National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-11-08
w GOD

upon whether you play for glass OF wine or
100 shares of railroad stock. Whether you
PatrSnle auction po3s;h E Y0 mHef sIo
or billiards, rondo and keno, cards or baga'
telle, the very idea Of the thing is dishonest,
for y processes to bestow upon you good ior
This crime is no newborn sprite, but q nag
gard transgression that comes staggering down
under mantle OF curses through M many n,, cen
have been addicted to II. Before 1888 the
French government received revenue from
gaming houses. In 1867 England, for the I'm
proyement of her harbors, instituted lottery
to be held at the front door OF ST. Paurs Cathe-
dral Four hundred thousand tickets were
sold at ten shillings each. The British Museum
and Westminster bridge were partially built by
similar procedures. The ancient Germans
would sometimes put up themselves aud fam
lilies as prizes, and suffer themselves to be
bound, though stronger than the persons who
won them.
But now the laws OF the whole civilized
world denounce the system, EnaCtmentS
have been passed. but only partially enforced.
and at times not enforced at all. The men in
terested in gaming houses and in Jockey clubs
WELD such influence by their numbers and
ailiuence, that the judge, the jury, aud tho
array themselves against these infamous es-
adjustments. The house OF commons of
England actually adjourns on Derby; Day to
circles of society in this country to-day are
many hundreds of, professionally, respectable
men who are acknowledged gamblers.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in this land
are every day being won and lost through
sheer gambling Says a traveller through the
west II have travelled thousand miles az
time upon the western waters, and seen gam
bling at every waking moment from the COM
mtncement to the termination the journey"
The southwest of this country reeks with this
sin. In some of those cities every third or
fourth house in many OF tho streets Is n gaming
place, and II may be truthfully nverred that
each Of our cities is cursed with this evil.
In S of hs games S%P lSs
are as harmless as tea tables, and pack of
cards rs pack of letter envelopes, unless
stakes be put up. But by their use for gam
lbing purposes they have become significant Of
an inhnity of wretchedness-sN hundred
gambling saloons In New York city when last
counted.
Men wishing to gamble will find places Just
suited to their capacity, not only in the under
ground oyster cellar, or at the table back of
the curtain, covered with greasy cards, or IN
blOated wretch with rings in his ears deals out
his pack and winks In the unsuspecting
traveller, providing free drinks all around,
but IN gided parlors and amid gorgeous sur
This sin works ruin, first, by unhealthtul
siimulants. Excitement is pleasurablo, Under
every sky and IN every age men have sought
opium; the Persian by chewing hashish; tho
tfHppcr in q buffalo hunt; the sailorin squall;
the, 1nebriate in the bottle, aud the avarcious
excitement, A thousand voices In our natures
demapd it. II is tight. II is healthfnl. 1t is
inspirltng IL Is desire God-given. But any
Thing that first gratihes this appetite and hurls
IL back in terrific reaction Is deplorable aud
wicked. Look out for the agitation that, like
Il Rough music an in bringing out the tune,
plays SO hard lie breaks down the instru-
ment God never made man strong enough
to endure The wear and tear of gambling oX-
element. No wonder IT, after having failed
in the game men have begun to sweep of
imaginary gold from the side of the table, The
man was sharp enough when he started at the
game, but maniac at the close. Atevery gam
ing table sit on one side Egstacy, Enthusiasm,
RomanCe-the frenzy of Joy: on the other side
FieTceness, Rage, and TumulI The profess
sional gamester schools himself into apparent
Quietness. the keepers of gambling rooms are
generally fat. rollicking aud obese; but thor.
ough and professional gamblers In nine cases
out OF ten, arc pale, thin'whee2ing' Iremulous'
young man having suddenly inherited
large property, sits at the hazard tables ADD
takes up in dice box the estate won by q
fathers lifotlnes sweat and shakes II and
losses II away. lntempernnce soon stigmatlZes
its victim-kicking him ont slavering fool,
into the ditch, or sending him with the drunk.
ARDS hlcGough staggering up The street waeIre
that way expose its victims. The gambler may
be eaten up by the gamblers passion yet you
only discover Il by the greed in his eyes, the
hardness OF his features, the nervous restless
ness, the threadbare coat, and his embarrassed
business. Yet he is on the road TO hell, aud
no preachers voice, or startling warning, or
wife entreaty can make him stay for a mr.
ment his headlOug career. The Internal spell
Is on him; o giant is aroused within, AMI
though You bind him with cables they would
part like thread, and though you fasten him
seven times round with chains they would
snap like rusted wire, and though you piled up
In his path heaven high, Bibles, tracts, and
sermons and on the top should set the cross OF
the Son of God, over them all the gambler
would leap like roe over the rocks on his
way 70 perditlon. "Aceldamn, the leld OF
bloOd'