibility of such consolation Of black
legs and we're We not read up in the latitudinsrian
lem of the times, we could hardly have believed thst
Chicago had furnished den for such q carnival Of
cheats But unfortunately there is little for Us to
| be astonished at.
! Now that these gamblers have begun to legislats
for themselves continues the JOnrndl, we think 1t
high time for the country to legislate for ITSELF In
dependenty of the moral bearings Of the question,
national safety as well az individual property, are
imperilled by this horrible vice. The most eonclu-
sye evidence upon the destructive losses oecssioned
I, ant praa uTA0t n
| the Interchangeable German Church Assemoly--ss
its meeting in Frankfort in 1854 In the tenth Sec-
! tion Of that paper, find the following; Even
the loss of money which gambling entails Is great
| enough to offer 8 chief reason against gambling.
! The fact that, when gambling bathing>piaces we're
sought to be abolished their owners asked such sums
| for naturalization at Hamburg 4,OoO,OOO ana
Baden 6 0OO, 900 Aorins, gives one an idea OF the
sums received at gambling houses. As to the ten
authorized gambling houses which were abolished
in Paris in 1885, the calculation hes been made that
yearly 925 O0O 600 francs passed over their banks
| II ia known that the German gambling banks pay
annually great sums to the government; at Baden>
Baden. 1920 600 orns at Hamburg, 40, Zoo hOrins to
the State, and 10000 to the town" Are not such
! 6gurss terrifying? How many families are dashed
to pieces by the losses thaI pay 'hese eH
maintain these s'hells in splendor and afHuenees
How many young men have sacrifsed in this golgO>
tba the hard earned gains of their fathers their own
reputation. perhaps lives, and the hearts Of some
that yearnod for then in love
So dangerous to nstiOns has gambling often be
eome. that many governments prohibited gaming
houses and imposed very severe penalties upon
gambling. 1t was forbidden by the Roman laws,
bo,b in the times Of the Republic and the Empire.
II was tolerated only at the Saturnaa ia December,
and none but old men were allowed to use it as a
recreation. The most aAeient Ecclesiastical Law
deposes Bishops, Presbyters Deaeons for indulg
ing in dice. Bylaws made in the reign Of Henry
VIII, the keepers of gaming house in England may
be indicted for nuisance. By acts in the reign o.
Anne. bonds for money lost at play are declared
void, and losses amounting to El0 may be recover
ed. The ancient law of Scotland limits "plHy" tC
private houses, and requires the sanction of tbs
master of the house. Acts in the reigns Of tbs
Second, Third, and Fourth Georges, enforce snd
enlarge previous Laws, and the Victoria reign has
/, three distinct acts, strengthened those already
on the Statute Book. France has closed her public
ganing-hOusss. The majority Of the German States
now forbid gaming. Several Of tie Swiss eAnson'