The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-03-26
On Races.
From the iSouth CaroliRa and Georgia alma
mack, for The year Of our LORD liza.

From the South Carolina and Georgia Alma
mack, for The gear Of our Lord l7A.
We are manifestIy made for pleasure. Ev-
cry attempt, therefore, to abridge our pleas.
ures is an unJustllable encroachment on our
natural rights. 1t Is absurd 10 think OF de-
lining pleasure; pleasure Is evidently depend
ent on taste, and taste is undchnablc. My In
ference is. that, as men. we have right to
pursue pleasure, and, as Enslishmen, to pur-
sue il in what way we please,
pieasnre s otsi' IL SnTcined. gothick, savage. So
much the better, we glory In the accusation;
our taste, in this case. Is an excellent barrier
roushness will never fall prey To Athenian
urbanity; but these reflections are too gener.
al, let us come to particulars. Amongst all
our provincial pastimes, the noble sports OF
cock fighting and horse racing hold the fore.
most rank, rs everybody knows. With the
former I am unfortunately too little acquaint.
ed to enter into 4 particular enumeration Of
Its merits; but IT pleases an EnSlishinan, and
therefore conclude that 1t must be right.
Waving, therefore, the article OF cock fight
ing, let us pay proper attention to the ad-
rantages arising from that other delectaole
amusement, the ancient and royal sport OF
horse racing, but be not dt ceived Do you
think ] am going TO recount all Its advan-
tages? 1t is impossible. Can we number the
sands Of the sea? We must be content, there
fore, with the simple advantases only accru-
ing to Il country town from this amusement
| In the first place, then, horse racing entour-
ages idcness; this is evident; and idleness Is
beneficial to q country town; this Is no less
evident For when manufactures are ut low
cbb, if i'll tile artiticers were industrious. and
constantly occupied in their business, there
would soon be little employ ment left for them
and their wages would sink In proportion !;
now idencsS makes their work hold out. as'i 1t
is termed. and thus keeps their wages at the
usual rate. The beneiltof horse racing begins
now TO appear.
lent purpose, in that it reduces the price Of
provisions to the utter confusion of Messrs.
Wimpey, Rookie, Moore, and other writer's on
that subject. The price of provisions will be
regulated by the consumption. The father OF
the family, having drank away his appetite
has no occasion to go to market; and his wife
and children, being deprived of his earnings
have no money 10 go to market with. Thus
the demand being leSsened, the price Is lower
ed in proportion, to the vast emolument Of
many frugal and industrious persons. And
here horse race becomes also an admirable
supplement 10 the lessons of moral philoso.
ply. as it incuIcatcs, In the strongest manner,
the virtues Of temperance and patience,
In the third place, 1t is well known. that iii
have very little employment. Horse racing
is extremely well calculated to remove this
grievance; but TerGun. sat, "a word TO the
wife," the intelligent reader will easily un-
derStand how.
In the fourth place, horse racing en-
courageS gaming, and gaming Is beneficial to
the public, aus IT promotes swearing; for by
the laws of this land. every person convicted
Of prolane cursinS or swearing is subjected TO
certain pccuniary mulctS, to be disposed Of
for the benefit of the poor. Now, upon mod
crate computation. suppose 1t might ensily
he made 10 appear, that If these laws were
strictly executed, M annual horse race would
reduce the poOrs.rate Of q country town at
least a third. Another capital advantage
Fifthly, all these things promote drinking;
drinking promotes the consumption of mali,
&C.; this consumption increases the revenue;
the revenue increases: | really must leave
this argument to be completed by some abler
politician than myself
l could not only go on with sixth argu.
ment, but even up TO sX-hundredLh, If l
pleased, so copious is my subject; for easy
would it be to enumerate, how racing circu-
lates money, health and spirits; how, like
death, it levels all distinctions, making the
peer iii sentiments, dress and manners, equal
10 the groom, and the groom to the peer. and
a thousand other things; but l scorn to fil-
tisue either myself or my reader with many
words. Let others see to their own duty; l
have done NINE.
+. S.-This is indeed written fer the merid-
ian of England, but, as we say in Almanacks,
without any sensible error, may serve this
and the neighboring Provinces.