American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1859-01-14
9ll Am1 GagAy1 UNION,
S. SIEGFRlED, EDITOR.
CONGREssIOyAL GlMBLEas.

rev. Dr. llawkS,ln his thanksgiving
sermon yesterday, thus referred to
subject which has awakened fresh in
terest in the public mind since the late
reports of the auction at Pendleton' s
Congressional gambling house in Wash-
ington.
"Within tho last few weeks only We
have appalling evidence of the down
ward tendency of that course on which
we are travelling, ard it requires but
child's foresight to see the certain
end. In the high places of the land
--aye, and among those who sit in the
highest council, almost under the caves
of the very Capitol, and in a city bear
ing name which of itself alone, one
might think, was sufficient to kindle
the warmest glow of patriotism, what
have We not seen ? The revelations of
gambling hell have told fearful
story. There were found the obliga-
tidns, unpaid, of some of our highest
legislators, for debts contracted at the
gaming table; and the intimation Of
some of the public prints is no obscure
? one that on important questions of the
deepest national interest, votes have
been controlled by means of the power,
which professed gambler has welded
in the possession of these moncycd OBJ
legations of so.called honorables.
We have no doubt of tho accuracy
Of the picture here presented. The
gambling hclls of Pennsylvania Avenue
are the standing attractions Of the ma :.
tional capitol. The halls of Pcndleton
and others have been for years con.
stantly attended by Senators and Re-
presntatives, whose success or i'll sue.
cess in fighting the tiger, as it is called,
would account for not few of the &C.
centricities of federal legislation.
About two years ago, when allega,
tions of corruption against members of
Congress were the subject of investiga-
ton, We remember hearing it stated
that the members whose votes on land
grants and other schemes were most
suspected were the most assiduous at
tendants at the faro table. Some of
them were heads of families, and held
respectable positions in society, and
in the church; but the temptations of
the GAMBLER were too strong for the
virtue of men living away from the
restraining influence of home.
Of course men who have been pluck
ed to the last penny by sharpers, and
who see ruin and degradation staring
them in the face, are in just the condi-
ton to DO tampcrcd with. Their per-
sonal independence and self-respcct arc
gone, and their official integrity neces-
sarily follow. Forgetting their ac-
countablity to their constituents, they
become the retained attorneys and
lobby agents of spectators and jobbers
in public corruption, and sell their
votes to the highest bidder. 1t was
recently stated by Washington cor
respondent that the fate of the Kansas
bill was settled over the, tables of
Pendleton, and not without q certain
degree Of probability for great many
measures OF less moment have undoabt.
cdly been thus determined. We have
always questioned the efficacy of laws
against gambling, without, however,
questioning the right to lcgislate against
gambling houses as q nuisance to the
community.
when, however, these establishments
are able to corrupt the source Of the
public law, the matter assumes mag. I.
Iiitude demanding the grayest attcn.
ton. There is not virtue enough in o
Congress, some Of whose most ihnuen.
tial members are so deeply implicated,
nor in their plant and benighted scrvi.
tors, the mob, Of the District of Colum,
bia, to suppress the disgrace and per,
haps the resource is in holding the
more distinguished gamblers up to re.
prchcnsion by name--in other words,
to make a rogue gallery Of Congress.
sional portraits. s.---N Y .Even, Post,
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Rnoant1y T., 81.