New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-02-22
EAFFLING AT FAIRS.

aid of the Sanitary Commission, by Rev. DR..
Bellows, who informed us that the Committee
were in great pcrploxi,y on tho subject. Some
who desired TO aid the Fair would greatly prefer
that no gambling of any kind should be al
lowed; while othors-and among them were
several OF the lady managers--wou'd resign
their positions and quit the concern if railing
were forbidden. Our opinion was Strongly adj
verse to rafting, and was freely expressed.
We understood that the ject was still undor
consideration, and that no decision had been
indicated.
Some dovs thereafter, We first saw The protest
Of certain Evangelical clcrgymen and other cit-
gems connected With the religious enterprises of
the doy, against rafting, and understood that it
had been OF would be deferred TO. Under that i'm
preston, we wrote our recent article concuring
in thcic view OF the matter.
II now seems that We were mistaken--that
the rafting party has carried the day-malrly,
we believe, through superior energy and resolu.
ton. PrcsurniDg, then, that the question is set
lied in tho way which seems to US wrong, we
should have preferred, henceforth, to let it pass
in silence. We cannot commend railing; but
the Fair contemplate, and its proceeds are de-
voted to, SO noble AN object that ne should re-
,Tet any diginution Of It's receipts.
Bat the champions Of rafting insist on further
discussion, and wo accept their challenge. Let
us hear TIE N. y. Times:
TIM TRmusR's patriotism has hitherto maintained
very praise worthy mastery over its I1dous SCI aes.
in regard to such violations Of constitutions aud laws a.
The emergencies OF war might render necessary
Very well: Now prove that IS the emergcn-
cies of war" have rendered rafting "neces any"
and we conccde TIE inconsistency. Bring On
your evidences
Hear TIE Timcs again:
AN over the country IA this State snd oihcrs
and hundreds Of fairs have boon held for yogi ohar'
table purposes st which various articles OF value have
been disposed Of Y lot hus in no case so lar ns we re-
member, has JHE JLInuAE raised its voice in protest
until now"
--Wo presume this is 50. 1nE TRIBUNE can
not "raise its voice in protest every time
something is done in Pawtucket or Pettiplace
which il might not consider exactly wise or
proper. In fact, we SO little relish the position
of censor that We let many things pass uncriti-
csed that we cannot approve, preserTing not to
see faults that wc could hardly hope to correct.
Even the fact that the managers Of the Albany
Fair having valuable document 70 dispose OF,
had advertised through our columns their pur-
pose TO sell chances 10 obtain it, had not at
tracted our attention until we were kindly
informed of it by several Of our Acighbors.
But let Us SEQ how Tie Tim1s comes to the
point
The knsy Of tie law Of this State against gambling
urqucsonrby orb.da the distribution Of any goods BY
lot or chance.
The spi,l aud purpose of the Law commend them
seves 20 universal approval The Law is aimed ut Ger
especially the poorer cLlssea, have suffered serious IN
Jury No one suproses for moment taat 1t was de-
signed 70 be applied 10 such efforts OF charity and DeAe-
Violence us the one row "A aaestan'
Yes, neighbor! we do suppose just what
you say no one does--suppoSe it not only for a
moment" bat for at least week. Lotteries
have ever been authorized in aid of 4" efforts Of
charity and benevolcnce ITO rebuild burned
church, to endow college, TO support common
schools, &c. If You doubt this, look over the
advertisements oil our city journals OF thirty 10
forty years ago, and you gill be satisfied.
There is 10 such conflict between the letter
and the spirit OF our anti-Lottery law as IEs 1
Times asserts. The object Of that law is plain /
and single-to prohibit Lotteries-not to forbid
gambling for any but religious and phan- !
thropic purposes--not to prevent gambling BY |
ignorant, stupid negroes and other low char
acters, and conGne j, to gcnteel, wealthy, intel
ligent people--but to stop rambling. We
deeply regret that It's end seems likely TO be but
attained. But, let it be generally |
understood that there ia one law on this subject |
for the rich and another FOX the poor--one for
influential, high-brcd persons, and
another for the rabble-one law for those who
game for philanthropo ends, and another for
those who game because they like it-and We
apprehend that the Difference henceiorth paid to
our anti-gambHng laws will be even less general
than it has been.
We do not feel that we need make any reply !
10 the suggestion that instances Of drawing
lots are recorded in the scrptures-tLat two
Judges or senators sometimes draw lots TO de-
termine which of them shall serve the longer |
term Sc, &c. He who does not instinctivey |
perceive the difference between this and railing
at Fair ior a watch or piano, must be entirely
beyond the reach Of any argument va could
offer.
Says TIE Tines
AS 20 any intrinse immortality in the matter We 10
not believe n word oi IL. Ten men wish Tor certain !
article worth $40. 70 al them wishes b. IL !
enough psy The m price bnteacl il perfectly willing
10 pay sUior tine chance II getting IL IN iar dstrib
lion 5Y lot We shonll He Do lnOW from The nalest