The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-03-24
From the Religious Herald.
The Southern Association Did 1t. I"

BILE gentleman, whom We knew, came into our
office. We had often seen him, but never
before with so sad a countenance. The cause
of his distress was quickly revealed. His
son, whom in other days we had known as
modest and upright boy, had been arrested
on charge of forgery. "Is there any ground
for the charge we hesitatingly inquired.
81 fear there is, was the reply of the heart
stricken father. The story is easily told
The young man became involved in debt;
the association, with its tempting scheme of
prizes, offered an easy but delusive means of
deliverance from his embarrassment; and,
to avail himself of this seemingly opportune
method of relief, he forged checks for small
amounts, and got them cashed by incautious
merchants. He was in trouble, became des-
perate, and staked his reputation and his
happiness on Il 9 chance of drawing prize in
lottery. The bait was specious, and the fool
ish young man bit, was hooked and ruined
After brief recital of the circumstances
the afflicted father said, with deep emotion:
" The Southern Association did It," At that
time we knew nothing of the Southern Asso-
citation. We had heard its name, but had
no definite conception of its design or its do
ings. Since then we have made inquiries,
and obtained the following information:
Certain gentlemen were incorporated by
an act of the General Assembly of Virginia,
in the session of 1861, under the title of
" The Southern Association for the. benefit
of the widows and orphans of the Southern
States" The incorporation is empowered
to hold properly, real and personal, not to
exceed at any one time in value five hundred
thousand dollars; to be disposed of in a
manner "not in conflict with, or in violation
of, the provisions of the constitution and
laws of Virginia, prohibiting lotteries; but,
as a means and mode of selling said property
to the best advantage and for the fullest
price, the said corporation" is authorized
and empowered to dispose of the same from
time to time by rattle; and for that purpose
to divide said property into prizes to be raf-
fed for, and to sell the chances in said rattle
for such prices as they may afix upon them. -
And the said corporation, in exercising the
powers and using the privileges granted" is
not "amenable to any of the pains and pen
alties imposed by the laws in force prohibit.
ing and imposing penalties for rafting"
With the aim of the Southern Association
we are in profound sympathy. We do not
impugn the motives of the gentlemen engaged
in this enterprise. We give them due credit
for integrity, patriotism and benevolence.
Our remarks have exclusive reference to their
mode of obtaining money.
We have on several occasions expressed
our earnest disapproval of raising funds by
lotteries, and similar means. They are among
the most pernicious schemes of gambling
because they are specious, usually conducted
for some object of public interest, and their
true character and tendency do not readily
strike the mind. They have been condemned
and outlawed by almost common consent
Their demoralizing influence has been patent
to all intelligent and candid observers. We
are pleased to notice that the very act by
which the Southern Association was incor-
porated shows that lotteries are in violation
of ''the constitution and laws of Virginia. "
OF late years, lotteries have been revived
under new and deceptive names. The South
ern Association disposes of its prizes not by
lottery, but by "rafle." What the precise
difference between the lottery and the rattle,
must be left to the lawyers and to the courts
to decide. 1t is quite beyond our comprehen-
sion. Of one thing, however, we are quite
certain: In all its essential elements it is the
same as lotteries, or any other species of
gambling. 1t depends for success on the
same love of money, the same desire to OBJ.
tain it without labor, the same fallacious hope
of being favored by chance, and the same
fondness for excitement, as other modes of
gaming.
The "raffle" of the Southern Association
is likely, we judge, to exert peculiarly
blighting influence on the young men of the
country. 1t is conducted by citizens of the
highest probity and responsibility. 1t pro-
poses to accomplish an object which appeals
strongly to every generous and patriotic
heart. 1t offers liberal prizes to the pur.
chasers of tickets, at moderate prices. If
the means be wrong, they are sanctifed, it
may be supposed, by the benevolent end
sought" the benefit of the widows and or
phans of the Southern States" Yet this
"raffle," like every other game of chance,
inspires false hopes, leads to foolish waste
of money, tempts to ruinous speculation, and
seduces unwary men into idleness, extrava-
gance, dishonesty and ruin. Beguiled by
plausible advertisements, the young, unused
to the calculation of chances, purchase tick
cts with delusive expectations. The posi-
bility of drawing capital prize excites and
bewilders them; failure does but increase
their desire for another chance; and, when
their money is ell spent, they become despe-
rate, and enter on some rash or dishonest
scheme to repair their losses.
"The Southern association did it," 1t
was terrible work. 1t seduced promising
young man to his destruction, blighted for
life the happiness and hopes of young and
confding wife, covered family, hitherto
bright and joyous, with an almost impene-
trable gloom, and brought upon name, for
generations free from reproach, an inefface-
able stain. We have reason to fear that the
mischief done by the Association has not
been limited to this single case. Or, if this
is the first bitter fruit of the "rafle, it will
not be the last. There are moral laws whose
operations are as uniform and certain as the
law of gravitation. Gambling, by whatever
name it may be called, everywhere and al
ways, tends to the production of the same
fruits-idleness, waste and woe.
1t is to be hoped that the respectable gen
tlemen, engaged in so noble work as that
of supplying the wants of Southern widows
and orphans, will not longer continue me-
thod of securing their object, in violation of
the spirit, if not of the letter, of the consti-
tuition and laws of the State, condemned by
ell round morn Entr and fraurht with danczax