Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-05-01
THE LOTTERY.

A clergyman 10 England has been recently
brought to grief as may be seen by reading
the report of prosecution under the laws
foFbidding lotteries. His participation in the
scheme was merely aiding lottery for the
purpose Of disposing of goods at church
fair, such as is held often 10 our churches in
this country The public mind has now be-
come so thoroughly enlightened on the sub
ject, that we may reasonably conclude there
viii be few or no lotteries hereafter, in con-
nectlon with religious charities. They are
so manifestly contrary TO the laws, and SO
palpably immoral, that no good man or
woman can give them cOuntenauce amoment.
At the same time, it is true that the lottery
principle is becoming more general IN the
transactions oe ordinary business than it was
before. When man offers papers oftobaceo
for sale and advertises that in one paper out
Of every twenty there is hid dollar, which
the fortunate buyer of that particular paper
viii have, the seller is lottery dealer. He
is violating the law of the State in spirit, If
not in letter, and if he were indicted by the
Grand Jury, we think that be would be pun
ished. Judge Barnard called the attention
of the Grand Jury TO the matter Of lotteries,
in his charge last week, and we trust 1t will
be looked into carefully.
As the Charitable Asylum, Old Soldiers
Relief, Widows and Orphans Home, &c,
&c, that are raising funds by distributing
houses lands and jewels by lottery, they are
so manifestly illegal, not to say fraudulent,
that il is wonderful how many people are
gulled by them. a fool and his money
are soon parted, and no one pities the
dunes of these brilliant schemes. Yet 1t is
very surprising that some journals, even
those that are opposed to lotteries, continue
to advertise these schemes, thus directly
aiding them and indirectly sharing thespoIis
Of the people.
The rage of the day is-perhaps the rage
of all DAYS has been--to get something for
nothing: TO obtain money without rendering
an equivalent; TO get rich in haste. The
lottery appeals to this grasping selfish,
covetous, thieying propensity. 1t sets on
fire the worst and lowest passion of the
human soul. 1t has ruined millions, and
will ruin millions more It destroys in
dustry, prudence, integrity and thrift. Wall
street gambling illustrates the same spirit.
II Is unhealthy and immoral. The State
diseountenauees every form of gambling,
because it is injurious to the States per-
mauent welI-being. History has proved
this. Holland, France, England, have all
been eonvulsed at times, by insane specu-
lations, more or less identified with the
lottery or gambling mania. We are now
rushing into an era of the same sort
Though we have laws to suppress these
things, we have not public virtue to sustain
and enforce the laws. As we have seen the
good results of associations to correct abuses
and promote the public health, we are led to
believe that an Anti-lottery Society, with
another Mr. Berg at its head, might be
great institution for good. Regular dealers,
honest. tradesmen, all who desire to do
business 10 a legitimate way, and to reap
fair profit By their business, would be IN
terested in giving such society the funds
needed TO prosecute every man who disposes
of his goods bv lottery These glft-enter-
prises, concert speculations, and worse than
all, the sale of books, tobacco, jewelry, &C.,
by lottery, would be speedily broken down,
if the laws were once set in motion, and the
attention Of the community were reused to
the fact that this petty gambling is Illegal
and demoraliziDg. 1t would soon cease to
be respectable. We hope the effort will be
made and that speedily York Obser-