The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1865-01-05


Not only so, but within the last few
years it has been frightfully on the in
crease. rv--rr
The great quantity Of currency thrown
upon the country since the inauguration
tof the present rebellion, has presentc cd
opportunities which thoss vampires Of
society, the professional gamblers, have
not been slow to avail themselves Of In
all our principal cities are princely sa,
'soous, situated, or public thoroughfares,
| furnished inNhe most gorgeous style, ex.
posing 10 tempting view, costly liquors
| in cut glass fecantery; where the unwary
are enticed for the purpose Of robbing
them Of their hard earnings They
furnish the means whereby men are
driven to madness; and thereby render-
ing them an easy prey to those human
blood hounds who suck out the substan ce
Of those whom curiosity or despair has
driven within their reach From these
''aristocratic" "hells" to the most niser.
able den of iniquity, the terrible business
goes on, day and night. From these in
situations, how many have gone forth
bankrupt in pocket and character, none
can tell How many have sought relief
from their ruin, by putting an end to
their miserable existence, cannot be esti-
matedl How muny bsggared wives and
starving children have been brought to
their sad condition, by the husband and
father, spending both his time and money
at the gambling table, will never be
known. But the fact is well attcsted,
that thousands are yearly reduced to
penury and want by this means Hun
dreds there are, of young men whose in
! tellects would have made them stars of
the FIRST magnitude in tho bright galaxy
of mind but who, through the seductive
influence of the card table and its CON
comitant surroundings, have sunk to the
lowest depths Of iDfamy, aud in their
youth have slept in dishonorcd graves,
"unwept, unhonored and .unsuug"
The destinations Of gambling are al
most impossible to resist Once drawn
within its vortex, it takes supcrhuman
strength 70 break away from its allure
ments. When ever fully aroused, i, is
one of the strongest passions which con-
troll the human intellect. The passion
for intoxicating liquor is more easily
controlled than is the passion for play
1t seems TO absorb the whole man and
he is not satisfied unless when under the
excitement or the game.
But it is not merely the time wasted,
and money spent, that constitute the
evils Of tho business Play is almost
always attended by drunkenness, lying,
cheating and profanity. 1t is not in
history that man has been known to
retain even the outward semblance of |
morality, while pursuing the business Of |
professional gambling. In fact, it would
be contrary to the order Of things if he
should remain virtuous and pure in other
respects, while engaged in business
little better than high way robbery.
Gaming engcndcrs a recklessness in
regard to life and property. The pistol
and Bowie knife are the arbitors Of gam.
blers' disputes In short, the victim who |
has yielded to the destinations Of gaming,
becomes lost to every thing but his in
satab'e appetite for play = u .''
But let it not be supposed that this
gigantic evil is confined to large cities
and the busy hauuts of men. 1t is more
or less prevalent everywhere. All classes
and conditions Of men are engaged in it.
The only difference being in the size of
the stake, lost al d won. And yet there
are persons who seem to be oblivious
that any thing wrong or criminal is 60.
ing on who entertain an idea that unless
there is piled upon the table a bunch of
bank notes, or pile of coin, there is no
gambling. Indeed there seems to be a
Iooseness Of idea in regard to the morali
ty Of this matter, that is positively dan
&c, Gus to the good order and well being
of society. l, should be borne in mind
that the question whether gambling has
been done or not, docs not depend upon
the amtnnt nor kind Of thing lost or
won; but upon the naked fact whether
anything Of value has been staked upon
the issue of the gams The crime of
gambling is just as complete in all re
spects, both in law and morall,y, !! the
'aio| Va Fiu 10 staheo ufUu d Sdui'' ~
though the stake were thousand do.
lars. Nor need it be money that is
staked it may be anything to which We
attach the idea of value The whole
thing is wrong in principle. If it is
wrong to play for horse it is wrong to
play for cigar. If it is wron: to stake
a cargo of liquor; then it is wrong to
play to see who shall pay for the drinks,
lemonade though it be.) The question
Of right and wrong; of morality and i'm
morality does not depend upon amounts
nor values but it is matter Of princi.
pie to be determined by the thing itself.
. But ne fniay be told that playing for
TRIES is only done as matter Of amuse.
mcnt that there is only enough staked
to make. the game interesting, and that
it is not iatcaded that the loser shal,
pay anything except a small treat. The
answer to that is, that if there is the
least possible thing Of value to tie lost by
z any one, 10 any manner, on the event If