ng promises of wealth, which are made
by those concerned in this iniquitous system, how very few, except
managers of lotteries and venders of lottery tickets, has it ever made
rich! and well may it be asked, whom has it ever made more diligent in
business, more contented, and respectable, and happy?

6. Lotteries, it is believed, are rendered especially mischievous in
this country by the nature of our institutions, and by the spirit of the
times. Here, the path to eminence being open to every one--but too many
are morbidly anxious to improve their condition; and by means, too,
which in the wisdom of Providence were never intended to command
success. A mad desire for wealth pervades all classes--it feeds all
minds with fantastic hope; it is hostile to all patient toil, and
legitimate enterprise, and economical expenditure. It generates a spirit
of reckless speculation; it corrupts the simplicity of our tastes; and,
what is yet worse, it impairs, not unfrequently, in reference to the
transactions of business, the obligations of common honesty. Upon these
elements of our social condition and character, the lottery system
operates with malignant efficacy.

The undersigned memorialists are far from thinking that, in the
preceding remarks, they have exhausted the argument against the lottery
system. They have dwelt, in general terms, upon only some of its more
prominent evils. They do not allow themselves to believe that, aside
from the ranks of those who have a direct personal interest in this
system, a man of character could be found in Rhode Island to defend it.
The memorialists deem lotteries to be in Rhode Island a paramount social
evil. They entreat the General Assembly to survey this evil in all its
phases, and then to apply the remedy. The interposition which is now
asked at the hands of the Legislature has been delayed too long, either
for the interests or for the character of the state. It is time that we
protected our interests, and retrieved our character. It is time that
the lottery had ceased to be the "_domestic institution_" of Rhode
Island. It is time that we abandoned, and abandoned for ever, the policy
of supporting schools, and building churches, with the wages of
iniquity. The memorialists are aware that the General Assembly have made
lottery grants, which have not yet expired. They seek not in any way to
interfere with those grants; but in concluding this expression of their
views, they cannot avoid rep