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 repeating 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.