Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/383

Rh The evil influences of Lotteries were however recognised, and the Provincial Assembly finally passed a bill for their sup- pression, declaring all such schemes, public or private, to be common nuisances and against the good of the province. This action was due to the attitude and remonstrance of the Society of Friends, whose influence in the Legislature was great ; but the authorities at home did not approve, doubtless because their enactment was due to this source, and Dr. Peters at the meeting of the Trustees on I3th January, 1761, hastened to inform them that the Governor had received from the Council office the Repeals of several Laws passed in this Province in the Time of the late Governor Denny and among them the Repeal of the Law for suppressing Lotteries and Plays, which were to be notified to the Publick in the next Gazette, and proposed it to the Consideration of the Trustees whether it might not be proper to have a Sixth Lottery ; and they were unanimously of opinion that one should be offered for the raising of three Thousand Pieces of Eight, and a scheme being laid before them by Mr Charles Stedman, the same was approved of, and the Management thereof committed to Mr Peters, Mr Turner, Mr Stedman, Mr Willing, and Mr Thomas 'Gordon, who were to give Bond and to be under Oath for the faithful Discharge of their Duty, and they were desired to take care that the Tickets be printed by Mr Hall, and the scheme inserted in the next Gazette. This last caution deprived Mr. Bradford of an advertise- ment in his Journal, as they had not forgotten his anonymous correspondent of two years before, who had maligned the College and its administrators for their resort to Lotteries.