The New York herald., 1845-02-05
Chaplains I'm the Navy.

There is a naval bill most asonishngly ppended
to main one, with regard 10 the creation of sd-
ditional surgeons and pursers. (the necessity Of
augmen'lng sucn an unaccountasle numoerwe see
not,) whose object IS to limit the sge, beyond
which chaplain of the navy cannot be appointed,
to thirty years old, which is the most preposterous
proposition that has ever been attempted to be
pa!med upon the Senate. In the first place, in our
opinion. 10 chaplain ought to be appointed in ge-
neral, under thirty years OF age, and always over,
from the general fact, that young chaplaIns require
much practical experience and knowledge OF the
world 70 enable them TO Withstand the temptations
and difficulties incident TO a naval lite Secondly:
all chaplans required tor the service should be at
least forty or fifty years old, being calculated,
from their very age and practical experience, as
well as gravity OF middle HE, to make dignified
serious impression upon the minds of sailors and
officers ef the department. Thirdly: there is no
more reason that the age OF chaplains should be
limited, than that OF any other department, all
requiring exposure and labor and experimental
knowledge Fourthiy: Chaplains OF middle age,
II educated and religious men, with practical
knowledge OF human life, are the very best TO be
chosen for the intellectual and moral Improvement
OF the navy, which is clearly true, that il re-
qulres no arguments to prove. Filthy: II is our
opinion that chaplalns ought not 10 be appointed
under thirty years OF age, provided they possess the
aforementioned qualifications, and at all ages be-
yond, if they physically capable of performing
the duties, as they are not appointed to perform
physical labor and exertiOn much as TO exert
their moral influence, example, and advice upon
the naval corps with which they are associated;
and we do really think in connexion with this
subject, that ChaPlans should never be sent 10 sea
At all; tor their services, to our personal know
ledge, are very little needed there, but at home,
and those stations where sailors really endan-
sered by the influence OF evil habits, and where,
under judicous regulations, they could do far more
good, in our estimation, in one month, than they
could for years at sea, as the matter has been pre-
viously arranged.
There is another feature of that bill which to our
view is quite as exceptonable as the juet men
Toned, and that is, that they shall receive sa-
ary OF any KIND on leave or waiting orders unless
hey have been three years at sea, which is posi-
lively most unjust measure, as all those chapains
orsOoth who have not been at sea must seek some
other employment to support themselves and fami-
les it they do not have the good or ill-fortune to
De ordered to vessel whose destination mightnot
suit, or be injurious TO them, and when, perhaps il
may not be in the power OF the Secretary TO order
shem anywhere. This would certainly be beau
iiful mode of injuring valuable body of men en-
poyed to guard the morals OF our navy. But more
Ut this anon.
The bill also provides that before chapains can
be ordered to Navy Yards or home stations they
must have gone three years to sea, &c. Now II
appears TO us that the Secretary of the Navy
should order chaplans to shore or sea stations
with regard to their abilities and adaptedness with
view TO their usefulness for tho place, or else the
giving chaplalns home stations as matter Of re-
ward, puts me in mind of the idea that once pre-
vailed, that The Oldest men were TO be made Bish-
ops irrespective of their talents and piety, and it
makes the whole matter piece Of political ma
chlnery to perform certain kind OF systematic
clock work, just to suit the selfish views of few
misguided individuals. We hope the Senate will
reject this bill in toto. JusTlrlA.