National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-12-13
TIIE LOUISIANA STATE LOTTERY.
A CARD FROM GENERALS BEAUREGARD D AND
EARLY.


An order recently issued by the Postmaster
newspapers, all lotteries, and among them the
Louisiana State Lottery, as fraudulent, requires
some notice at our hands. We have not seen the
order, or q copy OF 1t, and understand that the
agents ana officials of the company in this city
New Orleans) have been refused such copy but we
informed that the order requires all letters ad
dressed to any Of the agents OF the louisiana State
Lottery, as such, 10 be stamped fraudulent" and
returned to the writers thereof when known, or
sent 70 the Dead-Letter Office when the writers are
not known. AS 1t is well known that we superin-
tend the drawings Of the larger schemes Of the
Louisiana State Lottery, which take place semi
annually we deem II an act OF imperative duty 10
ourselves, as well as OF Justice TO the company
with which VIC are thus connected, TO publish this
card.
If the Postmaster General means to declare that
the Louisiana State Lottery Is actually fraudulent
in its operations, and that he has evidence of the
fact then we must remind him that his own ju-
dical experience ought to have convinced him of
the gross injustice Of adjudging parties guilty
II he has decided that this Lottery Company is
fraudulent, on information secretly obtained, his
decision partakes OF the nature OF a star-chamber
proceeding and should be entitled 10 no weight
IT. however, he has received any reliable infor-
nation that the Louisiana State Lottery has, in
any respect, been. conducted in fraudulent man
ner. and will communicate that.lnformation to us,
VIC will denounce the company In n manner that
viii have far moro effect in putting an end to its
operations than anything he can do BY his orders
to postofice officials. We do not believe that he
has any Information TO that effect of any character
statements of some operator of somo fraudulent,
bogus scheme, whose business has been destroyed
by the existence Of lottery, conducted Oh honest
principles, as we know 70 DO the case with the
Louisiana State Lottery.
We have now been connected with that lottery
for more than two years, and have superintended
Ave Of It's semiannual drawings. We know for a
certainty that all those drawings have been fairly
conducted because they have been controlled and
conducted in every particular and respect by MS,
and IL was impossible for amy fraud in them TO DO
perpelrated without our knowledge and conniv-
Hnce, While we cannot speak from actual super.
vision and observation with the same certainty as
regards the monthly drawings, yet as the same
numbers are used for those drawings that we use
for the semi.aunuAl draWings-and we take the
trouble previous TO each semi-annual drawing TO
count over the ballots TO ascertain that they are
all put into the wheel for them-we have been able
10 decide with almost entire certainty as 10 the
fairness of the monthly drawings. We have, in
truth no doubt Of the fact aud we arrive at this
conclusion not only from the precautions we take to
verify the presence ofnl the numbers but from our
personal knowledge OF the persons who superintend
those monthly drawings,
this or any other country have such eheetual pre-
cautions been taken TO secure fairness IN the draw
ings as well as IN the publication OF the result, as
have been taken IN the case OF the Louisiana State
Lottery We have likewise had reason TO know
that I'M all of It's other operations the company has
conducted It's business fairly and honestly, aud
complied with all its obligations.
The compensation we receive for our services Is
A fixed one, and we have no interest In the profits
of the company. We ehaYe lived III vain II the pub
) Ssurance that we would have no connection with
Operations of any kind that we had reason TO sus-
pect were fraudulent.
Ifthe PostmaEter-Genern uses his official position
10 make the charge OF fraud IN regard " corpora
tion with which we are connected, he must not be
surprised IL we denounce his charge as utterly
false and without any foundation In fact
In conclusion, we must state that the louisiana
State Lottery is operating under charter which
was granted by the legislature of Louisiana, has
been adiudged by Circuit court Of the United
States W constitute binding and Treparable con-
tract and as such is recognized IN the constitution
recently adopted In the state. The company has
already paid the state over iOur hundred thousand
dollars Tor It's charter and has always manifested
It's disposition 10 comply faithfully with its obliga-
| tons 70 the state,
BY the recent constitution the annual sum stll
TO be paid by The company, $4,000 per year, has
been dedicated TO the support Of one Of the nobest
charities in all the counlry--the Charity hospital
OF New Orleans
10 pronounce such corporation as this fraud
does not comport with very clear compreh ension
Of the principles OF common sense or official pro-
priety, q. 4. BEAURK0ARD.
J. A. EARLY.
NEW ORLEANS, December @, 1874