Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-22

appreciation he mas not eVoNeu IN reerence W Ine ~
legged gambling of the public games in Italy and Greece.
condemn such things wherever found whatever called,
do not consider them eth, legitimate of.prng Of hu-
man passions as he does bat the most yeritabe bas
taris of fallen humanity and like other ilegtmateF,
abong under the ban CT the vruous and pure in every
land aud in every age. ACKNOWLEDGING, a. every oae
with history must do that gaming for money
had right ancient orgin mus nsst on the idea that
the antiquity the vice vindcaton oft more than
It is of any other immortality and will only remind this
writer that it was when the children Of Israeli in the
DESERT "at down to eat aud drink at their idolatrors
feast) and rose up play" proOAbly gAme) that tie
Most Higa said to Noses "his is a si.necked people,
l., me alone that my wrath may hot against them,
and that may consume them"
'Erskne" think may be satisfactorily disposed Of, by
few calm observations, on his other points He insists
on IT, tha. Matthias and Barsabas gsmbed for the
cant Apos,eshp and in the same paragraph, speaks OF
gambling, as "a vice of no orddary magnitude" Were
Il e,e disciples of Jesus guilty Of IN immortality Of no
ordnay magnitude" Will Efskine" tell hs Christian
readers this Solomon tells us that the lot Is cast n-
to the lap but the whole dsposing thereof is of the
Lord" Is the Lord, then, accessory to vice OF no
ordinary magnitude" II not, then, the lot and gam
bling are not the thing Apar; FROM this conside'
ration that they did not thus gamble and it
seems 10 be the result Of unreAscton make up ones
mind 70 say that they did. How could there be gaming
where neither lost anything that he had previously pcs
s,ssedg Could men ever make anything out ot each
other by this kind OF gambling This writer says the
parties EACH rsked his claim but does he not that
the claim practically thing Of naught until after the
had dan nvhinp 0aa and the
evil OF gambling lies IN the fact that loses perhaps
his all without anything whatever in the shape OF an
equivalent What "Erskine" calls "cain, is in real
ty net claim b6cluse there is neither possession OF
ownership in the case. The ownership. CT real claim
only be established by the lot He ssy the chance
OF getting something is sked and that judges have De
cdsd that "a chance" is reality But he must discrim
mate between this last kind of "chAnce" and the gam
ing "chsnce". "Erskine' knows that the lawmakers
and Judges decide in the matter OF gaming that this
chance" is practically nothing. This is the essential
foundation OF the law The doctrine Of the Law, i, that
except in matters Of charity gifts in fee simple"
property shall no pass from mans hlnd to anothers
without SONS return for the that the principle lie
iutrins!cally vicious. II exchange merchandise for
money. with my neighbor, there is chance that
each may make by the operation If money ia paid for
Doubtful paper, the courts will determine that "tke
chance" is reality, because the paper may bring some
thing But If gambler puts another msuI money into
his pocket leaving him penniess what chance there
thl, the losing man will make anything by the trsnsss
ton In trade both parties may be benefited. In gam.
iae only one can be- This is the philosophy of the vice
o! gambling the theory of the laws against gambling
and however "Erskine" may deceive his own mind
think, If he deeming he doss Yoe of ordinary
Dimensions, will auAz, his thoughts he will find that
far from this rsked chance mitigating the offence the
whole guilt of the crime, does, in circle Of fire, fash
aud play around this ve.y point this chance, which is
not cSance.
"Erskne" complains that misunderstood him in his
slusoa4 to Mr. Fox, Me- Sheridan, aud others. How is
this, sir? He said plainly enough that the gaming Of
these men showed it to be popular in the best circles
and therefore il would be almost il not wholly mpos
sb!e seriously to diminish it. said in reply, that the
fact of the commission Of this vice BY these persons
more proved il to be popular n high circles than the
practice OF other vices by these proved them to be
popular, and difficult to be overcome. What other
treatment could opponent give to 80 transparent
fallacys Aad how have misconstruei the writer? 1t
would require plausible pen than his to sho" any
misconstruction Whatever and he must support the
weight which the refua,ion Of his argument throws on
him az well as he can.
In nv letter TO you sir. had spoken Of the power
public opinion, against gaming, aud said that it had
been sigaaly she~n by the almost entire extinction OF
female gambling. referred TO the scahiug diarbes Of
Addison as helping to give birth aud body to this esc
i've public sentiment But "Erskine," with sharpAsss
which your readers will be at oss TO appreciate
sonethng "literaly astounding" in this He points US
to Germany, aud TO Continental Europe Generally, to
show that females Giil game fcarfuly, and also to
sdys rouIete.room a. Saratoga sptUgs this latter
companied by the very additional circumstance OF being
"kept by man whose name uas arndIs m Docs that
refu,e my statements Wksn spoke of Addison, and
of English opinion, soalded By bis writings, did any
render of the Wig, exoep. "Erikine" imagine that
was extending ihis influence to Germany, whess a diff
fereu. language is used and different ups Of civil zi
ton ob.ainsS think not. Doubles vas understood
to mean Anglo-saHon ChristeafoI. including Apsrcs.
dill IT, and tue Sc. as have stated ID to be
Gaming Is no. ncs vice among the ladies' Of England
a. I: was IN Druer days. nor ID it xee a. the ladies OF
the Confederate States. And Ratuihstandng this rou.
le,le-room for females al Saratoga there svdenc,
that gaming is gsSeEal thing, even among Northern
women far az hold Northern society to b, from rer
ressh,ing AnglO.Ameriean civilization. "Erskine" il,
the readers OF the Rhy, that ia BAdenBaden female.
gamble, and, II may his figure, "fgbt toe tiger
like -ildcls" Bu, did he no. the deep INTO which
he was plungng when he gave this inlesnationy Il
will be qqte pleasant TO all to remember, that this B.,
den. Baden where so odous social evil exists, s ia
Germany, where gaming-houssA established by law
the very Institution "ErkneA wishes to eco in this State
Of Virginia. Does As 40, think that Richmond, where
gambinghoEssS are forbidden by law will compare very
favorEAy with BadenBsden where they are e,tabl,hs
by Law: Do rcvoiting and heArtsckening scenes Eks
those described by "Kirwan" and Madam LeVsr a. oe
curing among females 10 the lawful gaming nghouses IN
Blden transpire in Richmond, where such places
are not tolerated by statute OF slch an asser