[Page]
[Page]

UNITED STATES LOTTERY; 1776.

The SCHEME is, that this LOTTERY consist of Four Classes, of One Hundred Thousand Tickets each.

FIRST CLASS.

100,000 Tickets, at Ten Dollars each, are
1,000,000
Deduction, at Fifteen per Cent.
150000
 
850,000
No Prizes. Dollars. 
1of10000is10,000 
2 5000are10000 
30 1000 30000 
400 500 200000 
20,000 20 400,000 
Carried to the Fourth Class,200,000 
     850,000

SECOND CLASS.

100,000 Tickets, at Twenty Dollars each, are
2000000
Deduction, at Fifteen per Cent.
300,000
 
1,700,000
No. Prizes. Dollars. 
1of20,000is20,000 
2 10,000are20,000 
10 5000 50,000 
100 1000 100000 
820 500 410,000 
20,000 30 600,000 
Carried to the Fourth Class,500,000 
     1,700,000

THIRD CLASS.

100,000 Tickets, at Thirty Dollars each, are
3,000,000
Deduction, at Fifteen per Cent.
450000
 
2,550,000
No. Prizes. Dollars. 
1of30,000is30,000 
1 20000 20,000 
2 15,000are30000 
2 10000 20000 
10 5000 50000 
200 1000 200,000 
1000 500 500,000 
10,000 40 800000 
Carried to the Fourth Class,900000 
     2550,000

FOURTH CLASS.

100,000 Tickets, at Forty Dollars each, are
4,000,000
Deduction, at Fifteen per Cent.
600,000
 
3,400000
Brought from the First Class,
200,000
Second Class,
500,000
Third Class,
900,000
 
5,000,000
No. Prizes. Dollars. 
1of50,000is50,000 
2 25,000are50,000 
2 15,000 30,000 
2 10,000 20,000 
10 5000 50,000 
100 1000 100,000 
200 500 100000 
1000 300 300,000 
15,000 200 3000000 
26,000 50 1,300,000 
     5,000,000
42317 Prizes.     
57,683 Blanks.     
100,000 Tickets.     

Not near one and a half Blanks to a Prize.

THIS Lottery is set on foot by a Resolution of Congress passed at Philadelphia, the 18th day of November, 1776, for the purpose of raising a sum of money [...] loan, bearing an annual interest of four per cent, which, with the sum arising from the deduction, is to be applied for carrying on the present most just and necessary war in defence of the lives, liberties and property, of the inhabitants of these United States.

The fortunate adventurers in the first class, and so in the second and third, who draw more than thirty or forty dollars shall, at their option, receive a Treasury Bank Note for the prize or prizes drawn, payable at the end of five years, and an annual interest at the rate of four per cent. for the pre­emption of such tickets, in the next succeeding class, as shall not be renewed within the time limited.

Every adventurer in the first class shall have a right to go through the subsequent classes, but shall not be obliged to do it.

The drawers of twenty, thirty, and forty dollars, in the first, second, and third classes, who do not apply for their money within six weeks after the drawing is finished, shall be deemed adventurers in the next succeeding class, and have their tickets renewed, without any farther trouble.

If any other shall neglect or decline taking out and paying the price of their ticket for a subsequent class, within six weeks after the drawing is ended, their tickets shall be sold to the fortunate adventurers in the preceding class, or to such as shall apply for the same.

The fortunate adventurers in the last class, who draw fifty dollars shall, upon application to the Commissioners of the loan offices; in the respective states, where the drawers reside, receive their money without any deduction; and all who draw above fifty dollars, shall receive in like manner, with­out deduction, for the sums drawn, treasury bank notes, payable at the end of five years after the drawing, at the loan office of the state in which the drawers reside. The in­terest to commence from the last day of drawing, and to be paid annually at the said respective loan offices.

As this lottery is established for the sole purpose of raising a sum of money for carrying on the present just war, under­taken in defence of the rights and liberties of America, in which every individual and posterity will be so deeply in­terested, it is not doubted but every real friend to his coun­try will most cheerfully become an adventurer, and that the sale of the tickets will be very rapid, especially as even [...]he unsuccessful adventurer will have the pleasing reflection of having contributed, in a degree, to the great and glorious American cause.

The managers appointed by Congress are Sharp Delany, John Purviance, Owen Biddle, David Jackson, Jacob Barge, Jonathan B. Smith, and James Searle, who are upon oath, and give bond for the faithful discharge of their trust.

The drawing of the first class will begin at Philadelphia, the 10th day of April next, or sooner, if sooner full.

The managers are instructed to sell the tickets for ready money only. Philad. Dec. 6, 1776.

In CONGRESS, November 27, 1776.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the legislatures of the United States respectively, to pass such laws as [...] most effectually tend to prevent the COUNTERFEITING or FORGING the TICKETS of the public lottery.

Extract from the minutes, CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.

PHILADELPHIA: PRINTED by WILLIAM & THOMAS BRADFORD, at the London Coffee-House.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.