The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-08

In pursuance Of the call published in the
papers, thirty-seven ministers of Richmond,
representing all of the Protestant deuomina.
tions, met at the hall of the Young Mems
Christian Association at IL O'Clock yesterday.
Bishop D. S. Doggett was unanimously
elected chairman OF the meeting, and Rev. j.
William Jones secretary.
The meeting vas opened with prayer by
Rev. DR.. Jeter; after which Bishop Doggett
explained that the object of the meeting was
to see what could be done towards repeating
the charter of the g ttSouthern Association
which, under the guise of a charity, is en-
courasing gambling and corrupting the
morals OF our people.
MR.. TYLER's VIEWS.
Rev. DR.. A. Z. Dickinson presented a let.
ter addressed to the meeting by Captain Hi
ram w. Tyler, earnestly condemning the
"Soutbern Association" as, a curse to the
poor and laboring classes Of the community
RESOLUTIONS PRESENTED.
Rev. DR.. w. w. Bennett then presented
the following resolutions -ae'S.s ;.
RESOLVED, /. That in our judgment the
corporation known as I" The Southern Asso-
citation for the Benefit of the Widows and Or.
phans of the Southern States" conducted as
lottery under the sanction and seal Of this
Commonwealth, is one of the greatest social
evils now existing in this community, and is
constantly active means OF cOrrupting the
morals of our people, and especially the
young, by holding out 10 them inducements
to make ventures at its drawings. and thus
directly encouraging the spirit of gambling
in The form of lottery ventures.
Reso!ued, 2. That we respectfully repro.
sent to the honorable the General Assembly of
Virginia that our people should be protect
ed against this EVIL by the cancelling of the
charter of said Associations.
SAD FATE OF YOUNG NAN.
Rev. Or. J. B. Jeter moved the adoption
of the resolutions in an earnest speech. He
had first had his attention called to this mat
ter some two years ago by The sad case Of q
young msu of most respectable connections
who had been led into crime and was sent
to the penitentiary through the baleful in
fiuences OF this "Southern Association" /"
In looking at the Constitution of the State
he found that it positively prohibits lotteries,
and he was utterly unable with all of the
study he had been able to give the subjec)
to see the difference between rattle and a
lottery.
THE CHARTER UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
DR.. Jeter held that this charter is beyond
all question against the Constitution which
our legislators are sWorp to support, aud 4
high State official had recently told him that
the charter was clearly unconstitutional, and
that all that was necessary 10 put stop to
this species of gambling was little firmness
on the part of the police and the courts.
He stated Oh the authority OF legal gen.
tleman of Richmond of unimpeachable cha
racter that the charter of this Association
has been fd77ned out to certain benevolent
gentlemen who hail from city north of
this" and that they are making immense
profits by having the exclusive monopoly in
this vile business.
MORAL EFFECTS.
As to the moral effects of the Association
DR.. Jeter said there could be not the shadow
of o doubt. 1t Is simply licensed gambling
In it's most seductive form, and one OF the
most burning iniquites he had ever known.
STOP THIS CURSE.
Rev, DR.. A. c. Bledsoe warmly seconded
the motion 10 adopt the resolutions. His
only objection to them was that they are not
strong enough. He related an incident OF q
gentleman, not member Of any church, who
had approached him on Saturday and begged
that he would do all ia bis power to stop this
curse to the young men Of the city. Many
young men, the sons Of widsws, lose in these
"ottices" of the Association every week
their scanty earnings, which should 60 to
the support of those dependent upon them.
This grand lottery scheme is running the very
classes who can least afford 1.-THE laboring
classes, the colored people, the poor of the
city. The guise of beneyolence Is simply to
keep in popular favor and to deceive the TN.
wary. 1t is really taking bread and meat out
Of the mouths OF widows and orphans.
DEVILS DXN5.
Rev. w. B. Derrick (plstor of the Third
Street colored Methodist church) spoke for
his people, aad vyidly pictured the evils OF
these devils dens to them. He would use
all of his Influence among his people to get
their representatives 10 vote for the repeal OF
the charter.
Rev.J. FL. Holmes, OF the First African
church, followed ia the same strain.
posTPoHEMENT OF ACTION DISCUSSED.
Rev. P. A. Peterson warmly endorsed the
resolutions, but suggested whether it would
not be well to postpone action to a future
meeting.
Rev. j. William Jones explained the cir.
cumstances of the call, and called attention
to the fact that the meeting was large one,
and that all of the Protestant denominations
of Richmond were represented. He insisted
that 1t was within the province Of the minis
try of the city to protest agains. the legal
izng of this monopoly 10 gambling, which
was so corrupting to the morals OF the city.
THE PRIVILEGE PARKED OUT.
Rev. DR.. Bennett reviewed the charter Of
the Association, and showed that it was posi-.
tiyely aniagonistic 10 the State Constitution.
He expressed his surprise that the thin garb
of charity to widows and orphans had In.
yeigled respected gentlemen into counte'
nancing this enormous wrong. he gave eYi'
dence to sustain toe statement OF Or. Jeier
That the charter is farnaed out, and That " De-
neyolent gentlemen "pay $l0, 900 per annum
for the privilege Of running 1t. he spoke OF
the fact that while some benevolent societies,
ignorant of the manner 10 which the Asso-
citation is Iuu, had received the small dona-
tions which are doled out, the late darcy
Paul. of Petersburg, and others bad ind'g'
nantiy returned the checks Of the Association.
He yividly portrayed the fact that the Asso-
alton so spreads its net at Byrd Island,
/" Cash Corper,0 &C., as to entlce the lowest
and poorest OF our population, and that as
they receive bets from one cent up, the very
street-beggars, the factory hands, the day
laborer, and all Of the poorer classes, are de-
coyed and their money won from them. He
was willing that the resolutions should be
made as strong as the language is
capable of making them, and insisted. that
1t is high time that.the ministers Of the city
were entering their solemn protest against
the privilege Of gambling being farmed out
under the broad seal Of the Commonwealth.
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