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CHAPLAINS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GEIEEAL GOYEENMENT, 
 
 OBJECTIONS TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT CONSIDERED. 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 A LIST OF ALL THE CHAPLAINS TO CONGRESS, IN THE 
 
 ARMY AND IN THE NAVY, FROM THE FORMATION 
 
 OF THE GOVERNMENT TO THIS TIME. 
 
 BY 
 
 LORKNZO D. JOHNSON. 
 
 Author of " Chrj-ches and PaBtors of Washington." 
 
 NEW-YORK : 
 SHELDON, BLAKEMAN & CO 
 
 115 NASSAU STREET. 
 185G. 
 
■^ L 
 
INDEX TO SUBJECTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Proceedings of the Thirty-third Congress 5 
 
 Opposition to the Election Overcome 6 
 
 Memorials to Congress to Abolish the Ofl&ce of Chaplains in all 
 
 the Departments of Government . . s 7 
 
 Death of Hon. James Meacham — Note 7 
 
 Report from the Judiciary Committee in Reply to the Memo- 
 rialists 8 
 
 Memorial from the Particular Baptists of Tennessee 18 
 
 Extract from the Memorial 19 
 
 Opposition to Chaplains from other sources 21 
 
 Election of a Chaplain to the Senate 23 
 
 The Chaplains' "Work not Appreciated ." 23 
 
 Number of Chaplains allowed by Congress 26 
 
 The means by which Chaplains reach their Appointment, con- 
 sidered 27 
 
 Acts of Congress relating to Chaplains in the Army, posts of 
 
 Duty— Notes 28 
 
 Causes for the disrespect into which the Office of Chaplains to 
 
 Congress has fallen, considered 31 
 
 A Remedy Suggested 32 
 
 Hon. Mr. Dowdell's Resolution 35 
 
 Debates in the House on the Employment of Chaplains 36 
 
 Final Vote for the Several Candidates 46 
 
 Compensation of Chaplains 48 
 
 The Duties of a Chaplain to Congress — Note 48 
 
 Hon. Mr. Millson's Objections to a Change, considered 49 
 
 Rev. Mr. Waldo, why Elected 61 
 
 Rev, Mr. Dean's Election to the Senate 53 
 
 m9779 
 
IV INDEX TO SUBJECTS. 
 
 Extract from Washington's Farewell Address 54 
 
 Extract from Mr. Webster's Address 55 
 
 Prayer of Mr. Duche in the Colonial Congress 56 
 
 Opinions on the Clergy expressed in Congress 58 
 
 Mr. Webster's Opinion of the Clergy 59 
 
 List of all the Chaplains to the U. S. Senate 60 
 
 List of Chaplains to the House of Representatives 62 
 
 List of Chaplains to the Army 66 
 
 (Jeneral Remarks on Chaplains to the Army 70 
 
 List of Chaplains in the Navy •«•<. 72 
 
 Notice of Mr, Stewart, Mr. Colton, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Noble. 75 
 
 The Religious Sect of Chaplains 76 
 
 Elevation of the Standard Character among Naval Chaplains.. 76 
 
 Reasons for Increasing the Number of Chaplains 78 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Among the marked proceedings of the 33d Congress that 
 will ever make it prominent in the annals of our National 
 Legislature, is the special attention bestowed, both in the 
 Senate and the House, on the duties and derelictions of 
 ministers of the Gospel. This was more or less drawn 
 forth by the clergy themselves, who acted together with 
 such unusual unanimity in memorializing Congress against 
 the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, first, from New 
 York, then from New England generally, where more than 
 three thousand Pastors signed a remonstrance against the 
 passage of the Kansas- Nebraska bill, and finally, in most 
 of the North Western States. Never since that memorable 
 proceeding in Congress relating to running the mail on the 
 Sabbath, had there been such an uprising of the clergy, 
 speaking in tones of such remonstrance as on this occasion ; 
 and never before did members in their places on the floor 
 of Congress take it upon themselves to say so much in the 
 way of defining the position of a Christian minister and his 
 mission among men.* It was believed by Senators and 
 members of the House also, that those who cast so much 
 blame upon these memorialists, did not alwavs make their 
 
 * See note on page 58. 
 
6 CfiAPLAINS'6t'* THE 'general GOVERNMENT. 
 
 denunciations harmonise with facts. Replies were elicited 
 from eminent statesmen in hoth halls of Congress. This 
 defiance of the clergy and then the " defence" of them, (for 
 one distinguished member devoted an entire speech to the 
 subject,) gave the long session of the 33d Congress, for a 
 time, the semblance of an ecclesiastical council more than 
 that of a legislative assembly. But there was another 
 movement made with a view to entirely silence the minis- 
 ters of religion in certain important fields of usefulness, 
 where the general government only can open or shut the 
 door. Although the movers then failed in their design, 
 yet what was done awakened a train of thought, and 
 inaugurated a movement which has been operating ever 
 since ; the tendencies of which are to lessen public re- 
 spect for the office of Chaplain as employed by the Greneral 
 Government — in Congress — in the Army and Navy. 
 
 It is to the consideration of this subject that the follow- 
 ing pages will mainly be devoted. 
 
 At the opening of the 33d Congress, when the choice of 
 officers had progressed in the House, until the motion to 
 elect a Chaplain was reached, several members took occasion 
 to manifest their contempt for the office, and their want of 
 respect for those who were elected to fill it, by treating the 
 proposition to elect a Chaplain with ridicule. But the op- 
 position, which was feebly sustained, was overruled, and 
 chaplains were elected as usual, to both Houses of Con- 
 gress. 
 
 Whatever is said or done in Congress soon finds its way, 
 on telegraphic wires, or by other facilities, to the remotest 
 parts of the country. Hon. Mr. Petitt, of Indiana, who, 
 for many years, had distinguished himself both in and out 
 of Congress, for his opposition to revealed religion, sent 
 
CHAPLAINS OP THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 7 
 
 abroad tlie one idea, that all Chaplains employed by the gov- 
 ernment must be dismissed, and the office abolished. One 
 religious sect in particular, had been roused to action in 
 this opposition, and such others of no religion, as harmo- 
 nised wdth the disciples of that noted infidel, the late Abner 
 Kneeland, to send up memorials to Congress, praying that 
 the usage of employing Chaplains by the Greneral Govern- 
 ment might be abolished. These petitions were duly re- 
 ceived and referred to the committee on the judiciary. 
 The late Hon. James Meacham, of Vermont, being a mem- 
 ber of that committee, in the division of their labor, the 
 duty of considering and answering these petitioners fell 
 into his hands,- — upon which he made an "able report. — 
 being brief, and containing information, eveiy line of 
 which will amply repay a careful perusal, it will be placed 
 in the following pages. We are the more induced to give 
 it an insertion from the fact that but a small number of 
 copies were printed, and therefore but few of them were 
 ever seen outside of Washington. 
 
 NoTE. Since writing the above paragraph, the newspapers have brought 
 us the melancholy tidings, that Hon. James Meacham has passed away from 
 earth. He died in Middlebury, Vt., August 23d, in the 47th year of his 
 age. His death, being announced in Congress, out of respect to his me- 
 mory, both branches of the National Legislature adjourned. Hon. Mr. 
 Foot; in a brief sketch of his character before the Senate, among other things 
 said — " James Meacham was generously gifted by nature, possessing an 
 active and logical mind. He was a terse and vigorous writer, and a ready 
 and forcible public speaker. His mind had been disciplined by severe study, 
 and was well stored with choice literature and general knowledge. He was 
 a man of thought and reflection ; firm and decided in the opinions he had 
 deliberately formed, and which he was in the habit of expressing with entire 
 frankness and freedom, yet observing all that deference and courtesy toward 
 the dissenting opinion of others, which belonged to his character and his 
 position." 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOYBRNMBNT. 
 
 33d Congress— 1st Session- Ho. of Rep. 
 
 CHAPLAINS IN CONGRESS AND IN THE ARMY 
 
 AND NAVY. 
 
 March 27, 1853. — Ordered to be printed. 
 
 Mr. Meacham, from the Committee on the Judiciary, made 
 the following 
 
 REPORT. 
 
 The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the 
 memorials of citizens of several States, praying that the of- 
 fice of chaplain in the army, navy, and at West Point, at 
 Indian stations, and in both Houses of Congress^ he abolished^ 
 respectfully report : 
 
 That they have had the subject under consideration, and, af- 
 ter careful examination, are not prepared to come to the con- 
 clusion desired by the memorialists. Having made that deci- 
 sion, it is due that the reason should be given. Two clauses 
 of the constitution are relied on by the memorialists to show 
 that their prayer should be granted. One of these is in the 
 sixth article, that " no religious test shall ever be required as a 
 qualification to any ofl5ce or public trust under the United 
 States." If the whole section were quoted, we apprehend 
 that no one could suppose it intended to apply to the ap- 
 pointment of chaplains. 
 
 " Art. 6, Sec. 3. The senators and representatives before 
 mentioned, and the members of the several State legislatures, 
 and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United 
 States and of the several States, shall be bound, by oath or af- 
 firmation, to support this constitution ; but no religious test 
 shall ever be required as a qualification to any oflBce or public 
 trust under the United States." 
 
 Every one must perceive that this refers to a class of per- 
 sons entirely distinct from chaplains. 
 
 Another article supposed to be violated is article 1st of 
 Amendments : " Congress shall make no law respecting an es- 
 tablishment of religion." Does our present practice violate 
 that article ? "What is an establishment of religion ? It must 
 have a creed, defining what a man must believe ; it must have 
 rites and ordinances, which believers must observe ; it must 
 have ministers of defined qualifications, to teach the doctrines 
 and administer the rites ; it must have tests for the submis- 
 sive, and penalties for the non-conformist. There never was 
 
CHAPLAINS OP THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 9 
 
 an established religion without all these. Is there now or has 
 there ever been, anything of this in the appointment of chap- 
 lains in Congress, or army, or navy ? The practice before the 
 adoption of the constitution is much the same as since : the 
 adoption of that constitution does not seem to have changed 
 the principle in this respect. We ask the memorialists to look 
 at the facts. First, in the army ; chaplains were appointed for 
 the revolutionary army on its organization ; rules for their re- 
 gulation are found among the earliest of the articles of war. 
 Congress ordered, on May 27, 1777, that there should be one 
 chaplain to each brigade of the army, nominated by the briga- 
 dier general, and appointed by Congress, with the same pay 
 as colonel ; and, on the 18th of September following, ordered 
 chaplains to be appointed to the hospitals in the several de- 
 partments, with the pay of ^60 per month, three rations per 
 day, and forage for one horse. 
 
 When the constitution was formed. Congress had power to 
 raise and support armies, and to provide for and support a 
 navy, and to make rules and regulations for the government 
 and regulation of land and naval forces. In the absence of all 
 limitations, general or special, is it not fair to assume that they 
 were to do these substantially in the same manner as had been 
 done before ? If so, then they were as truly empowered to 
 appoint chaplains as to appoint generals or to enlist soldiers. 
 Accordingly, we find provision for chaplains in the acts of 
 1791, of 1812, and 1838. By the last there is to be one to 
 each brigade in the army ; the number is limited to thirty, and 
 these in the most destitute places. The chaplain is also to dis- 
 charge the duties of schoolmaster. The number in the navy is 
 limited to twenty-four. Is there any violation of the constitu- 
 tion in these laws for the appointment of chaplains in the army 
 and navy ? If not, let us look at the history of chaplains in 
 Congress. Here, as before, we shall find that the same prac- 
 tice was in existence before and after the adoption of the con- 
 stitution. The American Congress began its session Septem- 
 ber 5, 1774. On the second day of the session, Mr. Samuel 
 Adams proposed to open the session with prayer. I give Mr. 
 Webster's account of it: "At the meeting of the first Con- 
 gress there was a doubt in the minds of many about the pro- 
 priety of opening the session with prayer ; and the reason as- 
 signed was, as here, the great diversity of opinion and religious 
 belief: until, at last, Mr. Samuel Adams, with his gray hairs 
 hanging about his shoulders, and with an impressive venera- 
 bleness now seldom to be met with, (I suppose owing to dif- 
 ferent habits,) rose in that assembly, and, with the air of a 
 perfect Puritan, said it did not become men. professing to bo 
 
10 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Christian men, who had come together for solemn deliberation 
 in the hour of their extremit3^ to say there was so wide a dif- 
 ference in their belief that they could not, as one man, bow 
 the knee in prayer to the Almighty, whose advice and assist- 
 ance they hoped to obtain ; and, independent as he was, and 
 an enemy to all prelacy as he was known to be, he moved that 
 Rev. Mr. Dushe, of the Episcopal church, should address the 
 Throne of Grace in prayer. John Adams, in his letter to his 
 wife, says he never saw a more moving spectacle. Mr. Dushe 
 read the Episcopal service of the church of England ; and 
 then, as if moved by the occasion, he broke out into extempo- 
 raneous prayer, and those men who were about to resort to 
 force to obtain their rights were moved to tears ; and floods 
 of tears, he says, ran down the cheeks of pacific Quakers, who 
 formed part of that interesting assembly ; and depend upon it, 
 that where there is a spirit of Christianity, there is a spirit 
 which rises above form, above ceremonies, independent of sect 
 or creed, and the controversies of clashing doctrines." That 
 same clergyman was afterwards appointed chaplain of the 
 American Congress. He had such an appointment five days 
 after the declaration of independence. 
 
 On December 22, 1776 ; on December 13, 1784 ; and on 
 February 29, 1788, it was resolved that two chaplains should 
 be appointed. So far for the old American Congress. I do 
 fiot deem it out of place to notice one act, of many, to show 
 that that Congress was not indiiferent to the religious inter- 
 ests of the people ; and they were not peculiarly afraid 
 of the charge of uniting Church and State. On the 11th of 
 September, 1777, a committee having consulted with Dr. Alli- 
 son about printing an edition of thirty thousand Bibles, and 
 finding that they would be compelled to send abroad for type 
 and paper, with an advance of £10,272 10s., Congress voted to 
 instruct the Committee on Commerce to import twenty thou- 
 sand Bibles from Scotland and Holland into the different ports 
 of the Union. The reason assigned was, that the use of the 
 book was so universal and important. Now, what was passing 
 on that day? The army of Washington was fighting the 
 battle of Brandy wine; the gallant soldiers of the Revolution 
 were displaying their heroic though unavailing valor; twelve 
 hundred soldiers were stretched in death on that battle-field ; 
 Lafayette was bleeding ; the booming of the cannon was heard 
 in the hall where Congress was sitting — in the hall from 
 which Congress was soon to be a fugitive ; at that important 
 hour Congress was passing an order for importing twenty 
 thousand Bibles ; and yet we have never heard that they 
 were charged by their generation of any attempt to unite 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 11 
 
 Church and State, or surpassing their powers to legislate on 
 religious matters. 
 
 There was a convention assembled between the old and 
 new forms of government. Considering the character of the 
 men, the work in which they were engaged, and the results 
 of their labors, I think them the most remarkable body of 
 men ever assembled. Benjamin Franklin addressed that body 
 on the subject of employing chaplains; and, certainly, Franklin 
 will not be accused of fanaticism in religion, or of a wish to 
 unite Church and State. I give his words as reported by 
 Madison. 
 
 Debates in the Federal Convention^ June 28, 1787. 
 
 Dr. Franklin said : Mr. President, the small progress we 
 have made after four or five weeks' close attendance, and con- 
 tinual reasonings with each other, our different sentiment on 
 almost every question — several of the last producing as many 
 noes as ayes — is, methinks, a melancholy proof of the imper- 
 fection of the human understanding. We, indeed, seem to 
 feel our want of political wisdom, since we have been running 
 about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history 
 for models of government, and examined the different forms 
 of those republics which, having been formed with the seeds 
 of their own dissolution, now no longer exist. And we have 
 viewed modern States all round Europe, but find none of their 
 constitutions suitable to our circumstances. In this situation 
 of this assembly, groping, as it were, in the dark to find po- 
 litical truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented 
 to us, how has it happened, sir, that we have not hitherto 
 once thought of humbly applying to the Father of Lights to 
 illuminate our understandings ? In the beginning of the con- 
 test with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we 
 had daily prayer in this room for divine protection. Our 
 prayers, sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. 
 All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have ob- 
 served frequent instances of a superintending Providence in 
 our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy op- 
 portunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing 
 our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that 
 powerful friend ? Or do we imagine that we no longer need 
 his assistance ? 
 
 "I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live the 
 more convincing proofs I see of this truth — that God governs 
 in the affairs of men; and if a sparrow cannot fall to the 
 {^ round without His notice, is it probable that an empire can 
 
12 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 rise without His aid ? "We have been assured, sir, in the 
 sacred writings, that ' except the Lord build the house, they 
 labor in rain that build it.' I firmly believe this ; and I also 
 believe that without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in 
 this pohtical building no better than the builders of Babel. 
 We shall be divided by our little partial local interests, our 
 projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a 
 reproach and by-word down to future ages. And, what is 
 worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, 
 despair of establishing governments by human wisdom, and 
 leave it to chance, war and conquest. 
 
 " I therefore beg leave to move, that henceforth prayers, 
 imploring the assistance of Heaven and blessings on our de- 
 liberations, be held in this assembly every morning before we 
 proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of 
 this city be requested to officiate in that service." — ElliotVs 
 Debates, vol. 5, p. 253. 
 
 There certainly can be no doubt as to the practice of em- 
 ploying chaplains in deliberative bodies previous to the adop- 
 tion of the constitution. We are, then, prepared to see if 
 any change was made in that respect in the new order of 
 affairs. 
 
 The first Congress under the constitution began on the 4th 
 of March, 1789 ; but there was not a quorum for business till 
 the 1st of April. On the 9th of that month Oliver Ellsworth 
 was appointed, on the part of the Senate, to confer with a 
 committee of the House, on rules, and on the appointment of 
 chaplains. The House chose five men — Boudinot, Bland, 
 Tucker, Sherman and Madison. The result of their consulta- 
 tion was a recommendation to appoint two chaplains of dif- 
 ferent denominations — one by the Senate and one by the 
 House — to interchange weekly. The Senate appointed Dr. 
 Provost, on the 25th of April. 
 
 On the 1st day of May, Washington's first speech was read 
 to the House, and theirs/ business after that speech was the 
 appointment of Dr. Linn as chaplain. By whom was this plan 
 made? Three out of six of that joint committee were mem- 
 bers of the convention that framed the constitution. Madi- 
 son, Ellsworth and Sherman passed directly from the hall of 
 the convention to the hall of Congress. Did they not know 
 what was constitutional % The law of 1789 was passed in 
 compliance with their plan, giving chaplains a salary of ^500. 
 It was re-enacted in 1816, and continues to the present time. 
 Chaplains have been appointed from all the leading denomin- 
 ations — Methodist, Baptist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Con- 
 gregationalist, Catholic, Unitarian, and others. 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 13 
 
 I am aware that one of our petitioners might truly reply 
 that the article was not in the body of the constitution, but 
 was one of the amendments recommended by Virginia. This 
 does not weaken the argument in favor of chaplains. In the 
 convention of Virginia, which proposed amendments, James 
 Madison, James Monroe, and John Marshall were members. 
 All these men were members closely connected with the gov- 
 ernment. Madison and Monroe were members of Congress 
 when the first amendment was adopted and became a part of 
 the constitution. Madison was a member of the convention 
 framing the constitution, of the convention proposing the 
 amendment, and of Congress when adopted ; and yet neither 
 Madison nor Monroe ever uttered a word or gave a vote to in- 
 dicate that the appointment of chaplains was unconstitutional. 
 The convention of Virginia elected on its first day a chaplain — 
 Rev. Abner Waugh — who every morning read prayers imme- 
 diately after the ringing of the bell for calling the convention. 
 No one will suppose that convention so inconsistent as to ap- 
 point their chaplain for their own deliberative assembly in the 
 State of Virginia, and then recommend that this should be de- 
 nied to the deliberative bodies of the nation. 
 
 The reason more generally urged, is the danger of a union 
 of church and State. If the danger were real, we should be 
 disposed to take the most prompt and decided measures to 
 forestall the evil, because one of the worst things for the religi- 
 ous and political interests of this nation that could possibly 
 overtake us. But we deem this apprehension entirely imagi- 
 nary ; and we think any one of the petitioners must be con- 
 vinced of this on examination of the facts. Look at that score 
 of different denominations, and tell us, do you believe it pos- 
 sible to make a majority agree in forming a league to unite 
 their religious interests with those of the State ? If you take 
 from the larger sects, you must select some three or four of 
 the largest to make a majority of clergy, or laity, or worship- 
 pers. And these sects are widely separated in their doctrines, 
 their religious rites, and in their church discipline. How do 
 you expect them to unite for any such object? If you take 
 the smaller sects, you must unite some fifteen to make a ma- 
 jority, and you must take such discordant materials as the 
 Quaker, the Jew, the Universalist, the Unitarian, the Tunker, 
 and the Swedenborgian. Does any one suppose it possible to 
 make these harmonize 1 If not, there can be no union of 
 church and State. Your committee know of no denomination 
 of Christians who wish for such union. They have had their 
 existence in the voluntary system, and wish it to continue. 
 The sentiment of the whole body of American Christians is 
 
14 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 against a union with the State. A great change has been 
 wrought in this respect. At the adoption of the constitution, 
 we believe every State — certainly ten of the thirteen — provid- 
 ed as regularly for the support of the church, as for the sup- 
 port of the government : one, Virginia, had the system of 
 tithes. Down to the Revolution, every colony did sustain re- 
 ligion in some form. It was deemed peculiarly proper that 
 the religion of liberty should be upheld by a free people. Had 
 the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any at- 
 tempt to war against Christianity, that Revolution would have 
 been strangled in its cradle. At the time of the adoption of 
 the constitution and the amendments, the universal sentiment 
 was that Christanity should be encouraged — not any one sect. 
 Any attempt to level and discard all religion, would have been 
 viewed with universal indignation. The object was not to 
 substitute Judaism, or Mohammedanism, or infidelity, but to 
 prevent rivalry among sects to the exclusion of others. The 
 result of the change above named is, that now there is not a 
 single State that, as a State, supports the gospel. In 1816 
 Connecticut repealed her law which was passed to sustain the 
 church ; and in 1833^ Massachusetts wiped from her statute- 
 book the last law on the subject that existed in the whole 
 Union. Every one will notice that this is a very great change 
 to be made in so short a period — greater than, tve believe, was 
 ever before made in ecclesiastical affairs in sixty-five years, 
 wi-thout a revolution or some great convulsion. This change 
 has been made silently and noiselessly, with the consent and 
 wish of all parties, civil and religious. From this it will be 
 seen that the tendency of the times is not to a union of church 
 and State, but is decidedly and strongly bearing in an opposite 
 direction. Every tie is sundered ; and there is no wish on 
 either side to have the bond renewed. It seems to us that the* 
 men who would raise the cry of danger in this state of things, 
 would cry fire on the thirty-ninth day of a general deluge. 
 
 If there be no constitutional objection and no danger, why 
 should not the office be continued ? It is objected that we 
 pay money from the treasury for this office. That is certainly 
 true ; and equally true in regard to the Sergeant-at-Arms and 
 Doorkeeper, who, with the chaplain, are appointed under the 
 general authority to organize the House. Judge Thompson, 
 chairman of this committee in the thirty-first Congress, in a 
 very able report on this subject, said that if the cost of chap- 
 lains to Congress were equally divided among the people, it 
 would not be more than the two hundredth part of one cent to 
 each person. That being true, a man who lives under the pro- 
 tection of this government and pays taxes for fifty years, will 
 
CHAPLAINS OP THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 15 
 
 have to lay aside from his hard earnings two and a half mills 
 during his half century for the purpose of supporting chaplains 
 in Congress ! This is the weight of pecuniary burden which 
 the committee are called to lift from off the neck of the people. 
 
 If there be a God who hears prayer — as we believe there is 
 — we submit, that there never was a deliberative body that so 
 eminently needed the fervent praj'ers of righteous men as the 
 Congress of the United States. There never was another re- 
 presentative assembly that had so many and so widely differ- 
 ent interests to protect and to harmonize, and so many local 
 passions to subdue. One member feels charged to defend the 
 rights of the Atlantic, another of the Pacific coast ; one urges 
 the claims of constituents on the borders of the torrid, another 
 on the borders of the frigid zone ; while hundreds have the 
 defence of local and varied interests stretching across an en- 
 tire continent. If personal selfishness or ambition, if party 
 or sectional views alone, bear rule, all attempts at legislation 
 will be fruitless, or bear only bitter fruit. If wisdom from 
 above, that is profitable to direct, be given in answer to the 
 prayers of the pious, then Congress need those devotions, as 
 they surely need to have their views of personal importance 
 daily chastened by the reflection that they are under the gov- 
 ernment of a Siipreme Power, that rules not for one locality 
 or for one time, but governs a world by general laws, subject- 
 ing all motives and acts to an omniscient scrutiny, and holds 
 all agents to their just awards by an irresistible power. 
 
 In the provisions of the law for chaplains in -the army, the 
 number is limited, and these not to be granted unless for 
 " most destitute places;" and then, for a very small salary 
 they are to perform the double service of clergymen and 
 schoolmasters. While every political office under all admin- 
 istrations is filled to overflowing ; while the ante-chambers of 
 the departments are crowded and crammed with anxious ap- 
 plicants, waiting for additions, or resignations, or death, to 
 make for them some vacant place, it is of recent occurrence 
 that only fourteen of the twenty posts for chaplains were sup- 
 plied. 
 
 We presume all will grant that it is proper to appoint phy- 
 sicians and surgeons in the army and navy. The power to 
 appoint chaplains is just the same, because neither are ex- 
 pressly named, but are appointed under the general authority 
 to organize the array and navy, and we deem the one as truly 
 a matter of necessity as the other. Napoleon was obliged to 
 establish chaplains for his army, in order to their quiet while 
 making his winter quarters in the heart of an enemy's coun- 
 try, and that army had been drenched in the infidelity of the 
 
16 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 French revolution. The main portion of our troops, though 
 not in a foreign land, are stationed on the extreme frontiers, 
 the very outposts of civilization ; and if the government does 
 not furnish them moral and religious instruction, we know as 
 a practical fact, that they will go without it. 
 
 It is said that they can contribute and hire their own chap- 
 lains. Certainly they can, and their own physicians and sur- 
 geons ; but if we throw on them this additional burden, are 
 we not bound to increase their pay to meet these personal ex- 
 penses ? We may supply them directly, with more economy 
 and effect than we can do it indirectly. We trust that the 
 military force of the United States will never be engaged in a 
 contest, unless in such an one that devout men can honestly 
 invoke the God of battles to go with our armies. If so, it 
 will inspire fortitude and courage to the soldier to know that 
 the righteous man is invoking the Supreme Power to succeed 
 his efforts. If our armies are exposed to pestilential climates 
 or. to the carnage of the battle-field, we believe it the duty of 
 government to send to the sick, aiid wounded, and dying, 
 that spiritual counsel and consolation demanded by the 
 strongest cravings of our nature. 
 
 The navy have still stronger claims than the army for the 
 supply of chaplains ; a large portion of the tirhe our ships-of- 
 war are on service foreign from our own shore. If they are 
 in the ports of other nations, the crews cannot be disbanded 
 to worship with the people of those nations j and if they 
 could, the instances are rare in which the sailors could under- 
 stand the language in which the devotions are conducted. If 
 you do not afford them the means of religious service while 
 at sea, the Sabbath is, to all intents and purposes, annihilated, 
 and we do not allow the crews the free exercise of religion. 
 
 In that important branch of service the government is edu- 
 cating a large number of youth who are hereafter to have the 
 control of our navy. They are taken from their homes at a 
 very early age, when their minds are not generally instructed, 
 or their opinions formed on religious affairs. If the mature 
 men can be safely deprived of such privileges, is it wise or 
 just to deprive the youth of all means of moral and religious 
 culture ? Naval commanders have often desired to have their 
 crews unite in devotions before commencing action. They 
 have sometimes done it when there was no chaplain on board. 
 One striking instance of this was in the naval action on Lake 
 Champlain. On Sunday morning, September 11, just as the 
 sun rose over the eastern mountains, the American guard-boat 
 on the watch was seen rowing swiftly into the harbor. It re- 
 ported the enemy in sight. The drums immediately beat to 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 17 
 
 quarters, and every vessel was cleared for action. The pre- 
 parations being completed, young McDonough summoned his 
 officers around him, and there, on the deck of the Saratoga, 
 read the prayers of the ritual before entering into battle ; 
 and that voice, which soon after rang like a clarion amid the 
 carnage, sent heavenward, in earnest tones : '' Stir up thy 
 strength, Lord, and come and help us ; for thou givest not 
 always the battle to the strong, but canst save by many or by 
 few." It was a solemn, thrilling sight, and one never before 
 witnessed on a vessel of war cleared for action. A young 
 commander who had the courage thus to brave the derision 
 and sneers which such an act was sure to provoke, would fight 
 his vessel while there was a plank left to stand on. Of the 
 deeds of daring done on that day of great achievements, none 
 evinced so bold and firm a heart as this act of religious 
 worship. 
 
 While your committee believe that neither Congress nor 
 the army or navy should be deprived of the service of chap- 
 lains, they freely concede that the ecclesiastical and civil 
 powers have been, and should continue to be, entirely di- 
 vorced from each other. But we beg leave to rescue our- 
 selves from the imputation of asserting that religion is not 
 needed to the safety of civil society. It must be considered 
 as the foundation on which the whole structure rests. Laws 
 will not have permanence or power without the sanction of 
 rehgious sentiment — without a firm belief that there is a 
 Power above us that will reward our virtues and punish our 
 vices. In this age there can be no substitute for Christianity ; 
 that, in its general principles, is the great conservative element 
 on which we must rely for the purity and permanence of free 
 institutions. That was the religion of the founders of the re- 
 public, and they expected it to remain the religion of their 
 descendants. There is a great and very prevalent error on 
 this subject in the opinion that those who organized this gov- 
 ernment did not legislate on religion. They did legislate on it by 
 making it free to all, " to the Jew and the Greek, to the 
 learned and unlearned." The error has risen from the belief 
 that there is no legislation unless in permissive or restricting 
 enactments. But making a thing free is as truly a part of 
 legislation as confining it by limitations ; and what the gov- 
 ernment has made free, it is bound to keep free. 
 
 Your committee recommend the following resolution : 
 Resolved, That the committee be discharged from the fur- 
 ther consideration of the subject. 
 
18 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 After having given the foregoing Report an attentive 
 perusal, we have a right to presume that not a few would 
 reach the same conclusion with ourselves, that the objec- 
 tions made by the memorialists, to the employment of 
 Chaplains by the General Government, were fully answer- 
 ed, and that petitions of this kind would not be likely soon 
 to follow. But such was not the fact. It will be kept in 
 mind that the petitions answered by this Report were sent 
 to Congress the early part of the first session of Congress, 
 in the winter of 1854. At the organization of the present 
 Congress, immediately after the long struggle to elect a 
 Speaker was decided, among other proceedings that of 
 electing a Chaplain to the House came up for action ; but 
 before the election was made, another memorial arrested 
 the attention of the House, praying Congress to abolish 
 the office of Chaplains, and therefore not to proceed to the 
 election then under consideration. This instrument pro- 
 ceeded from a sect of Christians in Tennessee, who are 
 much more numerous in the Southern States than at the 
 North, and are known for their opposition to Missionary 
 Societies, Sunday Schools, and indeed, to nearly all our 
 modern institutions. They are variously called " Anti- 
 Mission Baptists," " Particular Baptists," and " Hard- 
 Shell Baptists;" but from their strong adherence to 
 " Special Grace" and predestination, they call themselves 
 " Predestinarian Baptists." Their own statistics give 
 them about 150,000 adherents in the United States. 
 
 Hon. Mr. Etheridge, by whom the memorial was pre- 
 sented said, " I avail myself, sir, of the present occasion to 
 present to the consideration of the House a memorial on 
 this subject, which I received this morning from R. L. 
 Hendies, and one hundred and forty-eight other citizens 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 19 
 
 of the county of Henderson, in the State of Tennessee, in 
 which they protest against the election and payment of a 
 Chaplain by this House. I only received it this morning, 
 and avail myself of the first opportunity to present it. They 
 are from that section of the country in which the people 
 are so respectable and so little skilled in political machinery, 
 that I do not suppose any one of them has ever before 
 signed a memorial to be presented to Congress upon any 
 subject." 
 
 It is hardly worth while to insert the entire memorial in 
 this place, as it differs not materially from those previously 
 presented, and which are so ably answered in the foregoing 
 Report. But, lest it might appear as if we were unwilling 
 to introduce into these pages their arguments against the 
 employment of Chaplains, space shall be given to the 
 strongest points — which read as follows : 
 
 " The immense increase of the number of Chaplains em- 
 ployed by the Government within the past few years, has 
 alarmed us to apprehend that an extension of the system 
 may ultimately subject us aU to the serious and oppressive 
 features of an unholy union of Church and State, with 
 which the world has been so grievously burdened in all 
 ages, and from which we had hoped we were forever de- 
 livered by the glorious epoch of the American Revolution. 
 
 " The number of national clergy which the citizens of our 
 country are annually forced to support, by indirect taxa- 
 tion, is as follows : Thirty in the Army ; twenty-four in 
 the Navy, and two in Congress (!) besides a large number at 
 the various naval and military schools, stations, and out- 
 posts ; and at various missionary stations, ostensibly as 
 teachers of Indian schools. The aggregate amount which 
 we are annually compelled to pay for the support of clergy- 
 
20 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 men, as officers whicli the Constitution gives Congress no 
 power to create or impose upon us, but on the contrary, 
 positively prohibits, cannot therefore vary far from a quar- 
 ter of a million of dollars annually ! Should the number 
 of national Chaplains continue to increase in the ratio of 
 the past few years, it will soon equal that of the national 
 clergy in the despotisms of the old world, where the Church 
 and State are allies in corruption and oppression. Indeed, 
 we know of no stopping place or limit that can be set to 
 arrest its progress, when precedent has overthrown the 
 protective barriers of the Constitution. 
 
 " "We cannot perceive why clergymen should be sustained 
 by Government in either House of Congress, at our mihtary 
 and naval stations, on board our vessels of war, and in each 
 regiment of our army, any more than in each township, 
 parish, district, or village throughout the land; and to 
 sanction the former could not be regarded otherwise than 
 as an assent to the extension of the same system that would 
 place us upon a level with the priest-ridden despotisms of 
 the Old World. Our members of Congress, military and 
 naval officers, soldiery and seamen, are, or should be, paid 
 a just compensation for their services, and be left, like all 
 other citizens, to support any clergymen, or none, as their 
 consciences may direct them, without legal agency or coer- 
 cion. Neither Christianity nor the genius of our institu- 
 tions contemplates any aristocracy predicated upon the 
 clerical profession, and no special provision therefore is ne- 
 cessary by the Government to admit clergymen to our 
 Army and Navy, as they may enlist like other men, and 
 labor like Jesus himself and his apostles among the poor 
 fishermen on the sea-side. If it be objected that few 
 clergymen ^vould serve among the troops and marines upon 
 
CHAPLAINS OP THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 21 
 
 such terms, we can only say that, if actuated by correct 
 religious motives, no minister would wait for Government 
 gold to lead him to his labors of love among them, and 
 that none but hypocrites would be debarred by the want 
 of it. We think the Government should not evince more 
 religious zeal than professed ministers of the gospel them- 
 selves by bribing them to perform religious service. If the 
 clergymen in the Army and Navy look for other compen- 
 sation than the voluntary contribution of those among 
 whom they labor, the various religious societies of the 
 country might be more appropriately appealed to, as their 
 funds are voluntarily contributed for such purposes ; while 
 those of the Government are taken for national purposes, 
 by authority of law, equally from all classes of citizens of 
 whatever sects, and whether professors or non-professors of 
 religion." 
 
 But opposition to the employment of Chaplains to Con- 
 gress does not arise from these petitions alone. There is 
 an opposition which shows itself each successive year in 
 stronger terms, among the members of Congress. At the 
 opening of each of the two or three last congressional terms, 
 members have called "the election of Chaplains all a 
 farce." 
 
 While some members were for staving off the choice of 
 Chaplain to some future time, Hon. Mr. Wentworth, of 
 Illinois, with a ludicrous air, said — 
 
 " It would be greatly to the relief of members if we dis- 
 posed of this Chaplain business. [Laughter.] The candi- 
 dates are multiplying, and those whose names are now be- 
 fore us are getting uneasy. I am anxious to have the 
 matter settled, and therefore ask that the rules may be 
 suspended to take up the Senate resolution so that the re- 
 
22 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 jected applicants may apply for some other office if they 
 do not get this." [Laughter]. 
 
 A paper, (the " Washington Sentinel^^) at that time 
 regarded as the special organ of Senator Douglas, and 
 which had belabored with gi*eat industry the 3,050 New 
 England clergymen who signed the remonstrance to the 
 Nebraska-bill, at the close of the session of the Congress 
 which passed that bill, used the following language : — 
 
 " "We are altogether opposed to having Chaplains to the 
 two branches of our National Legislature. We hope the 
 last of them have been elected.* * * It is pretty well under- 
 stood that those paid for prayers are to be made brief, cut 
 off shoi't^ in order to avoid boring Congress. Short as they 
 are (and we are sorry to have to say it) they are bores. It 
 is a business to be done by the Minister^ and the sooner 
 it is over the more agreeable to all parties." The Sentinel 
 further says of these prayers : " They are not listened to." 
 He proceeds to add that " If they should be elected, and 
 they should belong to that saintly band, the three thousand 
 and sixty-five Anti- Nebraska parsons, then perhaps such 
 an election would be more potent against the system than 
 any argument we can offer." 
 
 Such then was the feeling manifested in Congress more 
 than three years ago. But this feeling, judging from what 
 was said by a greater number of members than had ever 
 before entered into a debate of this kind, at the opening of 
 the last Congress, had increased four-fold. 
 
 After reading the foregoing " Report" by Mr. Meacham, 
 on the petitions to a previous Congress, one might have 
 supposed that the question relating to the Chaplaincy 
 would be put somewhat to rest. Another uprising of op- 
 position could hardly have been looked for again so soon. 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL QOYERNMENT. 23 
 
 But the spirit of antagonism had gone abroad, and it 
 must have expression, especially in the popular branch of 
 the National Legislature. In the Senate the election of 
 Chaplain was sprung upon the members in the outset. The 
 name of a Western candidate was introduced by a perse- 
 vering senator, and his claims, which commended him to 
 the favorable consideration of a majority of the senators, 
 had only to be presented, to receive a majority of the votes. 
 
 His election took place without discussion or opposition. 
 It was in the House that the subject took a wider range. 
 In order that the reader may have a clear comprehension 
 of the whole question, we shall make liberal quotations 
 from the speeches of several members on the occasion, to be 
 found in subsequent pages. 
 
 As to the field of labor thrown open to all the chaplains 
 employed by Government, whether at Washington, in the 
 Army or the Navy, we doubt if it be sufficiently under- 
 stood, or their labors duly appreciated. There is much 
 which a Chaplain can do in each of the before named de- 
 partments of the G-overnment, which will never be per- 
 formed if not done by them. They can go where other 
 ministers, not appointed to the office, could not go ; they 
 can occupy places which other clergymen could not 
 reach. Their very existence in the Government employ, 
 commits our nation to the recognition of Christianity in 
 distinction from Mohammedanism and Paganism. The 
 Government recognizes no sect ; it only employs the reli- 
 gious teacher which we as a nation prefer. The alarmists 
 about the union of Church and State should be impressed, 
 that our Government only defends religious liberty. It 
 does not define religion. A colony of Mohammedans would 
 be protected in erecting a mosque, or the Chinese a pa 
 
24 CHAPLAINS OP THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 goda, as soon as a Catholic in erecting a cathedral, or an 
 Episcopalian in consecrating a church, or a Friend Quaker 
 in sitting quietly in a "meeting-house." 
 
 "We have stated that Chaplains have a field of labor pe- 
 culiarly their own. Prayers offered up to the Father of 
 all men, in each branch of the National Legislature every 
 morning before proceeding to the important work of legis- 
 lating for the weal or woe of the country, has its use. But 
 preaching the Gospel every Sabbath in the Capitol to the 
 many strangers especially, who visit Washington while 
 Congress is in session, if to no others, has an important use, 
 and the visits which the Chaplain, who does his duty, 
 makes to the bedside of the sick and sometimes dying 
 member of Congress, who may have arrived in Washing- 
 ton a stranger from some remote part of the country, has 
 not unfrequently had a special use. 
 
 In the Navy — ^if it is desirable that a congregation of 
 men, numbering as they usually do, in sea-going ships, 
 from five to eight hundred, and sometimes a thousand, all 
 accustomed to the usages of a Christian nation, should be 
 favored with the ordinary means of grace on the Sabbath ; 
 to be visited and advised when sick, and to have a 
 Christian burial when committed to their ocean grave, 
 then a minister of rehgion must be with them in their long 
 cruises through unhealthy latitudes; and when far away 
 from the sound of the church-going bell, obey the sum- 
 mons proceeding from the quarter-deck, for all hands to 
 attend on the public worship of Grod. Who but appointed 
 Chaplains can officiate here ? 
 
 We have done some humble service (not as Chaplain,) 
 in the Navy. We have seen many a youthful sailor, 
 who in his waywardness had wandered from home, and ere 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 25 
 
 long found himself shipped into the naval service. After 
 long and tedious duty had sobered him down to the reflect- 
 ing point, or the sudden changes from easy to hard labor 
 as well as that of an unhealthy climate, had brought him 
 upon the " sick list," — there, on the high seas, or in a foreign 
 port, on coming thoroughly to himself, he welcomes with 
 true cordiality the man who in a quiet manner goes to 
 his couch to speak of his mother's councils, his father's 
 advice, of Sabbath privileges perhaps, neglected, and of a 
 sin-pardoning Grod. How shall we calculate the import- 
 ance, the worth of this timely visitation of a Chaplain, 
 charged with duties of this nature i 
 
 If the objectors to the employment of Chaplains, were to 
 receive the last message of a dying son or brother from 
 the hand of these ambassadors of Christ, — to whom such 
 words are usually uttered, — would they fe«l any regret that 
 the government provides for the sustenance of sach men, 
 while accompanying these hundreds of seamen through 
 their perilous voyages round the world ? We cannot be- 
 lieve they would. / 
 
 The same train of thought will apply with equal truth 
 and propriety to Chaplains in the Army, affording still less 
 grounds of objection, inasmuch as they are almost con- 
 stantly employed as the teachers of children at the mili- 
 tary posts especially" many of which are far out beyond the 
 limits of civilized life on our Western domain. 
 
 But it is objected that these Chaplains do not all do 
 their duty — do not faithfully perform the important work 
 assigned them. This objection is gratuitous. It hardly 
 deserves to be considered in this place, for it is admitted 
 that there may be found among Chaplains, as among other 
 ministers of religion in other positions, those who neglect 
 
 2 
 
26 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 their duty, who do not feel the importance of the work 
 committed to their hands. These may, like all unworthy 
 and unfaithful men, bring a reproach on the cause they 
 should honor and promote. But persisting in their inef- 
 ficiency and unsuitableness for the work, they will not long 
 be sustained. They will soon find their level, and their 
 stewardship given to another. 
 
 But there is another view to be taken of this business of 
 employing Chaplains. There are grounds of complaint — 
 not to the employment of Chaplains, but to the manner in 
 which they reach that employment, or the way they obtain 
 their election to a place of so much importance to Chris- 
 tian nations, and, it might be added, to the heathen world. 
 It is to the subject of this complaint we shall now turn 
 our attention. 
 
 There are at this time fifty-seven Chaplains employed 
 by the General Government — thirty in the Army, 
 thirty-four in the Navy, and two in Congress, and 
 one in the Penitentiary of the District of Colum- 
 bia. That these are important positions, each requir- 
 ing men of as high an order of piety and good 
 works, of various learning, and every endowment and 
 qualification which will render them apt to teach as any 
 other position which the providence of God may ever open 
 to any Christian minister to fill,, no one, we think, will take 
 it upon himself to deny. Yet all these chaplaincies are 
 filled in a way which render it possible that it may be done 
 by the managing of political wire-pullers, with very little, 
 if any, reference to the appropriate qualifications of those 
 who receive the appointment. It is true that the Heads 
 of the Departments hold, under the President, the appoint- 
 ing power in each of the several departments over which 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 27 
 
 they preside. But unless the applicant be a clergyman of 
 his acquaintance, how is the Secretary to know of the ap- 
 plicant's qualifications, or his adaptedness to fill the place 
 to which he aspires ? Through others only. Now, who 
 are those others that the applicant may employ to reach the 
 ear of the Secretary, and obtain his appointment ? They 
 are the men who will have the greatest influence with the 
 Secretary. Should any aspirant have the good fortune to 
 
 make Senator his friend, or any other man of the 
 
 Administration party, who might be supposed to have as 
 much influence as he, then, irrespective of all the other 
 more sacred considerations^ this will settle the ques- 
 tion of the appointment. Chaplains in the Navy more es- 
 pecially, down to a certain year, between 1820 and 1830, 
 were chosen without any special regard to their religious 
 creed or character. Some petty officer, a captain's clerk, 
 or purser's steward, or some other such man, as a reward 
 for well-doing, has been allowed to officiate as Chaplain, 
 which consisted in reading prayers, generally from the 
 Episcopal "Book of Common Prayer," especially the 
 burial service, before committing the body of a deceased 
 person " to the deep," by which he received the extra pay 
 of the Chaplain's salary. Reading the Episcopal Church 
 service, they might have called themselves Episcopa- 
 lians. But it is exceedingly difficult now to assign many 
 of those who served as Chaplains, especially in the Navy 
 previous to about the year 1825, to any religious sect. 
 
 About the year 1826 a rule began to be observed, requir- 
 ing that no person should be elected Chaplain, unless be were 
 regularly ordained Minister* of some Evangelical denom- 
 
 * There is no law to this effect ; but one of the oldest Chaplains in 
 the Navy, now in service, furnished us with this information. 
 
28 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 ination. The Chaplains who have been appointed subse- 
 quent to that date have generally possessed a higher order 
 of character. 
 
 It will be seen, then, that the applicant for a Chaplaincy 
 must show a clean record on the books of his own Church 
 as an accredited minister. He should also take with him 
 to Washington such recommendations as he can readily 
 obtain ; but ihejinale lies between the Secretary and that 
 pohtical friend who can bring the most influence to bear 
 upon the Secretary's mind. 
 
 How different is the case when a minister goes to take 
 charge of the humblest church and congregation in the 
 land. His character and qualifications are made to pass 
 in a severe review before a council of his brethren, and 
 this, too, after he has preached several trial seraions as a 
 candidate, before the important question of a final choice 
 is concluded. 
 
 As with the candidates for the Navy, so with those for 
 the Army, except that a Chaplain for the Army is required 
 to possess certain literary quaUfications for a school teacher, 
 which, doubtless, subjects him to an examination in this 
 behalf.* 
 
 *AN ACT 
 To increase the present Military Establishment of the United States 
 and for other purposes. 
 Sec. 18. — AtuI be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the 
 oflBcers composing the Council of Administration at any post, from time 
 to time, to employ such person as 'they may think proper to officiate as 
 Chaplain — who shall also perform the duties of schoolmaster at such post ; 
 and the person so employed shall on the certificate of the commanding 
 officer of the post be paid such sum for his services, not exceeding forty 
 dollars per month, as may be determined by the said Council Adminis- 
 tration with the approval of the Secretary of War— and in addition to hia 
 pay, the said Chaplain shall be allowed four rations per diem with quar- 
 ters and fuel. Approved, July 5, 1838. 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 29 
 
 There is no rule of reasoning which can justify this sum- 
 mary manner of appointing Chaplains to such important 
 fields of labor. If a physician is to receive an appointment 
 in the Navy, he is subjected to the strict examination of a 
 competent Board of Surgeons. If the Cadets at West 
 Point, who are to make the future officers in the Army, 
 are to be examined, (to whom these Chaplains are to preach 
 the Gospel,) a Board of literary and scientific men from all 
 parts of the United States, are summoned in order that the 
 Government may secure a creditable and thorough exami- 
 nation. But if a minister of Christ is to be chosen to ac- 
 company a regiment of soldiers through all their exposures 
 to death, or to accompany a crew of four, five, or eight 
 hundred or a thousand men through tw^o or three years' 
 service, in charge of their religious instruction, there is to 
 be no trial sermon, no examination of the candidate as to 
 his various necessary qualifications or his adaptedness to 
 the delicate and important work assigned him. The whole 
 matter is to be negotiated and settled by men who, per- 
 chance, may or may not be believers ; who may or may 
 not have any very great respect for religion, or for the 
 present and eternal salvation of our race. To all those 
 
 A subsequent act of the same session reads as follows*. 
 
 Second — The posts at which Chaplains shall be allowed shall be limited 
 to the number of twenty. And shall be first approved by the Secretary 
 of War, and shall be confined to places most destitute of instruction. 
 
 AN ACT 
 To provide for an increase of the Medical Staff, and for an additional 
 number of Chaplains of the Army of the United States. 
 Sec. 3. — And be it further enacted, That the provisions of the act of 
 eighteen hundred and thirty-eight be and hereby are extended, so as to 
 authorize the employment of ten additional Chaplains for military posta 
 of the United States. Approved, March 2, 1849. 
 
30 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 then who believe in the importance of that life and im- 
 mortality which are brought to light through the gospel^ 
 we venture to propound the following query. Why should 
 there not be a Board of Clergymen made up of the Chap- 
 lains who are on furlough ashore, together with a suf- 
 ficient number of other regular clergy to embrace most of 
 the leading denominations of the land, (and they can nearly 
 all be found in the District of Columbia,) before whom a 
 candidate for a chaplaincy in the Anny or Navy should 
 appear ; and that none but such as can cany up from this 
 Board a certificate of recommendation to the secretaries 
 could be regarded as eligible to the office. Then this im- 
 portant office would be protected from mere political influ- 
 ence and control. These places would then be filled with 
 men whom educated officers in the Army and those upon 
 the quarter-deck, as well as soldiers and sailors generally, 
 might, without a risk of conferring the distinction unde- 
 servedly, treat with the deference and respect due their 
 position, for they would not probably be ministers whose 
 spirit and whose good works would secure the respect and 
 esteem which is almost unconsciously awarded to a pure 
 mind, enlightened piety and to sterling moral worth. 
 
 But tm-ning from the Army and Navy, let us look at the 
 manner in which the two Chaplains to Congress, and also 
 we might add, the Chaplain who is appointed to the Peni- 
 tentiary at Washington, reach their election. The same 
 course of electioneering which the Clerk of the House, 
 the Doorkeeper, or Sergeant-at-Arms has to pursue, namely, 
 to scramble for it. Letters are written beforehand solicit- 
 ing votes. The successful candidate must be on hand to 
 meet his " friends" as they alight from the cars at the rail- 
 road station, who follow him to his hotel, and who will not 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 31 
 
 hesitate to stand in a bar-room and talk distinctly of " his 
 devotion to the party." But the successful candidate is 
 not usually the man whom his own denomination even, not 
 to say the Christian community generally, would wish to 
 see at such a post. An article appeared in the National 
 Intelligencer on the morning of the opening of the last 
 Session of Congress, which contains thoughts and sug- 
 gestions on this subject, portions of which we will transfer 
 to these pages ; as it contains just the views we should pre- 
 fer to have occupy this place. 
 
 Whatever may be the scepticism of some minds respect- 
 ing religious matters, and the opposition to the employment 
 of Chaplains which has arisen from that source, it does not 
 all come from religious infidelity. The confidence and re- 
 spect of the best men in the country has lessened in the 
 same ratio as this Congressional usage has been subjected 
 to political wire-pulling and strife. It is now well under- 
 stood that modest merit, eminent piety, and that kind of 
 talent which is best adapted to the position, is no longer 
 sought for in a Chaplain to Congress. But the successful 
 candidate is he who has a face to enter the ring of compe- 
 titors ; who knows how to lay his hand upon the right 
 wires, and has strength to pull harder than the others who 
 may be contending with him for the prize. We do not in- 
 tend to signify that, if a clergyman desires to spend a sea- 
 son in Washington while Congress is in session, it is mo- 
 rally criminal in him to desire, or even to " strive lawfully" 
 to preach the Gospel in the Capitol, and receive the com- 
 pensation which will sustain him while doing it. But the 
 point of objection lies in this : It has now come to pass, 
 that whoever gains the position of Chaplain, obtains it by 
 caucasing and securing the votes of members in the same 
 
32 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENr. 
 
 manner as the Clerk or Doorkeeper obtain their elections. 
 It will not be soon forgotten that the last United States 
 Senate, in re-electing its Chaplain^ made a plain case of 
 settling the choice by political considerations only, as " the 
 published proceedings" of that body bear witness. 
 
 It will be seen that the object of this communication is 
 not to denounce Chaplains nor the usage of Congress in 
 employing them ; far from it ; but it is to propose a safe 
 remedy for the evil which Congress itself has created by 
 thro"vving open the chaplaincy in such a manner as to in- 
 vite competition. "Who will doubt that there is at this 
 moment less than a hundred candidates for this office, liv- 
 ing in different parts of this Union, some of whom are 
 making remote and feeble, and others direct and personal 
 efforts to pass this Session of Congress in Washington as 
 Chaplains ? 
 
 The remedy is this: Let Congress throw around this 
 sacred office, so to speak, a complete protection from all 
 political manoeuvrings and competitorship, by becoming 
 the only source of solicitation in this matter. Let Con- 
 gress, like a church or congregation, instead of being call- 
 ed upon, give the call. Let Congress invite the regular 
 pastors in Washington, commencing with the senior pastor 
 of the city, to sei*ve as Chaplain for one week, to preach on 
 the Sabbath and open the Session with prayer every morn- 
 ing, and attend to all the other duties, such ^s visiting th« 
 sick, burying the dead, &c., throughout that week ; then 
 let the next senior in order follow, and so on. Then, if it 
 were to occur that any long Session should hold more 
 weeks than there are settled ministers in the city of Wash- 
 ington, let the call be extended on the same rule to George- 
 town. In doing this Congress could never have a Session 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 33 
 
 which would require that a call should he extended out of 
 the District of Columhia ; and let the compensation re- 
 main as heretofore, only divided into weekly portions, to 
 he paid to the Chaplains as they serv^e. Nor could such 
 small compensation as each minister might receive hardly 
 be placed in more deserving hands ; for should the salaries 
 which the regular pastors of this city are now receiving be 
 aggregated, it would at once raise the inquiry, How do 
 these men live ? We will answer that question for some of 
 them in advance : they live on their own means ; while 
 they work like missionaries to build their church edifices 
 and raise their congregations. 
 
 As to the piety and talent which might be desired in a 
 Chaplain, it can hardly be out of place for a layman here 
 to state that Congress will run no greater risk in calling 
 Chaplains from the District of Columbia than it now does 
 in receiving them from the scrambling competitors who 
 come annually soliciting the office. 
 
 The churches of this city and District are favored with 
 useful pastors, who enjoy the confidence of the people 
 among whom they live, whose irreproachable and blameless 
 lives entitle them to the respect they receive ; some of 
 whom may justly be regarded as eminent for talents and 
 piety, and who would not be likely to lose the deep-toned 
 feeling of the truth they present to the people of their 
 charge by going to preach one sermon in the year at the 
 Capitol. 
 
 Following this plan, no more ministers would feel at lib- 
 erty to make interest with members of Congress to secure 
 for them the election of a Chaplain. No one would come 
 from a distance to seek in vain an office which Congress 
 no longer goes out of the limits of this district to fill. Be • 
 
84 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 sides, adopting tliis measure would be returning to the 
 usage, as established by the fathers. In closing the memo- 
 rable speech, from which we have already quoted, Frank- 
 lin said : " I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth 
 prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven and its bless- 
 ings on our deliberations be held in this assembly every 
 morning before we proceed to business, and that one or 
 more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in 
 that service." By following this plan the usage of em- 
 ploying men of different religious denominations would no 
 longer be violated, as it was in the scramble of the last 
 Congress, by electing two Chaplains of the same sect. 
 
 The appearance of the foregoing article on the morning 
 that Congress came together, it was hoped would produce 
 an influence on the elections which were soon to follow. In 
 the Senate, as we have already remarked, the Chaplain 
 was so soon elected, that there was no time for any nejv 
 thoughts on the subject, to be introduced by those who 
 might have desired to do so. In the House the long strug- 
 gle to elect a Speaker, kept off the election of a Chaplain 
 for so many weeks, it was hardly expected that when ac- 
 tion on this subject was approached, it would receive more 
 than ordinary attention. But such was not the case. The 
 very delay occasioned by the long struggle to elect a 
 Speaker, only the more disposed many members to think 
 favorably of the plan suggested in the Intelligencer ; for 
 that very delay gave ample opportunity, as will be seen 
 hereafter, for a fair trial not only of the foregoing plan of 
 alternate changes by the pastors of the city, but also af- 
 forded full opportunity to the numerous aspirants to the 
 office of a Chaplain, to worry down and bore their " friends" 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 35 
 
 to vote for tliem, to their hearts' content. The employ- 
 ment of the city pastors in alternate service through 
 the week days only, (for there was no preaching in the 
 Capitol until after the choice of a Speaker,) was intro- 
 duced as follows. Not many days subsequent to the con- 
 vening of Congress, Hon. Mr. Dowdell, of Alabama, made 
 some pertinent remarks on the appropriate usage of open- 
 ing the daily session by prayer, and as it now seemed pro- 
 bable that some time might elapse before the election of a 
 Chaplain would be reached, offered the following preamble 
 and resolution : 
 
 Whereas, The people of these United States, from their 
 earliest history to the present time, have been led by the hand 
 of a kind Providence, and are indebted for the countless 
 blessings of the past and present, and dependent for continued 
 prosperity in the future upon Almighty God ; and whereas, 
 the great vital and conservative element in our system is the 
 belief of our people in the pure doctrines and divine truths of 
 the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it eminently becomes the Repre- 
 sentatives of a people so highh'- favored to acknowledge in 
 the most public manner their reverence for God ; therefore, 
 
 1. Resolved, That the daily sessions of this body be opened 
 with prayer. 
 
 2. Resolved, That the Ministers of the Gospel in this city 
 are hereby requested to attend and alternately perform this 
 solemn duty. 
 
 The resolution being adopted, an invitation was ex- 
 tended to one of the pastors of the city, every morning 
 thereafter, who performed with edification and acceptance, 
 the service desired, until his services were superseded. 
 
 When the election of a Chaplain was reached (almost 
 three months after the convening of Congress,) in the regu- 
 lar order of business, it was entered upon with a great 
 deal of spirit. Several of the ablest members took part in 
 the debates, which grew out of the occasion. "We shall 
 make several extracts from their speeches : 
 
36 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Mr. MiLLsox — I rise to a question of order. We fall into 
 confusion whenever we attempt to depart from the regular or- 
 der of business. I desire to know what is the next business 
 in order. 
 
 The Speaker — The election of a Chaplain, under the order 
 of the House. 
 
 Mr. MiLLsoN — I call for the regular order of business. 
 
 CHAPLAIN TO THE HOUSE. 
 
 Mr. Jones, of Tennessee — When the House, some days ago, 
 determined to proceed to the election of a Chaplain, I put in 
 nomination the name of Elder Robert C. Leichman, of Prince 
 William County, Virginia. The nomination was made with- 
 out his knowledge, and of course without his consent. He is 
 one of those who believe that preference should be given to no 
 denomination of Christians 
 
 When Mr. Jones first placed this gentleman's name od 
 the list of candidates for election, he said : " He is a hard- 
 shell Baptist in religion, and a democrat in politics." 
 
 Mr. Stanton — Is this debate in order ? If a speech be 
 made in favor of one candidate, it can be made in favor or 
 against any other. 
 
 Mr. Jones — I am going to withdraw the nomination. 
 
 Mr. Stanton — Then I make no objection. 
 
 Mr. Jones — I merely wish to say, in justice to the gentle- 
 man to whom I have referred, that I put his name in nomina- 
 tion without his knowledge or consent. He is a member of 
 that branch of the Christian Church who are opposed to all 
 connection between State and Church. They are opposed to 
 the employment of Chaplains by this Government ; and he 
 would not, in my opinion, accept the office even if he were 
 unanimously elected. Therefore, I withdraw his name from 
 the nomination. 
 
 Mr. Flagler — I desire to ask if it would be in order to 
 move an indefinite postponement of this election ? 
 
 The Speaker — The Chair thinks it would. 
 
 Mr. Flagler — I make the motion for the reason that I pre- 
 fer the existing arrangement, by which the clergymen of this 
 city and Georgetown officiate alternately at the opening of our 
 sessions. Therefore, for the purpose of getting rid of this 
 subject, I make the motion. 
 
 Mr. Benson — I am requested by my colleague, (Mr. Knowl- 
 ton,) who is now absent, to state that he put in nomination 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 37 
 
 the name of Rev. Mr. Conway without that gentleman's 
 knowledge or consent, and desires me to withdraw it. 
 
 Mr. Jones — I suppose, sir, that, if this motion to postpone 
 indefinitely is agreed to, then the same order some time since 
 adopted, on the motion of the gentleman from Alabama, (Mr. 
 Dowdell,) will be in force. 
 
 The Speaker — It will. 
 
 Mr. Jones — Then it will be at the pleasure of the ministers 
 of the Gospel of the District to make an arrangement among 
 themselves to attend here as suits their convenience. I hope, 
 therefore, that this motion will be adopted, and the election 
 be indefinitely postponed. 
 
 Mr. Florence — Upon the motion to postpone I demand the 
 yeas and nays. 
 
 The yeas and nays were ordered. 
 
 Mr. Sandidge — Having paired ofi* with a gentleman from 
 Ohio, I shall not be at liberty to vote upon this question, but 
 I wish to say one word ^s to what I would like to see done 
 by this House in reference to this matter. I am perfectly 
 satisfied .with the present arrangement, and would like to see 
 this House go on under the rule already adopted. At the 
 opening of every session of Congress, the ministers, not only 
 of this city, but of the surrounding country, come here, either 
 in person, or through their agents, and log-roll to obtain the 
 position of Chaplain. I think it high time that this system 
 should be abolished. If it is an oflSce to be conferred, I think 
 it should be conferred alike upon all the ministers of this 
 city, and they should be invited to appear here and ofiiciate 
 alternately, according to arrangement among themselves, as 
 Chaplain of this House, and they should all be paid what is 
 now paid to one. I hope this matter will be postponed, and 
 that we shall go on under the existing arrangement. 
 
 Mr. Dowdell — Did I understand the Chair to decide that 
 the resolutions which were introduced by me and adopted, in 
 relation to this matter, previous to the organization of the 
 House, will be the standing order if this motion prevails ? 
 
 The Speaker — The Chair understands that the resolution 
 referred to is a subsisting order, and has been acted upon up 
 to this time. 
 
 Mr. Dowdell — I shall then vote for the pending motion to 
 postpone indefinitely. 
 
 In reply to Hon. Mr. McMullin, of Va., who desired to 
 know how these alternating weekly Chaplains were to be 
 paid, if paid at all — 
 
38 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Mr. Dowdell said : There is nothing suggested in the reso- 
 lution about compensation. As far as I am concerned, I left 
 that out intentionally ; in order that we might have prayers 
 without pay out of the Federal Treasury ; and until the preach- 
 ers ask for pay I suppose that question will not be before the 
 House. 
 
 I have myself conversed with some of the ministers in this 
 city on the subject, and I understand that the}' did not look for 
 or expect a salary. They were willing to comply with the re- 
 quest of this body, and open its sessions with prayer without 
 pay, at least out of the Federal Treasury. If contributions 
 were olfered voluntarily by members, well and good. They 
 doubtless would be thankfully received ; and surely " the la- 
 borer is worthy of his hire." By adopting this motion, Mr. 
 Speaker, and thereby continuing in operation the resolutions 
 which I introduced before the organization of the House, we 
 get all the benefits claimed for the chaplaincj^ — continue in 
 spirit the customs of our fathers, and avoid the objections urged 
 a ainst the system. Under these resolutions no money will be 
 taken out of the Treasury, and not the slightest discrimination 
 will be made between the different denominations of Christians 
 in our country. In rotation a representative of each branch of 
 the Christian Church will be called upon and invited to per- 
 form this dut}^, and I am persuaded they will cheerfully com- 
 ply. Our deliberations will thus be opened with prayer, as 
 they should be. and I imagine there will be found none to ob- 
 ject. Those who attend should be entitled to the privileges 
 of the floor, and will be. They can mingle with us, and I ap- 
 prehend we shall lose nothing, but gain much, by social inter- 
 course daily with humble, pure, and holy men. The gentleman 
 from Virginia [Mr. McMullin] will therefore understand that, 
 so far as I intended, my resolutions will take nothing out of 
 the Treasury. As the Chair has stated that they will be the 
 subsisting order of the House, if the pending motion to post- 
 pone prevails, I consider it unnecessary to oHer them again, as 
 I had contemplated doing a few days since. 
 
 Hon. Mr. Etlieridge, of Tennessee, who presented the 
 
 memorial, a portion of which may be seen on the 19th and 
 
 20th pages, said : 
 
 Mr. Speaker — As the House has indulged me, somewhat 
 out of order, in permitting the memorial to be read, which pre- 
 sents the views of that respectable portion of my constituents 
 who have signed it, it might, perhaps, be improper for me to 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 39 
 
 detain the House a moment longer with any remarks of mine. 
 However, I may say, that I will be satisfied if the proposition 
 of the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Dowdelll prevails, re- 
 questing the clergymen of this city to open the proceedings of 
 the House with prayer during the present session of Congress. 
 The object which we would accomplish by the election of 
 Chaplain will then have been attained. I shall, myself, vote 
 for the motion to postpone, because, by postponing this elec- 
 tion, and inviting the clergy of the city to attend every morn- 
 ing and open the session with prayer, if they think proper, you 
 will have respected the sentiment of that portion of the people 
 who think that our daily proceedings should begin with an ap- 
 peal to Almighty God — a labor of love which any Christian 
 minister would willingly perform — while, at the same time, you 
 will have removed the objections to creating the office of Chap- 
 Iain, and thereby making it a political ofiice, which my consti- 
 tuents have so strongly urged in their memorial. I will re- 
 mark again, that the petitioners are a part of a highly respecta- 
 ble denomination of Christians, and are earnest and sincere in 
 the objections which they urge with so much apparent force. 
 I would vote for no proposition which would cause us to dis- 
 pense entirely with the voluntary offices of a Christian minis- 
 ter ; but as we will have their voluntary prayers and ministra- 
 tions whenever required if this election be postponed, I hope 
 the motion to that effect will be agreed to. 
 
 For myself, I confess that I have witnessed electioneering 
 efforts connected with the chaplaincy of the House which I 
 think were not at all compatible with the ministerial character. 
 These scenes will be obviated if the office is abolished, and our 
 daily proceedings shall have been left to be opened by an ap- 
 peal to Heaven from such ministers as may do so without any 
 pecuniary incentive. 
 
 Other business taldng precedence, the chaplaincy was 
 laid aside until the jiext day. A majority not having 
 agreed to abide under the operation of Mr. Dowdell's reso- 
 lution, but to go into the election of Chaplain, the Clerk 
 read over the names of the nominees, which had been an- 
 nounced by the several members on a previous occasion. 
 After many of these names had been withdrawn by the 
 members who had presented them without authority, Mr. 
 Granger, of N. Y., said : 
 
40 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 1 would inquire if the name of Mr. Waldo was read as one 
 of the nominees ? 
 
 The Speaker — It was. 
 
 Mr. Granger — I wish to say that he is old, but every way 
 competent for the service. He has been for seventy years a 
 member of the Congregational Church, without spot or 
 blemish, and " still lives," able and willing to serve his coun- 
 try in his profession. 
 
 The Speaker then appointed as tellers Messrs. Ritchie, 
 Woodruff, Reade and English. 
 
 Mr. Letcher — Is it in order to move to postpone this mat- 
 ter indefinitely ? 
 
 The Speaker — It is not, as the House has already refused to 
 do so. 
 
 Mr. Letcher — Is it in order to move to postpone it for a 
 week ? 
 
 The Speaker — It is in order to move to postpone to a day 
 certain. 
 
 Mr. Letcher — Then I move to postpone it until the 4th of 
 March, 1857. 
 
 The Speaker — That is equivalent to an indefinite postpone- 
 ment. 
 
 Mr. Letcher — Well, then, until the 3d of March, 1857; and 
 I desire to say in this connection, that this whole affiiir seems 
 manifestly to be a farce, in the estimation of members. 
 
 Mr. II. Marshall — Upon the motion of the gentleman from 
 Virginia, I wish to submit this observation, that however farci- 
 cal this thing may appear to him, it seems to me to be a very 
 solemn sort of proceeding. I have no doubt, Mr. Speaker, that 
 we are now in the performance of a duty which good morals 
 and the sense of the country will sustain us in. I supposed, 
 after we had refused to postpone indefinitely, and the House 
 had refused to reconsider that vote, that we should have gone 
 on to an election ; but the motion now made by the gentle- 
 man from Virginia, to postpone to a day certain — which is the 
 day before the adjournment of this Ccfngress under the Con- 
 stitution — shows that we are to have a contest upon this sub- 
 ject, as long as the rules of order will permit the gentleman 
 to make a contest. Now, in order that we may accelerate and 
 expedite the business of the House, I move to lay the motion 
 to postpone to a day certain upon the table. 
 
 ;Mr. Letcher — Will the gentleman from Kentucky withdraw 
 that motion for a moment ? 
 
 Mr. Marshall — No, sir. 
 
 Mr. Letcher — I merely wish to say a word in reply. 
 
 Mr. Marshall — I can imagine what the gentleman will say. 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 41 
 
 Mr. Letcher — No, sir, you cannot imagine what I want to 
 
 say. 
 
 Mr. Marshall — Well, I cannot withdraw the motion. 
 
 Mr. Letcher — I wish to allude to facts showing the opera- 
 tion of the practice in Virginia, where no Chaplain is elected 
 at all ; but. in consideration of the gravity of my friend from 
 Kentucky, I will not press it. 
 
 Mr. Marshall — I will withdraw the motion. 
 
 Mr. Letcher — It has never been the custom of the Legisla- 
 ture of the State in which I reside to elect a Chaplain to open 
 its proceedings with prayer. It has been the custom of the 
 Legislature of that State, for a series of years, to invite the 
 ministers of the city of Richmond, to come in each morning 
 and open the sessions with prayer. That system has been 
 found to work well, and has given satisfaction. Now, sir, I 
 understand, so far as the ministers of the city of Washington 
 are concerned, that they do not desire to be elected to the 
 chaplaincy ; that they are perfectly willing to come here and 
 officiate, as the ministers of the State of Virginia do at Rich- 
 mond. I think if that course is pursued it will be much more 
 likely to give satisfaction to the members of this House, com- 
 posed as they are of ail shades of religious cast, and some hav- 
 ing no religion at all. [Laughter.] 
 
 Now, sir, I do not desire to see this thing confined to any 
 one, where it can be effected in this way, which seems to me 
 more acceptable, and which we have tried for a period of some 
 months to general satisfaction, and I am sure to the satisfac- 
 tion of my friend from Kentucky. We have had our sessions 
 opened here with prayer alternately by the ministers of the 
 various religious denominations of this city. Well, now, if 
 that system can be continued, why should we undertake to 
 place here a minister of any particular religious denomination 
 as the Chaplain of this House ? 
 
 Then, besides, Mr. Speaker, when I spoke of this thing as 
 being farcical, E alluded to the fact, that just preceding this 
 election there seemed to be none of that solemnity connected 
 with it which my friend from Kentucky has referred to. And 
 so far as the solemnity spoken of is concerned, I think my 
 friend, from the manner in which he addressed the House, 
 seemed to be about as much "put to" to conceal that it was 
 farcical, as I am to show that it is. 
 
 Mr. Smith, of Virginia— I do not rise for the purpose of 
 making any speech on this question, but I desire simply to 
 suggest to the members of the House, whether it would not be 
 good policy just to try the experiment of calling on the 
 preachers of this city to officiate alternately at that desk ? I 
 
42 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 ask tlie House, with confidence, whether the experiment, so 
 far as we have tried it, has not worl^d well ? And if it has, 
 why should there be any objection to try it during this ses- 
 sion ? If it be found by further experience that plan does not 
 answer the purpose designed, the House can at any moment, 
 whenever it is impressed with the conviction that it is neces- 
 sary to elect a Chaplain, proceed to do so ; there can be no 
 difficulty in carrying out that necessity. The proposition to 
 have ministers of the various religious denominations of this 
 city ofiiciate alternately, is evidently one entitled to favorable 
 consideration. That there should be an unbecoming solicita- 
 tion on the part of those who undertake to teach the law and 
 the prophets, for payment from this House, is, I think, calcu- 
 lated to have a most painful impression ; but I think that the 
 idea will be effectually repelled by the course proposed, of 
 applying to the clergymen of this city to officiate alternately. 
 But that is not all ; I think I can say, with absolute confi- 
 dence, that the ministers of this city will cheerfully perform 
 this duty, and that they will refuse to allow themselves to be 
 placed before this House at the closing scenes of the session 
 for allowance for their services. Such an insinuation is a gross 
 reflection upon those who undertake to teach us. 
 
 My colleague [Mr. Letcher] has adverted to the practice in 
 the State of Virginia. That practice has continued for years, 
 and I am happy to be able to say that not the first intimation 
 has ever been made of a desire on their part to receive the 
 slightest compensation for such services as they render. I 
 beg the House — whatever may have been the past experience 
 on this subject, whatever may be the particular views of mem- 
 bers in reference to taking chance to elect a friend to the 
 office of Chaplain — to consider whether it is not eminently 
 proper that we should continue the system for the rest of the 
 session, so as to test the utility and wisdom of the system 
 which we have acted on ever since we assembled here in the 
 month of December ? 
 
 Mr. MiLLsoN. It is perhaps fortunate that the American 
 people are not accustomed to judge of dangers to the Union 
 from the amount of excitement in the Halls of Congress. If 
 they were, sir, they might be led to suppose that all our insti- 
 tutions were now in imminent danger ; for I confess I have 
 seldom seen so much excitement on this floor as seems to have 
 been produced by the attempt to elect an humble Chaplain. 
 Sir, this usage of electing a Chaplain is coeval with our Gov- 
 ernment ; it was even anterior to our Constitution. It has 
 been adopted by every successive Congress from the earliest 
 to the present day ; and I will not take the responsibility of 
 being the first to depart from it. 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 43 
 
 My colleague [Mr. Letcher] has adverted to the usage of the 
 Virginia Legislature ; but why should we forget or disregard 
 our own usages ? The practice of our own body is a more pro- 
 per subject of consideration in determining what we ought to 
 do. Though 1 am sometimes charged, Mr. Speaker, — I beg 
 pardon for appearing egotistical, — with being, perhaps, the 
 strictest constructionist in Congress, yet, sir, I confess that it 
 never once occurred to my mind that the election of a Chaplain 
 was in any respect a violation of our sacred Constitution. How 
 far are these objections to be carried ? Gentlemen object to 
 what they call the Union of Church and State. Who, sir, 
 would more object to it than myself? But let them be con- 
 sistent in their objections. If it should please God to take 
 from the world one of the members of this body, I suppose 
 those gentlemen who are objecting to the appointment of a 
 Chaplain, on the ground that it is to that extent a union of 
 Church and State, will insist that the body of our deceased 
 brother should be interred without an}^ religious services, be- 
 cause it is not competent to connect the public Treasury with 
 the administration in any sort of religious offices. And, to be 
 still further consistent, they should at once introduce a resolu- 
 tion into this House, requiring the Librarian of Congress to 
 expose to public auction all books now in the library relating 
 in any degree to religion — the various editions of the Bible 
 among them — on the ground that it was an abuse of our au- 
 thority to expend the money of the people in the purchase of 
 books which were in any manner connected with religion. 
 Sir, I hope that this contest, after so many expressions of the 
 will of the majority of this House, will at length be stopped. 
 Have we no respect for the ancient usages of the country ? 
 Why question the need, why ask the necessity, of having a 
 Chaplain ? I think I can perceive an obvious propriety in it, 
 even if there were not a necessity. 
 
 If this matter has been made a farce, as gentlemen say, by 
 whom has it been made so ? There are some of us, I trust, 
 who are not disposed to connect farcical associations with the 
 administration of the duties of the chaplaincy. 
 
 Mr. Crawford, (interrupting.) I desire to ask the gentle- 
 man from Virginia, whether there is not a resolution now in 
 force in this House inviting the resident clergy of the city to 
 appear here daily and open our sessions with pi-aj'er ? And, 
 in obedience to that resolution, have not the clergy of the city 
 regularly appeared in this Hall and opened our sessions with 
 prayer during the present session ? 
 
 1 desire to say further, that I have uniformly voted against 
 all motions to elect a Chaplain, not intending thereby to com- 
 
44 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 mit myself in opposition to the practice of opening the sessions 
 of the House with prayer, but in opposition to the election of 
 a regular Chaplain to officiate for us, when our sessions would 
 otherwise be opened as they have thus far been. It is with 
 that view, with that feeling, that I have thus voted. Now, 
 sir, I am gratified to have the ministers of the Gospel appear 
 here every morning and make prayer. Under the resolution 
 of the gentleman from Alabama, sitting immediately before me, 
 [Mr. Dowdell,! the clergy of the city have appeared regularly 
 since the commencement of the session, and, as I understand, 
 will continue to appear and open our sessions if a regular Chap- 
 lain is not elected. I prefer this arrangement, and therefore 
 have voted against regular elections. I ask the gentleman 
 from Virginia, whether, if we do not go into a regular election, 
 we shall not continue to have praj'ers every morning as we 
 have had heretofore ? 
 
 It is not my purpose, in voting as I have done upon this 
 question, to be understood as being opposed to the long-es- 
 tabHshed custom of opening our deliberations each day with 
 prayer, but to manifest, in the most forcible manner, my utter 
 dislike to the system of electioneering which seems to prevail 
 in regard to the election of a Chaplain. I am in favor of the 
 system of alternating, provided for in the rule which was 
 adopted in the early part of the session, and which has proved 
 to work so well up to the present time. I see no reason to 
 change it ; for in that course we have each morning the Divine 
 blessing invoked, and at the same time avoid the objections 
 raised by so many good and worthy men, whose opinions I 
 respect. I felt that the remarks of the honorable gentleman 
 from Virginia [Mr. Millson] might make the impression that 
 those of us who had voted for the postponement were opposed 
 to the opening of each session of this House with prayer, and 
 thought it due to many gentlemen voting with me, as well as 
 to myself, to set this matter right. I thank my friend from 
 Virginia for the opportunity which he has so kindly given me 
 of being heard upon the subject. 
 
 Mr. Millson — The gentleman from Georgia can answer the 
 question as well as I can. He knows a resolution has been 
 adopted inviting the gratuitous services of ministers of the 
 Gospel here. But, sir, I am noticing the objections that have 
 been made to the system ; I am answering objections urged 
 by my colleague [Mr. Letcher] and others, in reference to the 
 merits of the system at large ; but I may say to the gentleman 
 from Georgia, [Mr. Crawford,] that some of the objections 
 that have been made will apply as well to the resolution that 
 has been adopted as to the election of a permanent Chaplain. 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 45 
 
 But, sir, I should defeat my own object, which is to bring 
 this matter to a speedy close, if I were to go into an extended 
 discussion of this question. I do not desire to do that ; I rose 
 merely to submit a very few observations. At the time the 
 gentleman from Georgia interrupted me I was making some 
 remarks in reply to my colleagues, [Messrs. Letcher and 
 Smith,] who wish to know why this farce should continue. I 
 have said that this was a usage that I would not be among the 
 first to abolish. I believe it is usage that has prevailed 
 throughout Christendom, and I will not consent to go now in- 
 to a discussion as to any necessity for it. I, sir, have a venera- 
 tion for ancient usages, when they are not wrong in them- 
 selves. 
 
 Mr. Letcher — I desire to inquire of my colleague whether 
 he says I stated that I was opposed to having our sessions 
 opened with prayer ? 
 
 Mr. MiLLsoN. — I did not say so. 
 
 Mr. Letcher. I so understood my colleague. I will state 
 exactly what my position is in this matter. We have had 
 prayers here, I believe, every morning since the commence- 
 ment of the session; and I should prefer to have them alternately 
 by ministers of different denominations, than to have them 
 every morning by a minister of any one denomination. Gen- 
 tlemen have these two propositions before them, between 
 which to choose : to have alternately the services of the clergy 
 of the city, of different denominations, or to have the services 
 of one man regularly elected as Chaplain. For myself, I pre- 
 fer the former. 
 
 Mr. MiLLsoN— I imputed no such wish to my colleague as 
 he has indicated. What I meant to say was, that the argu- 
 ment of my colleague, [Mr. Letcher,] and of my colleague on 
 my right, [Mr. Smith,] would apply as well to the gratuitous 
 services of clergymen, such as we have had under the resolu- 
 tion some time ago adopted by the House, as to a permanent 
 chaplaincy. 
 
 But, sir, I was saying, why should we discuss the necessity 
 of this thing ? It may be that the old shade tree which has 
 stood for centuries is not of great intrinsic value, but where is 
 the man that would say, " Cut it down ?" True, it may be of 
 questionable utility, but it is associated with all the recollec- 
 tions of the homestead, and who would give it over to the 
 woodman's axe ? It may be, that there was no original neces- 
 sity that the first annual message sent by the President to the 
 first Congress should contain an acknowledgment of our de- 
 pendence upon a Supreme Power, but the President where is 
 who would now depart from this custom ? 
 
46 
 
 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Mr. Smith, of Virginia, (interrupting.) — My colleague as- 
 cribed to me a disposition not to have prayers at the opening 
 of our daily sessions. Now, sir, every portion of my remarks 
 directly assumed that we were to have them ; but, sir, I pre- 
 fer to continue the voluntary system, rather than to adopt the 
 hireling system. 
 
 Mr. MiLLsoN — Well, sir, I do not care to be making experi- 
 ments always, and in all matters I think there are some things 
 so sacred by usage, and by the approbation of the whole peo- 
 ple, as to be entitled to exemption from these rash experi- 
 ments. 
 
 The gentleman wants the experiment tried as to the com- 
 parative eflScacy of mercenary prayers, as he may please to 
 consider them, and of gratuitous or voluntary offices. I know, 
 sir, it is fashionable to sneer at the clerical profession, because 
 of their willingness — because, if you please, of their desire — to 
 receive a decent or even comfortable provision ; and they 
 rarely do more than this. Why, Mr. Speaker, they are men ; 
 they have the wants of other men, and they must be compen- 
 sated for their services as other men are. If you wish them 
 to have leisure to devote themselves to the acquisition of 
 theological information, they must depend upon the contribu- 
 tions of others for their support ; and I think it were not in 
 good taste to sneer at them because of their willingness to re- 
 ceive a compensation which is often inadequate for the ser- 
 vices they are appointed to render. 
 
 Mr. Clingman — I do not rise to debate this question, but 
 for the purpose of terminating the debate upon it. I move the 
 previous question. 
 
 Mr. Florence — I move to lay the motion to postpone upon 
 the table. 
 
 The question was taken ; and the motion to postpone was 
 laid on the table. final vote. 
 
 The House then proceeded to vote viva voce a second time 
 for Chaplain, with the following result: Whole number of 
 votes cast, 127 ; necessary to a choice, 64 j of which 
 
 Kev. Daniel Waldo received, 70 
 
 Rev. William G. Baldwin, 25 
 
 Eev. D. T. Doggett, 12 
 
 Rev. William Moseley. 6 
 
 Rev. T. H. Stockton, ' 5 
 
 Rev. Byron Sunderland, 3 . 
 
 Rev. Robert D. Morris, 2 
 
 Rev. William Patten, 2 
 
 Rev. Miss Antoinette L. Brown, . . . . • 1 
 
 Hon. Joshua R. Giddings, 1 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 47 
 
 The following is the vete in detail : 
 
 For Mr. Waldo — Messrs. Henry Bennett, Benson, Billing- 
 hurst, Bliss, Burlingame, John P. Campbell, Lewis D. Camp- 
 bell, Clawson, Clingraan, Colfax, Cox, Cullen, Cumback, Dean, 
 Dick, Dickson, Dodd, Dunn, Flagler, Florence, Granger, Grow, 
 Robert B. Hal), J. jMorrison Harris, Harrison, Holloway, 
 Thomas R. Horton, Howard, Hughston, Kelsey, Kennett, 
 Knapp, Knox, Kunkel. Leiter. Mace, Alexander K. Marshall, 
 Humphrey Marshall, Morrill, Nichols, Norton, Andrew Oliver, 
 Parker, Pearcc, Pelton, Pennington, Perry, Porter, Purviance, 
 Reade, Ritchie, Robbins, Roberts, Robison. Sabin, Scott, Sher- 
 man, Stanton, Swope, Thurston, Trafton, Vail, Wade, Wal- 
 bridge, Waldron, Elihu B. Washburne, Israel Washbume, 
 Wells, Williams, and Woodruff. 
 
 For Mr. Baldwin — Messrs. Barksdale, Hendley S. Bennett, 
 Caskie, Craige, Crawford, Davidson, Elliott, English, Foster, 
 Greenwood, Jewett, Letcher, Lindley, McMullin, Smith Miller, 
 Orr, Phelps, Quitman, Richardson, Ruffin. William Smith, 
 Stewart, Watkins, Winslow, and Daniel B. Wright. 
 
 For Mr. Doggett — Messrs. Aiken, Allen, Boyce, DowdeU. 
 Ether! dge, Faulkner, Thomas L. Harris, Kelly, Milson, Morde- 
 cai Oliver, Puryear and Seward. 
 
 For Mr. Moseley — Messrs. Sampson W. Harris, Houston, 
 Lumpkin, Shorter, Taylor, and John V. Wright. 
 
 For Mr. Stockton — Messrs. Bingham, Brenton, Comins, and 
 Watson. 
 
 For Mr. Sunderland — Messrs. Williamson, R. W. Cobb, 
 Stranahan, and Wakeman. 
 
 For Mr. Morris — Messrs. Branch and Cadwalader. 
 
 For Mr. Patten — Messrs. Chaffee and Pike. 
 
 For Miss Brown — Mr. Spinner. 
 
 For Mr. Giddings — Mr. Brooks. 
 
 Pending the call of the roll, 
 
 Mr. Florence said: Mr. Speaker, I give up my personal 
 preference, and, that there may be an election, vote for Mr. 
 Waldo. 
 
 The Speaker then declared that Daniel Waldo, having re- 
 ceived a majority of the votes cast, was duly elected Chaplain 
 of the House for the first session of the Thirty-Fourth Con- 
 gress. 
 
 By tlie foregoing debate, it will be seen that most of 
 
 those who entered into the discussion, expressed themselves 
 
 strongly in favor of postponing indefinitely to elect another 
 
 Chaplain, but to proceed as they had done from the time 
 
48 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT 
 
 Mr. Dowdell's resolution was adopted, to employ the pas- 
 tors of the churches in Washington, to alternate weekly 
 in performing the various duties of a Chaplain. The only 
 difference between those who agreed on this point related 
 to compensation. The opinions of some inclined to the 
 plan suggested in the " National Intelligencer^^ that the 
 same compensation be allowed to one Chaplain, namely, 
 $750 a session, should be divided into weekly apportion- 
 ments, and given to the clergyman who serves* through 
 the week ; while others, in order to silence the objections of 
 those who are opposed to the employment of Chaplains on 
 account of the " pay" they receive from the U. S. Treasury, 
 are disposed to give these weekly Chaplains no compensa- 
 tion except such as the members might be disposed to make 
 by voluntary contribution. Although our opinion of the 
 liberality of members of Congress in this behalf, would not 
 lead us to doubt that the officiating ministers might receive 
 as much compensation from voluntary contributions, as if 
 they were to only receive their dividend of the $750, yet we 
 cannot feel the force of any moral benefit which will arise 
 from withholding the amount assigned to Chaplains in 
 Congress, out of regard to the prejudices of those who make 
 objections to the money coming from the public treasury, 
 while all the Chaplains in the Army and Navy continue to 
 
 * The duties of a Chaplain mainly consists in preaching on Sabbath morn- 
 ing in the Capitol — opening the daily sessions of Congress by prayer — visiting 
 the members detained from their seats by sickness— to attend on the funeral 
 solemnities in the event of a death among the members, and such other inci- 
 dental visiting as might grow out of daily intercourse with sixty-two Sena- 
 tors and attendants, two hundred and forty-three members of the House, 
 besides six delegates from the territories, clerk, door-keeper, post-masters 
 of the House and Senate, and a large number of employees, all of whom 
 are equal to a good-sized parish. 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 49 
 
 receive their pay from the same source. It would be vir- 
 tually acknowledging the principle to be wrong on which 
 we continue to practice, except in the solitary instance of 
 not paying the Chaplains to Congress. It will do very lit- 
 tle towards satisfying those who are annually memorializ- 
 ing Congress against listening to " paid for prayers." It 
 would be more consistent to cease compensating all Chap- 
 lains in the government service, or none. 
 
 But it will be seen that Hon. Mr. Millson^ in a grave 
 and dignified manner, contended for no deviation from the 
 usages of the fathers; and besides the argument on his 
 reverence for the antiquity of the institution, he inquires : 
 " Have we no respect for the ancient usage of the coun- 
 try ?" He further remarks ; " It may be that the old 
 shade-tree, which has stood for centuries, is not of great 
 intrinsic value ; but where is the man who would say, ' Cut 
 it down ?' True, it may be of questionable utility, but it 
 is associated with all the recollections of the homestead, 
 and who will give it over to the woodman's axe ?" Now, 
 although this eloquent reasoning carried the question 
 against all objections, and elected a Chaplain, yet there 
 were many of the members who disagreed with Mr. 
 Millson ; but they voted for Rev. Mr. Waldo more to get 
 rid of a longer debate, than from a conviction of its pro- 
 priety. Things are not now as they were when our 
 fathers established the usage of inviting " one or more of 
 the clergy of this city'''' to implore the assistance of Heaven 
 on the deliberations of Congress. Like many other things, 
 the sacred office of the Chaplain to Congress requires a 
 protection thrown around it adapted to the " times ;" which, 
 a grave senator said, " are sadly out of joint." Congress 
 should no longer leave the office of Chaplain open to com- 
 
60 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 petition — to " log-rolling," " wire-pulling," to tlie " elec- 
 tioneering" of whicli members of Congress complain that 
 they are both tired and disgusted. Let Mr. Millson and 
 others entertaining his views, see how the present course 
 of things has run down the office of Chaplains, especially 
 to Congress. It has gone forth to the country that, under 
 the present order of things, men of sterling eloquence and 
 eminent piety, having that order of talents which com- 
 mands respect, such as has in times past graced that long 
 list of divines, [whose names are placed at the end of 
 this book,] will never again be elected Chaplains to Con- 
 gress. The men best adapted to fill the office will not be 
 found managing and scrambling for it. Instead of seek- 
 ing the office, they are the very men who will be found at 
 their post in their appropriate calling, until the office seeks 
 them. They are the men whose conscious merit and be- 
 coming modesty will not suffer them to enter the ring 
 against such odds as they might chance to find striving for 
 the place. Then who are the men who will be most likely 
 to find these sacred places in such high veneration as not 
 to allow of any change, even though they may be of " ques- 
 tionable utility ?" To answer this question we need refer 
 no further back than the last session of Congress. If 
 criticism on the last Chaplain elected, could furnish sup- 
 port to our position, we are most fortunately situated ; for 
 we could hardly persuade ourselves into the delicate task 
 of attempting to illustrate the incompetency of any Chap- 
 lain to fill an office to which he had been duly elected by 
 either branch of the National Legislature. But when a 
 man has reached the ninety-fourth year of his age, it 
 would not be regarded as a very unjust opinion, were we 
 to assume that his day for preparing original discourses, to 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE aENERAL GOVERNMENT. 51 
 
 be delivered with tlie clear and distinct enunciation, which 
 is necessary to convey what he would utter to the hearing 
 of an audience seated in different parts of the great hall of 
 the Capitol, had gone by. It was not with any expecta- 
 tion that Mr. Waldo would deliver original discourses, 
 which he would prepare for the occasion, that he was 
 elected. 
 
 The election of Chaplain to the House, coming directly 
 upon the heel of the long, tedious struggle to elect a 
 Speaker, and the spirited manner in which so many mem- 
 bers entered into the discussion, seemed likely to occupy sev- 
 eral days more, unless cut short by a compromise. After sev- 
 eral names, (which had been presented through ridicule) 
 had been withdrawn, there seemed to be a general dispo- 
 sition to end the contest by uniting on one of the remain- 
 ing nominees. Mr. Granger, from N. Y., in whose district 
 Mr. Waldo lived, said : " I hope, sir, the House will take 
 this occasion to show its grateful respect for this venerable 
 and goodly relic of the times that tried men's souls." 
 Although Mr. Granger is regarded as a thorough-going 
 abolitionist, and therefore not very palatable to southern 
 members ; yet, said a leading member from a slave state, 
 who had himself brought forward a candidate, " I'll give 
 my vote for the old soldier." Nothing is more certain 
 than that Mr. Waldo's great age, together with his having 
 been a soldier of the Revolution, and, perhaps, the only 
 living person of the Jersey prison-ship memory, and not 
 because he was a clergyman merely^ decided the elec- 
 tion in his favor. There is no question that many votes 
 were given for him with no more expectation of his being 
 able to perform the active duties of a Chaplain, than 
 Preston S. Brooks, of South Carolina, had in voting each 
 
52 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 time for Joshita R. Giddings, or thaii Hon. Mr. Spinner, 
 in voting for Rev. Miss Antoinette Brown. As a proof 
 that it has not been our object, in introducing these re- 
 marks, to convey a thought which might be regarded as a 
 disparagement to Rev. Mr. Waldo, it will afford us plea- 
 sure to introduce here the notice we made of him, which 
 appeared in the "National Intelligencer," on Tuesday 
 morning, after the first Sabbath he officiated in the Capi- 
 tol :— 
 
 Religious Services in the U. S. Capitol. — Rev. Daniel Waldo, 
 the recently -elected Chaplain to Congress, who officiated on 
 Sabbath morning, is a Congregationalist minister, from the 
 town of Geddis, near Syracuse, in the district represented 
 by the Hon. Mr. Granger, who introduced his name into the 
 list of nominees for Chaplain to the House of Representa- 
 tives. In an interview with this venerable man, we learned 
 that he was a native of the State of Connecticut, and is now 
 in the 94th year of his age ; that he was a soldier in the war 
 of the Revolution, for which service he now receives a pen- 
 sion ; that he was personally acquainted with General Wash- 
 ington ; that he was taken prisoner at York Island, and was 
 confined with several hundred others in the fatal Sugar-house 
 prison, in New York, because the Jersey prison-ship was too 
 full to hold them, and, after suffering the cruelties which car- 
 ried so many out of existence, he barely escaped with his life ; 
 that after the war he entered Yale College, and is now the 
 oldest graduate of that venerated institution ; that he has now 
 been in the ministry more than seventy years. He has the 
 appearance and bearing of a gentleman of about seventy-five 
 years of age. and speaks so as to be generally understood by 
 an attentive listener. This is accounted for by the fact that 
 he has never been sick. He now usually reads six hours or 
 more each day. and, as he said, without feeling his eyes to tire. 
 We are not surprised to learn that the Rev. Dr. Sprague, of 
 Albany, is preparing for the press a history of his life ; nor 
 are we surprised that such a man should deliver so able a dis- 
 course on Sabbath morning, and which no man can thought- 
 fully read without being profited. His text was from the 
 epistle of James, i, 19 : " Wherefore, my brethren, let every 
 man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." 
 
 But our object is to show what cannot be successfully 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 63 
 
 refuted, that the manner in which Chaplains now reach 
 their election, has run the office into disrepute, and to 
 weaken the hope that these chaplaincies will again be fill- 
 ed with strong men,— men who will strike down deep into 
 the veneration and respect, and the affections, might we 
 not say, of those who make up the two Houses of Con- 
 gress. If further proof is wanted of this fact, look at the 
 little interest taken by the U. S. Senate in the election of 
 their Chaplain. Rev. H. C. Dean, of Iowa, elected Chap- 
 lain to the last Session of the U. S. Senate, was a local 
 Methodist preacher, known more for the hard blows he had 
 dealt against a new political party, than for any standing 
 he maintained as a responsible clergyman. Having the 
 pastoral care of no church, he could travel through the 
 country at his pleasure, and engage in such enterprise as 
 should interest him most. He had the good sense, on 
 reaching Washington, to acknowledge that he had got be- 
 yond his depth. Finding himself deficient in those acquire- 
 ments which are necessary to secure a respectful hearing 
 at the Capitol, we heard him say, that, living on the prai- 
 ries of the West, had done little to prepare him for 
 being a Chaplain at Washington. Being unable to ob- 
 tain only a small hearing on the Sabbath, he preached but 
 few times in the Capitol dming the long Session to which 
 he was appointed a Chaplain. The preceding remarks are 
 not designed to signify aught against Mr. Dean's character 
 as a Christian. They are only intended as an indorsement 
 of his own expressed opinion — in confirmation of the be- 
 lief that the U. S. Senate, as a body, has become strangely 
 indifferent, apparently, as to who shall fill the sacred office 
 of Chaplain — or in what manner the important duties of 
 that office are performed. Father Waldoj though greatly 
 
64 CHAPLAINS OP THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT 
 
 respected and beloved as a Christian patriarch in whom 
 most persons felt a deep interest, as an extraordinary man 
 for his age, yet very few went more than once to hear him, 
 as a preacher ; so that altogether, we hazard very little in 
 asserting, that fewer people attended public worship at the 
 Capitol through the almost nine months Session of Con- 
 gress, than has ever been known to attend in the same 
 length of time. 
 
 While we would then most earnestly hope that the hu- 
 manizing and Christianizing influence of Chaplains might 
 not be withheld from the Army and the Navy of a Chris- 
 tian nation, and that the services of a Chaplain may not 
 be withdrawn from the important, yea, momentous delibera- 
 tions of Congress; yet, we would beseech the members of 
 Congress to duly consider the deteriorating tendency of 
 the present course of proceedings, and to make further in- 
 quiries as to the propriety of adopting such a change as 
 shall cure the evil complained of — as shall secure more dig- 
 nity and greater efficiency, and therefore respect for the 
 religious teachers, and the religious teaching in all the de- 
 partments of our government where its ^importance is re- 
 cognized. While we forbear to present our own convic- 
 tions of the importance of a continued sense of our depend- 
 ence, as a nation, on the Divine favor, we will close this 
 part of our work with the thoughts of those whose names 
 will entitle their remarks to a consideration which will, we 
 trust, secure an attentive perusal. Said Washington, in 
 his " Farewell Address" — " Of all the dispositions and 
 habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and mo- 
 rality are indispensable supports. # * * * 
 Where is the security for reputation, for life, if the sense 
 of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the in- 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 55 
 
 struments of investigation in our courts of justice ? * * 
 And let us with caution indulge the supposition that 
 morality can he maintained without religion. Reason 
 and experience hotli forbid us to expect that national mor- 
 ality can prevail, exclusive of religious principle." 
 
 The last address which the Hon. Daniel Webster deliv- 
 ered, not of a political character he closed with the fol- 
 lowing paragraph : 
 
 " And let me say, gentlemen, that if we and our posterity 
 shall be true to the Christian religion ; if we and they shall 
 live alwaj^s in the fear of God, and shall respect his command- 
 ments ; if we and they shall maintain just moral sentiments, 
 and such conscientious convictions of duty as shall control 
 the heart and life, we may have the highest hopes of the fu- 
 ture fortunes of our country ; and if we maintain those insti- 
 tutions of government and that political union exceeding all 
 praise as much as it exceeds all former examples of political 
 associations, we may be sure of one thing — that while our 
 country furnishes materials for a thousand masters of the his- 
 toric art, it will be no topic for a Gibbon, it will have no de- 
 cline and fall. It will go on prospering and to prosper. But 
 if we and our posterity reject religious instruction and au- 
 thority, violate the rules of eternal justice, trifle with the i:a- 
 junctions of morality, and recklessly destroy the political 
 constitution which holds us together, no man can tell how 
 sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us that shall hury all 
 our glory in profound obscurity." — Address before the New 
 York Historical Society. 
 
66 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 MK. DUCHE'S PKAYER. 
 
 An article in the National Intelligencer, which contained 
 an allusion to the employment of a Chaplain to the first 
 Congress of the Colonies, as described on pages 9 and 10, 
 induced a friend, unknown to us, the next day, to send to 
 the Editors of that paper the following extract. We 
 insert it in this place as another illustration of that 
 religious trust — that sense of dependence on the Al- 
 mighty which these fathers of our country were ever 
 ready to manifest and maintain. See also the remarks of 
 Franklin, on the 11th page : 
 
 Extract of Letter from John Adams to Mrs. Adams, dated 
 Philadelphia, September 16, 1774. 
 
 " When the Congress first met, Mr. Gushing made a motion 
 that it should be opened with prayer. It was opposed by Mr. 
 Jay, of New York, and Mr. Rutledge, of South Carolina, be- 
 cause we were so divided in religious sentiments — some 
 Quakers, some Anabaptists, some Presbyterians, and some 
 Congregationalists — that we could not join in the same act of 
 worship. Mr. Samuel Adams arose and said : ' He was no 
 bigot, and could hear a prayer from a gentleman of piety and 
 virtue, who was at the same time a friend to his country. He 
 was a stranger in Philadelphia, but had heard that Mr. Duche 
 (Dushay they pronounce it) deserved that character; and 
 therefore he moved that Mr. Duche, an Episcopal clergyman, 
 might be desired to read prayers to the Congress to morrow 
 morning.' The motion was seconded and passed in the aflBr- 
 mative. Mr. Randolph, our president, waited on Mr. Duch6, 
 and received for answer that, if his health would permit, he 
 certainly would. Accordingly, next morning he appeared with 
 his clerk and in his pontifical, and read several prayers in the 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 57 
 
 established form, and then read the collect for the seventh day 
 of September, which was the thirty-fifth Psalm. You must 
 remember this was the next morning after we heard the hor- 
 rible rumor of the cannonade of Boston. I never saw greater 
 effect upon an audience. It seemed as if Heaven had ordained 
 that Psalm to be read on that morning. 
 
 " After this Mr. Duche, very unexpected to everybody, 
 struck out into an extemporary prayer, which filled the bosom 
 of every man present. I must confess I never heard a better 
 prayer, or one so well pronounced. Episcopalian as he is, Dr. 
 Cooper never prayed with such fervor, such ardor, such ear- 
 nestness and pathos, and in language so elegant and sublime, 
 for America, for Congress, for the Province of Massachusetts 
 Bay, and especially the town of Boston. It has had an excel- 
 lent effect upon everybody here. I must beg you to read that 
 Psalm." 
 
58 dfiAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 OPINIONS OF THE CLERGY AS EXPRESSED IN 
 CONGRESS. 
 
 Note to Page 5. 
 Passing by what was said in support of the clergy, in the Senate, by Mr. 
 Everett, Mr. Seward, Mr. Sumner, and others we will here introduce a 
 few short extracts from the opposition. 
 
 Senator Butleb. — " When the clergy quit the province which is assign- 
 ed to them, in which they can dispense the Gospel — that Gospel which is 
 represented as the lamb, not as the tiger or the lion — when they would con- 
 vert the lamb into the lion, going about in the form of agitators, seeking 
 whom they may devour, instead of the meek and lowly representatives of 
 Christ, they divest themselves of all respect which I can give them. Sir, the 
 ministers of the Gospel are the representatives of the lowly and poor lamb 
 — of Christ ; but when the men who have signed that paper — I do not know 
 with what ends ; I do not say a word against them as individuals, for I have 
 no doubt they are good and respectable, and many of them Christians — as- 
 sume to organize themselves as clergymen to come before the country and 
 protest against the deliberations of the Senate of the United States, they de- 
 serve, at least, the grave censure of the body." 
 
 Senator Douglas.—" It is evident, sir, that these men know not what they 
 are talking about. It is evident that they ought to be rebuked, and requir- 
 ed to confine themselves to their vocation, instead of neglecting their flocks, 
 and bringing our holy religion into disrepute by violating its sacred princi- 
 ples, and disregarding the obligations of truth and honor, by presenting here 
 a document which is so offensive that no gentleman can indorse it without 
 violating all the rules of courtesy, of propriety, and of honor." 
 
 Senator Mason. — " Their mission upon earth is unknown to the Govern- 
 ment. Of all others, they are the most encroaching, and, as a body, arro- 
 gant class of men. What do these ministers say 1 Do they, as citizens, 
 enter into a statement of the facts of which they complain 7 Do they recite 
 what will be the political eflFects of the measure of which they complain 1 
 No ; they inform us that they come here, through their petition, in the pre- 
 sence of the Almighty, and invoke His vengeance upon the Senate of the 
 United States as about to commit, in their judgment, a great moral wrong." 
 
 Hon. Mr. Macdonald, of Maine, said : " In this connection I will simply 
 remark, in justice to the North, that I have been surprised at the spirit of 
 the denunciations which comes from the northern pulpit. These harangues 
 are so violent, abusive, denunciatory, and so gross a violation of common 
 decency, that I do not fear the effect they will have upon the patriotism of 
 the country. I do look with alarm, however, to the effect they will have 
 upon the morals of the North. While these denunciations will not abate the 
 patriotic feeling of the people, they will, I fear, corrunt the minds of our 
 youth." 
 
 Hon. Mr. Hibbaed, of N. H., said : " Some three thousand clergymen 
 have come from the Senate Chamber by memorial, protesting, as they 
 allege, ' in the name of Almighty God, and in his presence,' against this 
 measure, as a ' breach of faith,' a ' great moral wrong,' and denouncing 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 59 
 
 ' the judgments of the Almighty' upon its supporters !" * * * '•' They say 
 they have a legal right thus to mingle in political affairs. So they have ; 
 thanks to the liberality and toleration of the Constitution and laws, it is their 
 daily business to blacken and denounce. There is no doubt of their right, 
 Mr. Chairman, and equally clear is the right of others to condemn their 
 conduct, rebuke their presumption, and laugh at their folly." 
 
 In contrast with the foregoing extracts, we will here insert Hon. Daniel 
 Webster's opinion of the clergymen of these United States, as expressed in 
 his argument on the Girard Will, in the Supreme Court in 1844. 
 
 "Sir, I take it upon myself to say, that in no country in the world, upon 
 either continent, can there be found a body of ministers of the Gospel who 
 perform so much service to man, in such a full spirit of self-denial, under 
 60 little encouragement from Government of any kind, and under circum- 
 stances, always much straitened and often distressed, as the ministers of the 
 Gospel in the United States of all denominations. 
 
 "They form no part of any established order of religion ; they constitute 
 no hierarchy ; they enjoy no peculiar privileges — in some of the States they 
 are even shut out from all participation in the political rights and privileges 
 enjoyed by their fellow citizens : they enjoy no tithes — no public provision 
 of any kind. And except here and there, in largo cities, where a wealthy 
 individual occasionally makes a donation for the support of public worship, 
 what have they to depend upon 1 They have to depend entirely on the • 
 voluntary contributions of those who hear them. 
 
 " And this body of clergymen has shown, to the honor of their own coun- 
 try, and to the astonishment of the hierarchies of the old world, that it is 
 practicable in free Governments to raise and sustain a body of clergymen — 
 which for devotedness to their sacred calling, for purity of life and character, 
 for learning, intelligence, piety, and that wisdom which cometh from above, 
 is inferior to none, and superior to most others, by voluntary contributions 
 alone. 
 
 " I hope that our learned men have done something for the honor of our 
 literature abroad. I hope that the courts of justice and members of the b«v 
 of this country have done something to elevate the character cf the profession 
 of the law — I hope that the discussions above (in Congres.^) have done some- 
 thing to meliorate the condition of the human race, to .secure and extead the 
 great charter of human rights, and to strengthen and advance the great 
 principles of human liberty. But I contend that no literary efforts, no ad- 
 judications, no constitutnioal discussions, nothing that has been done or 
 said in favor of the great interests of universal man, has done this country 
 more credit at home and abroad, than the establishment of our body of 
 clergymen, their support by voluntary contributions, and the general excel- 
 lence of their character, their piety, and learning." 
 
60 
 
 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 CHAPLAINS TO CONaKESS. 
 
 Statement showing the names of persons who have served as 
 Chaplains to the U. S. Senate from the organization of the 
 Government to the present time ; — also, as far as ascertain- 
 ed, the Church to which they severally belonged. 
 
 The initials opponitc the name signify jB., for Baptist, C.for Congrega- 
 tionalist, E.for Episcopalian, M.for Methodist^ P. for Presbyterian, R. 
 C.for Roman Catholic. 
 
 NA'JES. 
 
 CHURCH. 
 
 From 
 
 To 
 
 K«v. Dr. Provost, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1789 
 
 1790 
 
 Right Rev. Bishop White, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1790 
 
 1800 
 
 Right Rev. Bishop Clagett, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1800 
 
 1801 
 
 Rev. Dr. E. Gantt, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1801 
 
 1804 
 
 Rev. A. T. McCormick, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1804 
 
 1805 
 
 Rev. Dr. Gantt, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1805 
 
 1806 
 
 Rev, John J. Sayrs, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1806 
 
 1807 
 
 Rev. Dr. Gantt, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1807 
 
 Declinet 
 
 Rev. A. T. McCormick, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1807 
 
 1808 
 
 Rev. M. Elliott, 
 
 — « 
 
 - 1808 
 
 1809 
 
 Rev. M. Wilmer, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1809 
 
 
 Rev.O.B. Brown, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1809 
 
 1810 
 
 Rev. Mr. Addison, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1810 
 
 1811 
 
 Rev. J. Breckenridge, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1811 
 
 1814 
 
 Rev. Jesse Lee, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1814 
 
 1815 
 
 Rev. J. Glendi, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1815 
 
 1816 
 
 Rev. J. Glendi, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1816 
 
 Decline 
 
 Rev. S. E. Dwight, 
 
 C. 
 
 - 1816 
 
 1817 
 
 Rev. Wm. Hawley, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1817 
 
 1818 
 
 Rev. John Clark, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1818 
 
 1819 
 
 Rev. B. Allison, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1819 
 
 1820 
 
 Rev. Wm. Ryland, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1820 
 
 1821 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 61 
 
 NAMES. 
 
 CHUKCH. 
 
 From 
 
 To 
 
 Bev. C. P. Mcllvainej 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1821 
 
 1823 
 
 Rev. W. Staughton, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1823 
 
 1824 
 
 Rev. C. P. Mcllvaine, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1824 
 
 1825 
 
 Rev. W. Staughton, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1825 
 
 1826 
 
 Rev. W. Ryland, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1826 
 
 1829 
 
 Rev. H. B. Johns, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1829 
 
 1831 
 
 Rev. J. P.Durbui, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1831 
 
 1832 
 
 Rev. C. C. Pise, 
 
 R.O. 
 
 - 1832 
 
 1833 
 
 Rev. T, W. Hatch, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1833 
 
 1835 
 
 Rev. E. Y. Higby, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1835 
 
 1837 
 
 Rev. Henry Slicer, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1837 
 
 1839 
 
 Rev. G. G. Cookman, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1839 
 
 1841 
 
 Rev. Dr. L. Tustin, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1841 
 
 1846 
 
 Rev. Henry Slicer, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1846 
 
 1849 
 
 Rev. Dr. C. M. Butler, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1849 
 
 1853 
 
 Rev. Henry Slicer, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1853 
 
 1855 
 
 Rev. Henry C. Dean, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1855 
 
 1856 
 
62 
 
 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT 
 
 CHAPLAINS TO THE HO. REP. 
 
 Statement showing the names of persons who have served as 
 
 Chaplains to the U. S. House of Representatives from 1789 ; 
 
 also, as far as ascertained, the religious sect to which they 
 
 belonged. 
 
 The initials opposite the name signify, B.for Baptist, Cfor Congrega- 
 tionalist, E. for Episcopalian, M. for Methodist, P.for Presbyterian, U. 
 for Unitarian. 
 
 NAMES. 
 
 CHTmCH. 
 
 From 
 
 To 
 
 Rev, Dr. Linn, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1789 
 
 1790 
 
 Rev. Mr. Blair, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1790 
 
 1792 
 
 Rev. Dr. A. Green, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1792 
 
 1800 
 
 Rev. Thomas Lyell, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1800 
 
 1801 
 
 Rev. W. Parkinson, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1801 
 
 1804 
 
 Rev. W. Bentley, 
 
 C. 
 
 - 1804 
 
 Declined. 
 
 Rev. W. Parkinson, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1804 
 
 Declined. 
 
 Rev. James Laurie, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1804 
 
 1806 
 
 Rev. J. Glendi, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1806 
 
 Declined. 
 
 Rev. Mr. Elliott 
 
 _ 
 
 - 1806 
 
 1807 
 
 Rev. 0. B. Brown, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1807 
 
 1809 
 
 Rev. Jesse Lee, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1809 
 
 1811 
 
 Rev. N. Sneathen, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1811 
 
 1812 
 
 Rev. Jesse Lee, 
 
 M., 
 
 - 1812 
 
 1814 
 
 Rev. 0. B. Brown, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1814 
 
 1015 
 
 Rev. S. H. Cone, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1815 
 
 1816 
 
 Rev. B. Allison, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1816 
 
 1820 
 
 Rev. J. N. Camptell, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1820 
 
 1821 
 
 Rev. Jared Sparks, 
 
 U. 
 
 - 1821 
 
 1822 
 
 Rev. J. Breckenridge, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1822 
 
 1823 
 
 Rev. H. B. Bascom, 
 
 M, 
 
 - 1823 
 
 1824 
 
 Rev. Reuben Post, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1824 
 
 1830 
 
 Rev. R. R. Gurley, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1830 
 
 1831 
 
 Rev. Reuben Post, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1831 
 
 1832 
 
 Rev. W. Hammett, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1832 
 
 1333 
 
 Rev. T. H. Stockton, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1833 
 
 1834 
 
 Rev. E. D. Smith, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1834 
 
 1835 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 63 
 
 NAMES. 
 
 CHURCH. 
 
 From 
 
 To 
 
 Key. T. H. Stockton, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1835 
 
 1836 
 
 Rev. 0. C. Comstock, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1836 
 
 1837 
 
 Rey. L. Tustin, 
 
 p. 
 
 - 1837 
 
 1838 
 
 Rev. L. R. Reese, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1838 
 
 1839 
 
 Rev. Joshua Bates, 
 
 C. 
 
 - 1839 
 
 1840 
 
 Rev. T. W. Braxton, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1840 
 
 1841 
 
 Rev. J. W. French, 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1841 
 
 
 Rev. J. N. Maffitt, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1841 
 
 1842 
 
 Rev. J. S. Tiffany , 
 
 E. 
 
 - 1842 
 
 1843 
 
 Rev. J. S. Linsley, 
 
 B. 
 
 - 1843 
 
 1844 
 
 Rev. W. M. Daily, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1844 
 
 1845 
 
 Rev. W. H. Milburn, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1845 
 
 1846 
 
 Rev. W. S. S. Sprole, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1846 
 
 1847 
 
 Rev. R. R. Gurley, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1847 
 
 1851 
 
 Rev. L. F. Morgan, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1851 
 
 1852 
 
 Rev. James Galligher, 
 
 P. 
 
 - 1852 
 
 1853 
 
 Rev. W. H. Milburn, 
 
 M. 
 
 - 1853 
 
 1855 
 
 Rev. Daniel Waldo, 
 
 C. 
 
 - 1855 
 
 1856 
 
64 CHAPLAINS OF THE 6ENERAL GOYERNMENT. 
 
 CHAPLAINS TO THE ARMY. 
 
 It will be seen that the following list of Chaplains does 
 not extend further back than the War of 1812-15. In 
 order to obtain all the information which could be derived 
 from the records at the War Department in Washington, 
 a note of inquiry was addressed to the Secretary, in an- 
 swer to which we received the following reply : 
 
 Adjutant-General's Office, 
 
 Washington, March 26, 1856. 
 
 Sir: — Your letter of the 18th instant to the Secretary of War, has been 
 referred to this ofl5ce, and in compliance with your request, I transmit here- 
 with a statement giving the information desired respecting the persons who 
 have served as Chaplains in the Army of the United States, so far as the 
 same can be gathered from the records of the Department. 
 
 I am, sir, very respectfully. 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 S. COOPER, 
 
 Adjutant' General. 
 
 To L. D. Johnson, Esq., 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GHXKRAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 65 
 
 CHAPLAINS TO THE ARMY. 
 
 Statement showing the names of persons who have served as 
 Chaplains in the Army of the United States from April 
 2, 1813, and their term of service ; and, as far as ascertain- 
 ed, the Church to which they belonged. 
 
 Initials opposite the names signify B. ^vr Baptist, C. for Congregation- 
 alist, E.for Episcopalian, M.for Methodist, P. for Presbyterian, R. G.for 
 Roman Catholic. 
 
 NAMES. CHURCH. 
 
 Bate of 
 Appointment. 
 
 Remarks. 
 
 David Jones, 
 
 B. 
 
 1813 
 
 Discnarged June 1, 1815. 
 
 Peter J. Van Pelt, 
 
 , D. 
 
 1813 
 
 Dutch Reformed Church. 
 
 James G. Wilmer, 
 
 E. 
 
 1813 
 
 Died AprU 14, 1814. 
 
 Joseph L. Hughes 
 
 J 
 
 1813 
 
 Resigned Aug. 5, 1813. 
 
 Kobert Elliott, 
 
 
 1813 
 
 Disbanded April 14, 1818, 
 
 Aaron J. Booge, 
 
 
 1813 
 
 (C (( u 
 
 Stephen Lindsley, 
 
 
 1813 
 
 June 1, 1815. 
 
 Adam Empie, 
 
 E. 
 
 1813 
 
 Resigned April 30, 1817, 
 
 Thomas Hersey, 
 
 
 1813 
 
 Disbanded June 1, 1815. 
 
 Solo. Aiken, 
 
 
 1814 
 
 K (( (( 
 
 C. Tarrant, 
 
 
 1814 
 
 Died Feb. 17, 1816. 
 
 J. Brannan, 
 
 
 1814 
 
 Disbanded June 1, 1815 
 
 Cave Jones, 
 
 E. 
 
 1816 
 
 '« April 14, 1818. 
 
 W. L. McCalla, 
 
 E. 
 
 1816 
 
 (( ti « 
 
 Thomas Picton, 
 
 P. 
 
 1818 
 
 Resigned Jan. 1, 1825. 
 
 C. P. Mcllvaine, 
 
 E. 
 
 1825 
 
 'i Dec. 31, 1827. 
 
 Thomas "Warner, 
 
 (1 
 
 1828 
 
 » Sept 1, 1838. 
 
 Jaspa Adam?, 
 
 " 
 
 1838 
 
 " Nov. 15, 1840. 
 
 Martin P. Parks, 
 
 (( 
 
 1840 
 
 " Dec. 31, 1846. 
 
 W. T. Sprole, 
 
 P. 
 
 1847 
 
 Resigned, 1856. 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Richard J. Cadle, E,, 
 
 Abel Bingham, 
 
 Ezekiel G. Gear, E., 
 C. C. Beaman, P., 
 ♦William Burnett, M-, 
 
 Charles Reighley, E., 
 
 Henry Gregory, E., 
 
 Mark S. Cheevers, E., 
 John J. Ungerrer, 
 
 Stephen P. Keyes, 
 
 Fort Crawford, from 1838 to July 1, 1841. Re- 
 signed. 
 
 Fort Brady, from 1838 to Nov. 1, 1840. Dis- 
 charged. 
 
 Fort Snelling, Minnesota, from 1838. 
 
 Hancock Barracks, from 1838 to Aug. 31, 1840. 
 
 Fort Columbus, on Governor's Island, near 
 New York City, from 1838 to June 13, 1842- 
 Resigned. 
 
 Fort Gratiot, from 1838 to Aug. 31, 1846. 
 Garrison withdrawn. 
 
 Fort Leavenworth, from 1838 to Sept. 30, 
 1839. Resigned. 
 
 Fort Monroe, Va., from 1841. 
 
 Jefferson Barracks, from 1839 to June 1, 1839. 
 Discharged. 
 
 Fort Winnebago, from 1839 to May 31, 1841 
 Resigned. 
 
 * We take this opportunity to pay a deserved tribute to the Rev. Mr. Bur- 
 nett. Receiving orders from the Secretary of War which transferred him to 
 another station, at a time when he believed that the interests of religion at 
 Fort Columbus, required that his labors among the soldiers and their 
 families should not be then broken off, he resigned the position of Chaplain, 
 rather than disobey his convictions of duty. For more than twenty-five 
 years he has hired nis own boat, in which to reach Governor's Island when 
 he should choose, and has continued to labor, at his own expense, among the 
 sojourners at the Fortj with great success and acceptance. 
 
 He was eminently successful in drawing the soldiers from their habits of 
 intemperance. He was also active among the officers in circulating peti- 
 tions to the Secretary of War (Gen. Cass) praying that spirit rations might 
 bo abolished, and that tea, coffee and sugar be substituted in their place 
 everywhere in the U. S. Army ; and to the enduring honor of that distin- 
 guished statesman be it recorded, he issued an order to that effect. There 
 are now no spirit rations in the Army. 
 
 Petitions, signed by both officers and common soldiers, have repeatedly 
 been forwarded to the War Department at Washington, desiring his re-ap- 
 pointment as Chaplain, until his age placed him beyond the rule for such an 
 election. 
 
 Unwearied in his labors of love, both among soldiers and seamen, he still 
 continues (now in the seventy-third year of his age,) indefatigable as ever, 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 67 
 
 David Griffith, E., Fort Leavenworth, from 1839 to Dec. 31, 
 
 1840. Discharged. 
 
 Henry J. Lamb, Fort Jesup, from 1839 to 1845. Resigned. 
 
 C. S. Hodges, E., JeflFerson Barracks, from 1839 to June 30, 1844. 
 
 Troops withdrawn. 
 
 William Scull, E., Fort Gibson, from 1840 to May 31, 1841. 
 
 Presumed to have resigned. 
 
 William A. Whitwell, U:, Hancock Barracks, from 1840 to Sept. 30, 1840. 
 
 WiUiam H. Brockway, Fort Brady, from 1840 to Aug. 31, 1847. Gar- 
 
 rison withdrawn. 
 
 John Blake, E,, Hancock Barracks, from 1841 to Oct. 31, 1845. 
 
 Post evacuated. 
 
 George C. M. Roberts, M., Fort McHenry, Md., near Baltimore, from 1841. 
 
 John O'Brien, E., Fort Mackinac, Michigan, from 1842. 
 
 J, Dixon Carder, E., Fort Hamilton, from 1842 to Nov. 30, 1846. 
 
 Garrison withdrawn. 
 
 John Wayland., E, Fort Columbus, New York, from, 1842 to 
 
 July 1, 1844. Resigned. 
 
 Leander Ker, E., Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, from 1842. 
 
 Noah M. Wells, Fort Crawford, from 1843 to Oct. 31, 1845. 
 
 Post evacuated. 
 
 J. M. Clarke, Fort Winnebago, from 1843 to 1845 Post eva- 
 
 cuated* 
 
 to visit Governor's Island, for the purpose of distributing tracts and Bibles 
 and to hold meetings when desired ; also for the same purpose, he has con- 
 tinued for years to visit the Receiving Ship, North Carolina, lykig at the 
 Brooklyn Navy Yard, every Sabbath afternoon. Besides the performance 
 of these duties, he sustains the pastoral charge of a Bethel station in Brook- 
 lyn, where the congregation is composed mostly of seamen and their fami- 
 lies, preaching usually three times on the Sabbath, to the great acceptance 
 of a usually crowded congregation. 
 
 His known benevolence and long devotion to this work, has secured the 
 confidence of not only the Bible and Tract Societies, but of others, who have 
 the means of relieving suffering humanity, for whom, to no limited extent, 
 he has become their medium of usefulness and relief. 
 
 Blessed with a strong constitution, and an ardent love for the work, he 
 still furnishes a hope that his useful labors may be continued long after 
 many, who of younger age and less physical ability, shall have ceased to call 
 the prodigal sous in our army and naval stations, back to their Father's 
 house. 
 
68 
 
 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Henry Axtelle, P., 
 
 William Scull, E., 
 
 David McManus, E., 
 J. L. EUiott, P., 
 
 John McCarty, E,, 
 J. F. Fish, E., 
 Daniel Motzer, P., 
 
 Matthias Harris, E., 
 Charles H. Page, E., 
 
 H. W. Read, 
 
 Dayid Clarkson, E., 
 William Vaux, E., 
 Samuel Corley, 
 
 John Burke, E., 
 Samuel H. Milley, R. C, 
 Ignacio Ramirez, R. C, 
 
 St. Michael Fackler, E., 
 
 James De Pui, E., 
 
 John Reynolds, E., 
 
 J. H. Ver Mehr, E., 
 
 Solon W. Manny, E., 
 
 David W. Eakins, 
 John M. Shaw, B., 
 
 John F. Fish, E., 
 
 John MoCarty, E., 
 
 Fort Brooke, from 1843 to Nov. 4, 1850. Trans- 
 ferred to New Orleans Barracks. 
 Fort Washita, Arkansas, from 1844 to Oct. 
 
 31, 1847. 
 Fort Gibson, Arkansas, from 1845. 
 Fort Atkinson, from 1845. Post dropped by 
 
 " G. 0." 66~Dec. 30, 1848. 
 Jefferson Barracks, from 1848 to Dec. 31, 1852. 
 San Antonio, from 1849 to May 31, 1852. 
 El Paso, from 1849 to March 15, 1852. This 
 
 post dropped, per " G. 0." No. 10, of 1852. 
 Fort Moultrie, S. C, from 1849 to March 15,'52. 
 Newport Barracks, Kentucky, from 1849 to 
 
 March 15, 1852. 
 Fort Marcy, from 1849 to May 13, '52. Dropped 
 
 from list of Chaplain posts. 
 Fort Riley, Kansas, 1850. 
 Fort Laramie, Nebraska, 1849. 
 Fort Towson, from 1849 to Dec. 31, '52. Re- 
 signed. 
 Fort Washita, Arkansas, from 1850 to Dec. 31,'52. 
 Monterey, from 1849 to '50. Resigned. 
 Monterey, from 1850 to June 30, '52. Dropped 
 
 from list of Chaplain posts. 
 Fort Vancouver, from 1850 to Aug. 9, '50. 
 
 Resigned. 
 Fort Kearny, Nebraska, from 1850 to Au- 
 gust 9, 1850. 
 San Diego, from 1850 to Aug. 31, '54. Dis- 
 charged. 
 San Francisco, from 1849 to '51. Dropped 
 
 from list of Chaplain posts. 
 Fort Ripley, Minnesota, from 1851 to Au- 
 gust, 31, '54. 
 Fort Belknap, from 1852. 
 Fort Defiance, New Mexico, from 1852 to "July 
 
 31, 1853. 
 Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, from 1852 to July 
 
 31, 1853. 
 Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory, from 
 1853 to Oct. 9, '54. 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 69 
 
 J. J. Scott, E., Fort Pickens, from 1853 to Aug. 15, "54. 
 
 William Passmore, E., Fort Brown, Texas, 1853 to Aug. 15, '54. 
 Henry Axt«lle, P, New Orleans Barracks, from 1843 to June 
 
 30, '53. Dropped from list of Chaplain posts. 
 John McVicker, D. D., E., Prof, of Mor. and Men. Philos., Columbia College, 
 
 N. Y., Fort Wood, Gov. Isl., from 1844. 
 Joshua Sweet, E., Fort Ridgely, Minnesota, from 1854. 
 
 Joseph B. Cottrell, Fort Pickens, '« from 1855 to '56. Resigned. 
 
 Michael Sheehan, R. C, Fort Belknap, Texas, from 1855. 
 W. Stoddart, P., Fort Union, New Mexico. 
 
 Frederick Tolhurst, B., Fort Fillmore, New Mexico. 
 Tobias M. Michell, E., Fort Chadboume, Texas. 
 John W. French. E., Chaplain, and Professor of Geography, History and 
 
 Ethics, Military Academy, West Point, N. Y. 
 
 Appointed Aug. 16, 1856. 
 
70 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 OENERAL REMARKS 
 
 CHAPLAINS OF THE ARMY. 
 
 By looking at the foregoing list of Chaplains of the 
 Army, it will be seen, that although thirty are allowed by 
 Congress, besides the Chaplain at "West Point Academy, 
 there are but twenty-three now employed ; seven less than 
 the number allowed by law. How much these twenty- 
 three Chaplains can do towards furnishing needful religious 
 instruction, and performing the various duties usually 
 assigned to a Christian minister, in civil life, will be seen 
 better by a due consideration of the following facts : 
 
 Our regular army now consists of nineteen regiments — 
 one hundred and ninety-eight companies, — which vary in 
 their number of enlisted soldiers from fifty to seventy-four, 
 according to their various stations. These occupy military 
 posts from Florida to Texas, and throughout our vast 
 Western domain all along the great route to the Oregon 
 and Washington Territories. Leaving Prof. French at 
 "West Point, and Prof. McVicker in charge of Fort Wood, 
 in New York Bay, we go south and west to find the re- 
 maining twenty-two Chaplains, whose services are dis- 
 tributed through the whole army, which is now scattered 
 throughout New Mexico, Oregon, California, and the vast 
 wilderness of our unsettled territoiy. 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 71 
 
 Whether this number of preaching schoolmasters, be 
 sufficient to create any just alarm about their effecting 
 a union of Church and State, or whether the humble sub- 
 sistence drawn for them from the National Treasury, be 
 a burden to the country, are topics which deserve con- 
 sideration, especially from those who annually petition 
 Congress that the office of Chaplain may be abolished 
 by the Greneral Grovemment. On the contrary, we would 
 submit the inquiry, and we hope it may be made in the 
 Councils of the Administration — that if it be proper to 
 employ any Chaplains to the Army, why not employ a 
 greater number? — A sufficient number, at least, to give 
 some equality of privilege to all who are in the Govern- 
 ment service. If the finances of the country were in an 
 embarrassed state, or if it had not an overflowing 
 Treasury, there might be some semblance of an excuse 
 for sending soldiers out into the wilderness, there to as- 
 similate to savage life, in the entire absence of those 
 who will make it their special duty to administer to their 
 moral and spiritual necessities. Why not increase the 
 number of Chaplains in the same ratio with the increase 
 of the army ? We trust the time is not far distant when 
 the attention of Congress will be called to this subject. 
 
72 
 
 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 CHAPLAINS IN THE U. S. NAYY. 
 
 Statement showing the names of persons who have served 
 as Chaplains in the Navy of the United States since 1799, 
 their term of service, and, as far as ascertained, the Church 
 to which they belonged. 
 
 Initials opposite the name signify : B. for Baptist^ C. for Congrega- 
 tionalist, E. for Episcopalian, M. for Methodist, P. for Presbyterian, 
 R. C. for Homan Catholic. 
 
 Date of 
 NAMES. CHDRCH. AppoitdmH. Remarks. 
 
 Discharged, 1801. 
 
 Disappeared from the register, 1801. 
 Discharged, 1801. 
 Resigned, 1805. 
 Discharged, 1802. 
 Last appeared, 1806. — Dead. 
 Dismissed 1829. 
 Dismissed 1808. 
 Dismissed 1809. 
 
 Disappeared from the register, 1809. 
 Last appeared on register 1815, on 
 
 furlough. 
 Last appeared 1813. 
 Died, 1823. 
 Resigned, 1813. 
 Died, 1828. 
 
 Disappeared from register 1848. 
 Resigned, 1825. 
 Last appeared on register 1815, frigate 
 
 Constellation. 
 Died, 1826. 
 Last appeared on register, 1843, N. Y. 
 
 Navy-Yard. 
 Resigned, 1828. 
 
 William Balch, 
 
 - 1799 
 
 Robert Thompson, 
 
 — 1800 
 
 Eli Valett, 
 
 - 1800 
 
 Alex. McFarlan, 
 
 — 1802 
 
 Samuel Chandler, 
 
 — Not known. 
 
 Noadich Morris, 
 
 — 1803 
 
 Robert Dennison, 
 
 — 1804 
 
 William Petty, 
 
 — 1807 
 
 William Robinson, 
 
 — 1809 
 
 Andrew More, 
 
 - 1809 
 
 William H. Briscoe, 
 
 1809 
 
 Garrett Bane, 
 
 1809 
 
 David P. Adams, 
 
 - 1811 
 
 Andrew Hunter, 
 
 — 1811 
 
 John Cook, 
 
 — 1812 
 
 Richard C Morton, 
 
 1815 
 
 Cheever Fletcher, 
 
 — 1815 
 
 Golden Coope, 
 
 — 1815 
 
 N. Andrews, 
 
 — 1816 
 
 John Ireland, 
 
 E. 1817 
 
 James Brook.", 
 
 1818 
 
CHAPLAINS OP THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 
 
 Date of 
 
 NAMES. CHURCH. 
 
 Appointm't. Remarks. 
 
 PhUander Chaae, 
 
 E. 
 
 1818 
 
 Resigned, 1820. 
 
 James Everett, 
 
 C. 
 
 1818 
 
 Resigned, 1837. 
 
 John N. Hambleton 
 
 > 
 
 1819 
 
 Resigned, 183- 
 
 Cave Jones, 
 
 E. 
 
 1824 
 
 Last appeared on register 1818, on 
 furlough. 
 
 Addison Searle, 
 
 E. 
 
 1820 
 
 Died, 1851. 
 
 Burgess Allison, 
 
 B. 
 
 1823 
 
 Died, 1827. 
 
 James Q-. Ogilvie, 
 
 B. 
 
 1825 
 
 Disappeared from register. 
 
 John McCarty, 
 
 E. 
 
 1825 
 
 Died, 1836. 
 
 John W. Grier, 
 
 P. 
 
 1825 
 
 Waiting orders. 
 
 *Chaa. L. Stewart, 
 
 P. 
 
 1825 
 
 On duty in U. S. receiving ship North 
 Carolina, at Brooklyn Navy- Yard. 
 
 John Addison, 
 
 — 
 
 1825 
 
 Resigned, 1828. 
 
 Edw'd McLaughlin, 
 
 P. 
 
 1826 
 
 Dead. 
 
 John P. Fenner, 
 
 E. 
 
 1828 
 
 Resigned, 1833. 
 
 Gt. W. Ridgley, 
 
 E. 
 
 1828 
 
 Resigned, 1830. 
 
 T. J. Harrison, 
 
 P. 
 
 1823 
 
 Waiting orders." 
 
 Wm. Kyland, 
 
 M. 
 
 1829 
 
 Died, 1846 
 
 t Walter Colton, 
 
 C. 
 
 1830 
 
 Died, 1851. 
 
 James Wiltbank, 
 
 E. 
 
 1833 
 
 Died, 1842. 
 
 J George Jones, 
 
 E. 
 
 1833 
 
 On leave of absence. 
 
 Thos. R. Lambert, 
 
 E. 
 
 8833 
 
 Resigned, 1856, and has entered upon 
 the duties of rector of a church. 
 
 Peter G.Clark, 
 
 E. 
 
 1838 
 
 Waiting orders. 
 
 Jared T. ElUott, 
 
 P. 
 
 1838 
 
 Resigned, 1842. 
 
 J. B.B.Wilmer, 
 
 E. 
 
 1839 
 
 Resigned, 1844, and is now rector of 
 St. Mark's Church Philadelphia. 
 
 Rodman Lewis, 
 
 E. 
 
 1829 
 
 Waiting orders. 
 
 Fitch W. Taylor, 
 
 E. 
 
 1841 
 
 Frigate Independence. 
 
 Mortimer R. Talbot, 
 
 , E. 
 
 1841 
 
 On duty at the Naval Hospital, PhU. 
 
 T. S. Harris, 
 
 P. 
 
 1841 
 
 Dead. 
 
 Samuel T. Gillet, 
 
 M. 
 
 1841 
 
 Resigned in 1843, and is now engaged 
 in the Christian ministry. 
 
 Charles H. Alden, 
 
 E. 
 
 1841 
 
 Died, 1846. 
 
 Moses B. Chase, 
 
 E. 
 
 1841 
 
 U. S. steamship frigate Wabash. 
 
 Chester Newell, 
 
 E. 
 
 1841 
 
 Waiting orders. 
 
 Theodore B. Barton 
 
 :,E. 
 
 1841 
 
 
 Wm. McKenny, 
 
 M. 
 
 1841 
 
 Waiting orders. 
 
 Joseph Stockbridge, B. 
 
 1841 
 
 Frigate Savannah. 
 
74 
 
 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Photius Fisk, 
 
 P. 
 
 1844 
 
 John P. Lathrop, 
 
 0. 
 
 1843 
 
 J. W. Newton, 
 
 P. 
 
 1842 
 
 Nathaniel Frost, 
 
 B. 
 
 1844 
 
 George W. Swan, 
 
 — 
 
 1844 
 
 George W. Latham 
 
 ,B. 
 
 1845 
 
 N. C. Fletcher, 
 
 U. 
 
 1845 
 
 Thomaa C. Stanly, 
 
 M. 
 
 1847 
 
 Edwin Eaton, 
 
 — 
 
 1847 
 
 John L. Lenhart, 
 
 M. 
 
 1847 
 
 John Blake, 
 
 E. 
 
 1847 
 
 Fidm'd C. Bittengei 
 
 :, P. 
 
 1850 
 
 OrviUe Dewey, 
 
 U. 
 
 1851 
 
 Vemon Eskridge, 
 
 M. 
 
 1853 
 
 SMafion Noble, 
 
 P. 
 
 1853 
 
 Chaa. W. Thomaa, 
 
 M. 
 
 1853 
 
 John Lee Watson, 
 
 E. 
 
 1855 
 
 Bobert Given, 
 
 — 
 
 1865 
 
 Henry Wood, 
 
 0. 
 
 1866 
 
 DaUqf 
 AppointmH. Remarks. 
 
 On duty at the Navy- Yard, P( 
 
 Died, 1843. 
 
 Waiting orders. 
 
 Service not ascertained. 
 Service not ascertained. 
 
 Service not ascertained. 
 
 Service not ascertained. 
 
 On duty Navy- Yard, Philadelphia. 
 
 On duty Navy- Yard, Brooklyn. 
 
 On duty Naval Asylum, Philadelphia. 
 
 Resigned, 1853. 
 
 Died Sept. 18, 1865. Naval Hosptal, 
 
 Norfolk. 
 Frigate Congress. 
 Sloop-of-war Jamestown. 
 Attached to the East India sqnadrooi 
 At sea. 
 Liservipe. 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 75 
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES TO PAGES 73, 74. 
 
 * Rev. Mr. Stewart, previous to receiving the appointment of Chaplain 
 in the Navy, had been a missionary to the Sandwich Islands. He has 
 reached a favorable distinction both in literature and religion. Among his 
 published writings the following stand prominent — "Residence at the Sand- 
 wich Islands," " Visit to the South Seas," " Sketches in Great Britain and 
 Ireland," " Brazil and La Plate." 
 
 f Rev. Mr. Colton attained to no inconsiderable distinction as a literary 
 gentleman and a Christian minister. Bom in Rutland, Vermont, in 1808, 
 he was graduated at Yale College, in 1822, and in 1830 was appointed 
 Chaplain in the U. S. Navy. He was author of several books, which, as a 
 test of their popularity, have had a wide circulation. Among these are : 
 " Ship and shore," "Deck and Port," "Three years in California." He 
 was the builder of the first school-house in the State of California, and was 
 the first (through the " North American," Philadelphia,) to make known to 
 the residents of the Atlantic States, the gold discovery of that country. He 
 died in Philadelphia, greatly laments, on the 22d of January, 1851, in 
 the 44th year of his age. 
 
 X Rev. Mr. Jones has risen to eminence in literature and science, is 
 author of works of travel, and is now on leave of absence from duty as 
 Chaplain ; while making a tour of scientific discovery and investigation in 
 South America. 
 
 § Rev. Mason Noble, successor to the distinguished Dr. J. Orville Dewey, 
 as Chaplain in the Navy-Yard, at Washington, and now attached to the 
 Mediterranean squadron, is an honor to his rank as Chaplain. His ripe 
 scholarship in theological and general literature, the chasteness of his style 
 in conversation and as a writer ; and the purity of his life as a Christian 
 minister, make him an example worthy of imitation. 
 
 For a further notice of him, see pages 44, 79, of " The Churches and 
 Pastors of Washington," just published by M. W. Dodd, New York. 
 
76 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 THE REUGIOUS SECT OF CHAPLAINS. 
 
 After making a greater ejffort to obtain correct informa- 
 tion as to the sect to wMch each of the government Chap- 
 lains have belonged, than even the importance of it might 
 appear to justify, yet in a few instances we have entirely 
 failed, and in others, it is possible, we may have been mis- 
 led. Should such an error be discovered by any one who 
 shall feel a sufficient desire to be correctly represented in 
 this behalf, as to address a note to the publishers of this 
 work, the right initial shall appear against his name in the 
 next edition. But very few of those who acted as Chap- 
 lains in the Navy^ previous to the year 1825, are designa- 
 ted as belonging to any church — ^for the reason that some 
 of them, at least, held no such relation — nor made any 
 claim to the office and character of a Christian minister. 
 They were, for reasons best known to the officer in com- 
 mand, rated Chaplains — more for the sake of the compen- 
 sation perhaps, than for any religious service they rendered, 
 beyond reading prayers perhaps at the burial of the dead. 
 
 EFFORTS TO ELEVATE THE STANDARD CHARACTER AMONG 
 NAVAL CHAPLAINS. 
 
 The late Hon. Samuel L. Southard^ on coming into the 
 cabinet of John Q. Adams, as Secretary of the Navy, set 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 77 
 
 atout the work of elevating the standard of character 
 among the Chaplains in his department. He established 
 the rule — ^which, we believe, has since been adhered to by 
 his successors — to appoint no man as Chaplain, who was 
 not an accredited ordained minister, holding a cordial rela- 
 tion to some ecclesiastical body. Knowing that there were 
 men in the Navy holding the rank of Chaplains, who were 
 utterly unqualified to perfoim the appropriate duties of that 
 office, he commenced making removals, as fast as he could 
 find others duly quahfied to take their places. But with 
 his characteristic love of justice and humanity, Mr. South- 
 ard was unwilling, as he said, to take any bread from the 
 mouths of those to whom government had given it. his re- 
 movals were generally made by transferring rated Chaplains 
 to another place in the government service, of a more 
 secular character. 
 
 Mr. Southard bestowed his first appointment upon a 
 returned missionary. Having had some knowledge of his 
 labors, not only among the Sandwich Islanders, but also 
 among the seamen who entered those ports, the missionary's 
 attention was directed to a chaplaincy in the Navy, as 
 opening a field of usefulness for which his experience had 
 already prepared him. 
 
 This commenced a new epoch in the history of Naval 
 Chaplains, and there is now found among them men of 
 sincere piety, a high order of learning and of general intel- 
 ligence.* 
 
 * In making a special notice of some of these Chaplains, because we know 
 of them what we do not happen to know of others, it is no purpose of ours 
 to make any inappropriate distinctions. Each of the twenty-four Chaplains 
 now in the Navy are doing credit to their profession as Christian ministers 
 for aught we know to the contrary 
 
78 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 REASONS rOE INCREASING THE NUMBER OP CHAPLAINS IN 
 THE NAVY. 
 
 The epocli commenced by Secretary Southard more 
 than thirty years ago, ought now to be followed by an- 
 other. If the first might be regarded as giving to the 
 Naval chaplaincy more elevation of character and greater 
 effectiveness, the second should be characterized by extend- 
 ing it — the one by giving to it the true standard of the 
 Christian minister, the other by bringing a greater number 
 of Chi'istian ministers into this field. 
 
 As a proof that " the harvest is great," and the laborers 
 employed in it " are few," let us contemplate the following 
 facts. The present numerical force of the U. S. Navy em- 
 braces more than a thousand commissione'd and warrant 
 officers, and more than seven thousand seamen, (the full 
 compliment of " recruits" [sailors] allowed by congress is 
 seven thousand and five hundred,) making in all between 
 eight and nine thousand men. These officers and recruits 
 man more than seventy vessels of war, which are distributed 
 through every latitude, and calling at almost every port in 
 the accessible parts of the world. Viewed in the light in 
 which they are here contemplated, these war vessels may 
 fitly represent as many floating churches ; their tall masts 
 pointing heavenward, filled with hearers, and all sailing on 
 the ocean, that great emblem of the eternity to whose 
 shores we are all approaching, as we float round the world ! 
 It might be interesting to the reader, who may not have 
 made himself familiar with this subject, to know the nume- 
 rical size of these various congregations, which range as 
 follows : Ten of these ships-of-the-line are allowed each (in 
 time of peace) eight hundred and twenty men ; which num 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 79 
 
 "ber, on the land, is usually called a large congregation.—. 
 There are seven first class steam frigates, whose full com- 
 pliment win average each five hundred men — a very good 
 sized audience. There are twenty-one other steamers -of 
 various classes, whose compliment of men vary, according 
 to the service in which they are engaged, from two hundred 
 and forty to a hundred and ninety, and so on down to eighty 
 men. There are nineteen sloops of war, which are, like 
 the steamers, divided into classes, of which the largest re- 
 quire a crew of three hundred men, others twe hundred, 
 others again one hundred and ninety, while the smallest 
 require only ahout one hundred and forty men. Besides 
 the foregoing, there are several smaller vessels in the Navy 
 called brigs, schooners, receiving ships, &c., whose crews 
 vary according to circumstances — ^but none carry so few 
 men as to render unimportant the means of grace and 
 religious instruction. Such then is the field — the various 
 sized congregations for our Naval Chaplains. Looking at 
 this great field then, and in view of the fact that Congress 
 allows to it only twenty-four Chaplains, it may well be 
 said, that the harvest is great and the laborers few — espe- 
 cially when it is known that half of this number of Chap- 
 lains are appointed to receiving ships, to navy yards, and 
 to naval hospitals on shore, from Portsmouth, N. H., to 
 Pensacola. Then take from the nimaber left those who are 
 on " leave of absence," and " waiting orders," it never 
 leaves a dozen in number for service in sea-going ships. 
 
 We therefore pray the lords of this harvest, to send forth 
 more laborers. If man has an immortal destiny, and if 
 this life, with all the uncertainties which attend its con- 
 tinuance, is our only preparation place, for an unending 
 life to come, then is not a Christian government assuming a 
 
80 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 great responsibility, to place so many men amidst increased 
 liabilities to sickness in unhealthy climates and sudden 
 death, without the means of religious instruction while liv- 
 ing, and the ordinary observances of a Christian burial 
 when dead ? 
 
 But with all the destitution we have been contemplating, 
 there is no cause for despondency or discouragement about 
 the future. Whoever looks back, only thirty years, can 
 see a great advance in moral progress, both in the Army 
 and Navy. In the Army, that terrible evil of dealing out 
 legalized spirit rations has long since been abolished, and 
 nutritive beverages substituted instead. In the Navy, 
 the brutalizing spectacle will never again be witnessed of 
 tricing up men by their wrists, in the gangway, to be lacer- 
 ated by that horrid instrument of torture, the cat-o'-nine- 
 tails. With a generous increase of the wages of seamen, 
 and an increase of motive to good conduct, those who were 
 formerly tallied of as " old salts" are now beginning to be 
 recognized as men, both by government, and by officers on 
 the quarter-deck. 
 
 We cannot but hope, yea, believe, that a glorious destiny 
 awaits the U. S. Navy. How gratifying it will be to see 
 the moral power of this right arm of the nation, increase 
 in an approximate ratio with its physical strength — to 
 see it become the medium of the great life-giving ideas of 
 Christianity and self-government, and a higher civilization to 
 nations yet in the valley and shadow of death. To this 
 end let Chaplains be appointed to every war vessel carry- 
 ing a sufficient number of men to justify the appointment 
 of a surgeon, and let a part of their work be to carry a 
 given number of Bibles and other appropriate books print- 
 ed in the language of the nations they visit, and thus be- 
 
CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 81 
 
 come the impersonation of a Christian, who is the light of 
 the world. 
 
 In a speech delivered by Hon. F. P. Stanton, at the 
 anniversary of the American Colonization Society, at which 
 the late Hon. Mr. Clay presided for the last time, he said : 
 
 " Hitherto its course has heen marked by the mangled bodies 
 of its myriad victims, and by the shattered institutions of van- 
 quished nations. Every sea has been crimsoned with human 
 blood, and a thousand rich argosies have gone down into the deep 
 before its desolating blast. But a great and beneficent change 
 has commenced. The vast means necessary to maintain armies 
 and navies have been hitherto scattered and wasted in prodigious 
 exhibitions of national power which bring little or no return of 
 advantage. The transformation about to be effected is to change 
 this mighty current into channels of commerce, to promote the 
 friendly and profitable intercourse of nations. We have already 
 established lines of steamers, fitted for war purposes, yet trans- 
 porting the mail, and carrying our commerce to some of the most 
 important points on the globe. These are the telegraphic lines of 
 the ocean. We have one more to establish, one pole of which shall 
 touch the shore of unhappy Africa, and pour into her sleeping 
 bosom a flood of light, intelligence, civilization, commerce, and 
 Christianity, electrifying her, not into mere galvanic life, but to 
 that redemption, regeneration, and disenthralment for which you, 
 Mr. President, (the Hon. Henry Clay) and this Society, have been 
 so long, so earnestly, and so faithfully laboring." 
 
 For the future working of our general government also, 
 we are full of hope of good results. When the antagonis- 
 tic interests of its various parts shall have been harmoni- 
 ously adjusted — and when a higher importance shall be 
 given to the religious teaching which the government pro- 
 fesses to recognize in the person of its Chaplains — then the 
 ratio of moral progression will be equal to that of its great 
 physical power. 
 
82 CHAPLAINS OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 But to this end let a Board of Examiners take charge 
 of all candidates for Chaplains for the Army and Navy, as 
 proposed on page 30 of this work ; and let Congress close 
 the door to all competition for Chaplains to either branch 
 of her legislative bodies, by calling her own religious 
 teachers, as presented on page 32 — and we trust it will be 
 only so many steps towards that glorious consummation so 
 devoutly to be desired, not for our own benefit only, but 
 for that of all the other nations of the earth. 
 
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