Smyrna times., 1883-08-01
Dying Shrieks of the Lottery
Robbery.

Ihe act OF congress OF 1870 declares
that "nO letter or circular concerning lot
teries, sO-caIIed gift concerts or other
similar enterprises, offering prizes, shall
be carried in the mails" The language
of the law is clear, unmistakable and
mandatory. 1t invests no public officer
with any discretionary power to nulli-
fly or impair the effect of the statute. |
1t is plain law, forbidding what has
become accepted as public crime, and
Postmaster General Gresham has simp-
ly performed an imperative duty by
forbidding the use of the mails for the
Louisiana Lottery robbery.
1t is to be expected that so powerful
and profitable an organization as the
Louisiana Lottery Company will die
only after it has exhausted the most
violent throes in it's dying agonies. 1t
has been accustomed to command the
favor of high public officials in State
and Nation; it has subsidized many of
the professedly reputable newspapers
of the land to aid it in its systematic
robbery of millions from the people,
and it has practically nullified the act
of 1876, forbidding the use of the mails
to plunder the poor, until Postmaster
General Gresham came into office. He
is one of the few public officials who
understand that it is the duty of the
government to enforce its own laws
) without fear, favor or affection, and he
has notified the Louisiana Lottery
Company that it must obey the laws ot
the country as the humblest citizen is
required to obey them.
l In most localities such an order from
! the Postmaster General, based upon {
statute that admits of no double o.
doubtful Interpretation, would hav'
y been obeyed by the offending party
), but it is remembered that Washington
has an atmosphere that encourage
II public thieves and other lawless mel
g of power to claim Immunity from jus
II tice. and the recent acquittal of Brad.
q and Dorsey furnishes plausible warran
d for the claim, Mr.. NJ. A. Dauphin, tn
q agent of the Louisiana Lottery, t
Is whom deluded lottery victims addres:
Il ed their remittances, and whose CORES
+. pondence has been excluded from tn
or mails, has decided that he is bigge
3 man than Dorsey or Brady, and ths
ie he must have damages if he can't pul
De licly and insolently defy the laws. II
Id has just sued Postmaster Gener;
O. Gresham for 100000 damages, an
is there are Washington lawyers of pr'
IT. fessional repute to bring the suit,
no other jurisdiction could reputab
as lawyer have been employed to inst
ID tute such an action at law; but Was
ington, like all other places, makes
OF professions part of itself and they a
ne simply no better and no worse tha
OF the community in which they live al
en- from which they command their mea
rst of living. Of course, even with Il
lid regulation Washington jurors, N
It's Dauphin will fail in his attempt to I
Ity cover damages from a Cabinet offlc
lg- for the offense of honest fidelity
err honest laws, but the lesson is wortl
alf of the study of the nation. 1t is t
IN dying shrek of one of the most stupe
lrd dous public robberies of our histol
list and it will shed exceptional lustre I
ght ON the character of Postmaster Gene
ng. Gresham, who is honored with the Ii
ute ebullition of maligpity of long omn
an otent but now overthrown organic
ms crime. Philadelphia Times.