New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-04-02

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largo citiss. Young man 40 no longsf
satisfied Nth tAs quick mles md small
proAts on which the material prosperity
Of their fathers raised IL foundation.
Their desires % far o1trun their acquisi-
lions, that in desperation they plunge
into any speculation that promises more
interest on their principal than legif-
mate business affords. :. This haste to be-
rich is not confined to any class in the
community, though all do not manifest
it in the same way.- T. drives the lawyer,
into taking change Of desperate cases for
. contingent fee proportionate to the adj
vantages ct stake rather than to the SER,
vices rendered. Under its influence the
merchant ventures his fortune Sin many
bottoms" the shopkeeperl loads his
shelves with SNOWY worthless wares to
catch the unwary; the stock jobber deals
largely in fancy stocks, which the tele-
gram may send down to q nominal
value; the politician originates schemes,
ostensibly for the public good, but whose
Interior object is to plunge the State into
needless debt, that himself and his con-
federate plotters may I'LL their private
Golfers. It is this which supports the
many lottery Offices wherein the poor
sink share Of their meagre earnings;
robbing their families Of comfort, and
themselves Of self-respect for the UNI
certain prospect of receiving unearned
money.
Besides the haste to be rich, there are
other elements of human nature which
help to foster the propensity Of which We
are treating, the chief among them being
the belief in ''luck" and the love Of ex-
element. That the belief in luck pre-
wallis to great extent among the ignor-
ant and superstitious. NO one will dis
pute; but it is likewise true that il is not
confined to these. q the prevalence Of
gambling plainly proves. In fact, the
motive Of trying his 'luck" is often the
first step ON the edge Of that fearful whirl-
pool which ultimately sucks the credu-
lous experimentalist to destruction. And
then the thirst for excitement, which i
gratiAed ct the gaming table. the eager
longing for something to make the slug
gish blood course, ightning-like through
the veins, concentrating in one moment
Of. Mgh-strung anxiety (even though it
amount to agony, the consciousness of
life, which at other times spreads tame.
ly over the dead level Of weary
seasons. Is not this joy? A base
joy, indeed, but then ''the thirst of
gold, the beggar's vice, is base passion,
when inspired by mo- higher motive than
sel6shness, and the excitement which at
tends it can not but be base likewise.
What wonder, then, that, ministering
as gambling does to such passions and
such weaknesses of human nature, it
should be hotly pursued, and the super
fetal treatment applied to the symptoms
should be So universally unsuccessful
Let preachers and reformers find the seat
Of the disease, and apply the needful
remedies. Let men be made to feel that
no money but what is earned in some
way, either by brain work or manual
labors is worth having; that skin in
gambling of any kind is not work but
fraud, the obtaining of an improper adj
vantage over others; that there is NO such
thing as s.luck, and that the unhealthy
excitement which enriches moments to
impoverish years is squandering of vital
ity which will infalibly entail the bitter
est remorse. Lot the principles Of phil
osophical Christianity be instilled into
the minds Of our youth, inspiring them
with lofty aims, and giving them health
full views Of life and happiness. When
this is accomplished formal attacks on
special vices will no longer be needed.