Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-13

The bill for the relief OF the families c.: indi>
gent soldiers sc, was taken up Oh Its passage,
and the ayes and noes being taken. = was adopt
ed BY ayes LOG noes
The Militia Bill was then taken UP and dis
cussed until ad journment.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1868.
SENATE.
The Senate met at II O'Clock, N, and was
called TO order by the President, Lieut.. Cover
nor MONTAGUE.
PRAYER by Rev. DR.. SzELEr, o. the Baptist
Church.
ADJOURNMENT.
a message was received from the House
of Delegates announcing that they had re-
scinded tie joint resolution prOyliing toT an
adjournment Of the Legislature On. Monday
next.
Tie Senate agreed to the said resolution.
BILL FOR THE RELIEF OF SOLDIERS, &c.
A communication was received from the
House of Delegates, stating that they had
passed q bill Tor the relief Of the INDECENT
soldiers and sailors Of the State rf virginia
who nave been, or may be disabled III the
military service, and the widows and minor
children of soldiers and sailors vino have died,
or nav hereafter die in said service, and o..
the INDECENT families Of chose ROW IN the scr
vice. The House requested the concurrence
Of the Senate in the passage OF the bill.
Mr.. Dickinson, from the Committee on Con
federate Relations, reported that the Commit
tee have had under consideration a preamble
and resolution declaring ''the status q slave
ry in Virginia." and ask 70 he discharged
from the further consideration Of the suhiec
because, in tie judgment Of the committee,
there is no need for a further expression ~
opinion on that subject, nor is it competent
for a legislative body TO restrict or control
the action Of a convention.
A report was received from the Committee
for Courts Of Justice adverse to the expcdicn-
cy Of icgislating, during the existing var, on
the subject Of killing OF sheep, Of calves I'M
der one year old, and Of pigs under six months
old.
Mr.. JoHSsoS asked TO be excused from scrv-
ing on the Committee on Salt. Inc motion
was agreed to, and Mr.. Lynch wa5 appointed
in his place.
ELL TO SUPPRESS GAMING.
On motion of Mr.. HART, the bill to suppress
gaming was taken up, the question beng on
its passage.
VT. iCEDDDN NSliu u.s. III Hal SD4iC cuk 70 l't
world as an opponent of this bill, ny Il report
Of q remark which he had made II ii gentle
men near him, that the bill was Of too sweeping
4 character, he would state the grouads Of his
opposition. He did believe the provisions Of
the bill were Of too sweeping 4 character. In
stead of diminishing gambling. thu hiil, in
his opinion. would increase it. Every change
of the law for the purpose was Idle. lie was
-...,l ., - ,i,.r hi. l,li, ,r Ia ,..,,,
principle tl:as lie was opposed to the Maine Ii.
quor law. There has already been sulfi :ient leg
~islation in the direction oi this bill. 1t but ill.,
creases the secresy Of gambling which is the
life Of the practice. Every man who reals
this bill can see how inefficient 1t is. Il can
easily be eTaded by the purchasing of the
real estate and of the slaves used and employed
by'the keeper of the gambling saloon. True,
by the bill the gambler ~forfeits his property,
but catching is before hanging, and no H.
crease Of power is given 70 catch and expose
the gambler. The statute book is loaded
down with cnactInents on the subject. The
true remedy is to license the practise, require
the registration Of the players, and thus, hy
publicity, d;sarm the vice Of its power by ex-
posing its victims.
Mr.. HART felt a deep interest in this bill
And he made the motion 10 take it up, III or
der that its friends might have an opportunity
To give their reasons why its passage would
be beneficial. The gentleman from Stafford
(Mr. SELDOM opposes the bill because it Is
impossible to arrest the evil of gaming by le-
gislation. Why, sir, the whole of his argu-
mest would address itself with equal force 10
the repeal of every la~ which has been eli
acted since the foundation Of the government.
lie (Mr. HARr) was surprised that the gen
tleinan should so strangely misapprchend the
provisions Of the bill. The bill provides for
the taking away of the property Of the gam
bier, and if a slave,i is allowed to be employed
in any service connected with gambling, the
owner is fined not less than one hundred dol
lars nor more than one thousand, and upoa
conviction, the right to such slave rcyertS to
the Commonwealth. And with regard to Ii
censing gambling, putting the vice of gam
bling on O level with the licensed and lcgiti-
mate professions of the State-giving the
gambler authority N throw wide open the
doors of his vicious establishment to the youth
and unsophisticated of the land, where
they would be feeced and ruined, and then bla-
zrn forth to the world the name OF every man
who goes there, would surely not diminish the
vice. Besides, this question Of licensing has
been fully considered and decided upoll, and
need not be argued in Virginia. The
true question is, will this bill be Of ser
vice? VIII it aid in suppressinS this
vice? It's friends think that it will,
and desire that the law should be passed and
carried into effect. The gentleman from Stat
ford says the statute book is loaded down with
legislation on the subject Of gaming. What
more evidence, then, is wanting that this
State is fully committed against this vice, and
that we should do all in our power to arrest
and break it up? But l will not argue this
question the members of this body arc well
qualified to lcgislate on this subject without
any remarks from me. In conclusion, | ask
that the ayes and noes be recorded on the
passage of the bill.
Mr. COLLIER said he should give tho reasons
why he should oppose this bill. lie thought
it unwise, and utterly inefficient. 1t was
calculated to render the vice of gaming more
secret and more dreadful lie had thought
much on the subject of gaming: he had
studied it, and had much personal knowledge
the subject indeed, all his troubles in
early life and mature manhool had been pros
ducel by q londness for sporting. lie bc.
lieved that the only way to arrest the evil
was to license these insttutiOns-to make
every man register his name at the door rs
at the hotels. lie was opposed to gaming.
and if there was any way by which the vice
could be arrested, he would give it bis most
ardent support; but this bill is incficicnt.-
There is not a provision in it that may not
be evaded. You cannot prove th:t when the
of q house rented il he knew it was To
be used for gaming purposes; and then rhe
can go to Lynchburg and hire all the
he needs, and the owner cannot know
the character of the man 70 whom his slaves
are hired.
Mr.. NEWMAN, Of Mason, hoped the Senate
would pass this bill: then if it was found to
be Intellectual it GOULD be amended. And the
gentleman from Petersburg, end others
having experience in the matter. could give
their aid and advice in perfectins the bill
md accomplishing the purposes desired.
Mr. CnIIJER did NOT wish tn have ANYTHING