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Lyceum McIntosh in US Gazette
The United States Gazette (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)Saturday, August 1, 1835
The United States Gazette (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)Saturday, August 1, 1835
A letter from Vicksburg, published in the National Intelligencer, gives a rather bettercoloring to the late violation of the laws of the land in that place, by hanging certain gamblers,than was found in the account which we yesterday published. Nothing indeed appears to justifythe conduct of the populace, but it is evident from the letter, that the feelings of the communityhad been most grossly outraged by the gamblers, who openly set the authorities at defiance;and after a town meeting had been held, denouncing the gambling houses, the wretchescontinued their nefarious practices. The letter says:
“The names of the individuals who perished, were as follows: North, Hullams, Dutch Bill,Smith and M’Call.
Their bodies were cut down on the morning after their execution, and buried in a ditch.It is not expected that this act will pass without censure from those who had not anopportunity of knowing and feeling the dire necessity out of which it originated. The lawshowever severe in their provision, have never been sufficient to correct a vice which must beestablished by positive proof, and cannot, like others, be shown from circumstantial testimony. Itis practised, too, by individuals whose whole study is to violate the law in such a manner as toevade its punishment, and who never are in want of secret confederates to swear them out oftheir difficulties, whose oaths cannot be impeached for any specific cause.
An Anti-Gambling Society has been formed, the members of which have pledged theirlives, fortunes, and sacred honors, for the suppression of gambling, and the punishment andexpulsion of gamblers.
And, so far as we know, public opinion, both in town and country, is decidedly in favor ofthe course pursued. We have never known the public so unanimous on any subject.”
A letter from Vicksburg, published in the National Intelligencer, gives a rather bettercoloring to the late violation of the laws of the land in that place, by hanging certain gamblers,than was found in the account which we yesterday published. Nothing indeed appears to justifythe conduct of the populace, but it is evident from the letter, that the feelings of the communityhad been most grossly outraged by the gamblers, who openly set the authorities at defiance;and after a town meeting had been held, denouncing the gambling houses, the wretchescontinued their nefarious practices. The letter says:
“The names of the individuals who perished, were as follows: North, Hullams, Dutch Bill,Smith and M’Call.
Their bodies were cut down on the morning after their execution, and buried in a ditch.It is not expected that this act will pass without censure from those who had not anopportunity of knowing and feeling the dire necessity out of which it originated. The lawshowever severe in their provision, have never been sufficient to correct a vice which must beestablished by positive proof, and cannot, like others, be shown from circumstantial testimony. Itis practised, too, by individuals whose whole study is to violate the law in such a manner as toevade its punishment, and who never are in want of secret confederates to swear them out oftheir difficulties, whose oaths cannot be impeached for any specific cause.
An Anti-Gambling Society has been formed, the members of which have pledged theirlives, fortunes, and sacred honors, for the suppression of gambling, and the punishment andexpulsion of gamblers.
And, so far as we know, public opinion, both in town and country, is decidedly in favor ofthe course pursued. We have never known the public so unanimous on any subject.”