, 1863-01-26
THE REBEL CAPITAL.
EKfe!.=ocd by Daylight and Canlle-
Light.

[Fton the Richmond Examiner Of the 7th,l
The gamblers in Richmond are multipliedas
tho lice Of Egypt. There Is not handsome
front on Main street behind whicl, this ycr-
min does not swarm. Nearly every third
doorway In the most frcqueutcd part Of this
thoronghfare displays the gilt numbers and
gates to hell. At the hotels, in the street,
everywhere in Richmond, may he seen the
sinister-eyed gambler, g!istening In fine
clothes, and waiting like d purring cat for bis
prey.
tribute to him. He keeps around him a crowd
Of obsequious villains, who arn the iackals for
the lion, and maintains par,sftica1 host Of
prostitutes who are pampered by his drunken
and lustful munIdcencs.
Indeed, tile prostitutes Of the city are said
to hare generally taken up their abode in the
upper stories Of the gambling houses, where
they find convenient sanctuary from the
Mayors police: In the lower rooms Of this
sanctuary Of vice are to be found represents
tiyes from all the vicious and deprayed classes.
Ono may see here the thief and garroter dis
guised In fine clothes; the seedy and bloated
vagabond from Washington in q cheap para
disc Of free liquor; and. the bogus military
man Of Richmond, whose title Is but n rccog-
nitfon that has been given him in brothel.
Mixed with this crowd are victims Of various
distinction: It Is not many months ago since
ytrtuons deacon was captured In a gambling
saloon Of this city, and On the same occasion
it is said that Cabinet minister, WHO was in
one Of those inner chambers, reserved for dis
tfnguishcd guests and sacred to the mysteries
Of" blue-cheeks, efectedhis escape b. jump
ing from window.
We are informed that there are not less than
forty well known gambling establishments in
this city. The expense Of maintaining these
establishments Is enormous. The market bill
alone Of one Of these fashionable houses is
said to average $100 day. Notwithstanding
their vast expenditures in sumptuous rcpasts,
enormous rents, these houses coin money like
the mints Of gcnii. The gamblers have glut-
ted with money certain classes Of Richmond;
they put up the price Of every luxury; they
toy and wanton with money in all sorts Of
gfddy and fantastic extrayagance, and throw
Oh trees. Recently bid Of sS5, coo was madc
by gambler in this city for a princely landed
estate in this vicinity, the name Of which is
historical.
It Is fearful calculation that undertakes to
determine the sources from which this great
from ruined lives and broken hearts; but the
cup Of private misery alone Is not sufficient
to account for the stream Of ill-gotten wealth
poured ont from the gambling establish
ments in this city. Much Of their gain is the
gaming @ tables By com@iss.sies 9uartelnass n ae
tiers, and others who lave the use of the pub
lie funds These are the distinguished vic
tins for whom tho net is spread aud the soft
cst words spoken. and it is through their
temptation and fall, and the desperate dishon-
esty Of the man who takes the money Of au-
other that the gambler makes his bQdest and
easiest gains.
It is remarkable that the government
should permit itself to be notoriously robbed,
and its treasury to be 1leeced IN this way by
= &c Z.
remarkable that some OF the Confederate
authorities should show d tenderness for q
vicious and dangerous class, and d disinclina-
tionto run counter to them in every incident
Of public duty. Some days ago room for Ger
tain necessary public officers was required in
Main street, the upper apartments Of which
was gambling saloon. The necessity hay-
Ing been presented to the Secretary Of War,
that officer very properly and promptly or
dered the room to be seized for the public use,
on the ground that It had no just protection
gitimate usincss. We learn that this order
was suspended By the subordinate officer
charged to'execute it, on the first intimatiou
that the party who was to be distrained was
one Of the gambling princes Of Richmond.
This fact, we believe, can be distinctly proved,
else we should not have referred to It.
! The people Of this city must look for relief
from the reign Of tho gamblers to Govern
ment of better morals than TINT Of the Con
fedcracy. In few days the Legislature Of
Virginia meets, and no more urgent task Of
reform claims Its attention at this time than
purging its capital Of vice that has poisoned
the Titals Of this community and matic Rich
mond the rendezvous Of every harpy in the
Confedcracy. The only difficult part OF the
question is the mode Of tho remedy, for gam
bling is Q vice so closely embraced, when It
once makes its insidious introduction, and so
rnJFnf4n1 and fnpef}i1N9 in ifG fnfGn3n4 fEnf II
is almost impossible to conquer it easily or
eypedifiOusly