eating their earnest entreaty that the
legislature would come up without unnecessary delay to the great work of
reforming an abuse, which no length of time, or patronage of numbers, or
policy of state, should be permitted to shelter for another hour.

EXTRACTS _from a Report to the Society for the Prevention of Pauperism
in the city of New York._

"It is not possible to estimate the sum that may have been drawn from
the people by lottery devices. Nor is it possible to estimate the number
of poor people that have engaged in lottery gambling. We have been told,
that more than two hundred of these deluded people have been seen early
in the mornings at the lottery offices, pressing to know their fate.
_There_ might be seen the anxiety, the disappointment, and
mortification, of unfortunate beings, who had lost their all!

"Thus we see that this demoralizing contagion has spread its destructive
influence over the most indigent and ignorant of the community. The
injurious system of lotteries opens a wide door to gambling, fraud and
imposition; of which the speculating, dishonest, idle, profligate and
crafty avail themselves, and deceive the innocent and ignorant.

"If we place this subject in a pecuniary view as it relates to the
public funds, the mischievous effect is more obvious. From an estimate,
made by a gentleman of accurate calculation, it appears, that the
expense, or the amount drawn from the people, to raise by lottery the
net sum of 30,000 dollars, amounts to $170,500, including the expense of
the managers and their attendants, the clerks and attendants of the
lottery offices, the expense of time lost by poor people, and the amount
paid the proprietors of lottery offices. This enormous sum is paid for
the collection of only 30,000 dollars. This is, therefore, not only the
most expensive, but also the most demoralizing method that was ever
devised to tax the people.

"Upon the whole view of the subject, your committee are decidedly of
opinion, that lotteries are the most injurious kind of taxation, and the
very worst species of Gambling. By their insidious and fascinating
influence on the public mind, their baleful effect is extended, and
their mischievous consequences are most felt by the indigent and
ignorant, who are seduced, deceived, and cheated out of their money,
when their families are often suffering for the necessaries of life.
Their principles are vitiated by lotteries, they are deceived by vain
an