§ In the Committee of Ways and Means the Chancellor of the Exchequer moved, that a Lottery consisting of 60,000 tickets should be voted for the service of the year 1815.
§ Mr. Whitbreadstrongly objected to this scheme of finance, as inconsistent with the principles of public morality. Indeed, the evils resulting from lotteries were so fully disclosed in the Reports of two committees of that House, that he could not help expressing his surprise at the proposed continuance of such a system by any Chancellor of the Exchequer, but especially by the right hon. gentleman opposite, who uniformly professed so much solicitude for the interests of morality. Some checks were, he was lord, imposed upon the evils heretofore produced by lotteries; but he was decidedly of opinion, that no profit could accrue to the public treasury, sufficient to compensate for the evil which lotteries were calculated to produce.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerregretted the necessity of resorting to this plan of finance; but he had the consolation to think that the evils to which the hon. member alluded, and which he admitted to have been considerable under former arrangements of the lottery, were now done away through the establishment of a variety of salutary checks, among which the shortness of the period in which each lottery was drawn, was perhaps the most effective, as it put an end to the gambling to which the length of that period hereto- 240 fore afforded but too much temptation and opportunity.
§ Mr. Whitbreadwas glad to hear that the evil was diminished, but he should rather have heard that it was entirely removed. From the right hon. gentleman's character he was led to expect that be was not disposed to sell so much wickedness for so small a price.
§ The Resolution was agreed to.