Year: 1866

gambling and gamblers in this city. We have
deemed this subject worthy Of special notice
just now because the gambling fraternity, or
sporting gentlemen" as they are sometimes
called, have become power in the country,
and in New York especially. They have got
into the Legislature of the State and exercise
powerful influence there. One Of them has
declared himself candidate to represent a
district of our city in Congress- We hear of
should not be surprised to see before To-, 20
several of the districts, or the whole ctv repro-
sented by these professional gentlemen. y
l. HIS my iooA nS = q startling assertion to the
i1'''' ;. sue respectable citizens CT New Iork,
to our merchants, tradesmen, honest mechan-
les and their families but there are neverthe-
less the stron sest reasons for making it After
all, when we look at the character of the poll
ticians generally who represent us in the city
councils, IN the Legislature, and even at Wash
ington, it would be. descending but step
further in degradation to have the city repre-.
sented in Congress by gamblers There is not
great deal of difference between our gambling
politicians and the sporting fraternity" and
frequently they are the same individuals.


Disraeli, in his "Coningsby," }" makes it appear
that the jews through the influence of money,
secretly control the destiny of nations. But in
this country another power has grown up which
exercises mighty influence and which threat
ems to become more powerful We speak now,
however. of this city particularly. The gam
blers are rich enough to buy up the trading
politicians who control the nominations
and elections, and the chances are
that they will buy up Tammany Hall,
Mozart Hall, Humhug Hall, Swindling Hall,
and all the other halls OF corrupt politicians
with which New York is cursed. We do not
professional gentlemen" is, and we doubt
whether the Internal Revenue Commissioners
can ascertain; but looking al the thousands Of
their establishments--and many of them very
costly--anl at the style in which they live 1t
must be immense.


But it is not only through the power Of their
money that the gamblers exercise so much
influence. They are very cunning men Of the
world-are bold and unscrupulous, and have





in swindling their victims at the faro table,
They are men Of leisure, dress richly and fash
ionably, and affect the manners Of gentlemen.
The upper class among them Qor there are
gradations Of class in this as in other bodies of
the community take pride especially in call
ing themselves gentlemen and in endeavoring
to appear rs such. They succeed, too, in
INN al
people with the idea that they are
gentlemen, but il any one searches them
closely the vulgarity and rascality Of
their nature will appear The fine cloth
ing, elegant mustaches, diamond rings
and affected politeness of manner cannot dis
guise their real nature to keen observer. II
Is only necessary to scratch their skins to dis
cover beneath the surface of pretended gen.
tity the low and, In most cases. uneducated
rogue. Some of them have the most elegant
houses or apartments In the fashionable quar-
tcrs OF the city. They set the most luxurious
tables, with the finest wines, liquors and cigars,
free of cost, 70 entrap customers This h
very successful dodge; for q great many gentle
men at the large hotels who are fond Of good
living, finding they cannot get decent table
where they board, naturally go where they can
find one. This, as every one must be aware,
leads to gambling. They drive the finest teams
and ride the best horses on Fifth avenue and
in the Park; and this dazzles the simple. They
have large class Of elegantly dressed female
associates through whom half the modistes OF
The city are supported. At all times
Of the day and night, except toward
midnight and up TO early morning, when they
are doing business at the faro, card and rou-
lette tables these elegantly dressed but sinister
looking gamblers may be seen crowding the
| steps Of our first hotels and staring at ladies
| from the corners Of streets Fifth avenue and
| Broadway are the principal places of rendez-
vous for the upper ten gamblers but the lower
sort, IL there be any lower among such rascals
may be seen In almost all parts OF the city.
Such is the dangerous and new phase OF
society in the metropolis. We say new phase,
because 1t has received an extraordinary
development within the last few years.
Although there were previously gamblers and
gambling houses in abundance In New York,
never before did this monslrons evil
raise iIs head with 50 much audaciiy-
never before did these gamblers aspire to
represent this great metropolis In the halls Of
Congress. II remains to be seen whether The
mass Of our respectable citizens will suffer
themselves to be sold to such a class OF men
by trading politicians and corrupt political
societies.


RIoHrs or NATuRAfIzED CITIZENS IN THEIR
NATIVE CouSrRIEs.-We published some time
since q statement that the Prussian officials had