The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-21
that OF major Of the inlanysxty dollars month anl

L
Mr. SEWER said that as for himself he not
Der of church But he had been brought up IN The
Methodist church, which went for good works SO did
he-in theory IA taught Well, his minister preached
every Sabbath and prayed morning and night Tor nun
dred dollars year He would agree TO supply the whole
army with chaplans from his State at two huAsred
dollars year IA taught 1t had been stated m high
places that this war was war Tor the sake oil Teigoh
and were they now TO send Protestant chaplans TO
give color TO those malicious statements The
constitution declared that Congress should not inter-
iere in matters OF religion, and would they now go to
legislang which denomination the chapans should
be selected from Some of the soldiers believed in one
sect, in another Would they compel any OF them
to hear sermons when they did not believe a word OF
themz lie would have each regiment appoint their own
| chaplans'
MIR HANNEGAN said the question OF compensation
| dwindled to nothing Gentlemen might smile; they
might this subjec. lightly and they might feel light
y sitting there in health and security conscious Tor the
moment that there was no Impending danger near-no
pestence disease lowered around them and hostile
musket directed against them. II was human ma
ture look at the consultations OF religion trlng t
the approach OF serious moment Then the stout
est and the bravest OF them, they had time for reee
ton, loved to reflect these things He did not want
to send chaplains 10 Mexico who would go from
love of lucre Heaven forbid. He only wanted TO send
those who would go without purse and without scrip
who would go for the sole motive OF affording needed
consolation TO the SICK the wounded and the dying sol
der The senator from Arkansas knew well the char
acter of those who had gone TO the field OF
strife from his State-he knew the character of
those who had gone from other States; and he (Nlr
H.,
auay-thai there were not five at that hour-not five
out of twenty thousand volunteers, who were not
taught by their mothers when boys upon their knees
say their prayers And he hazarded the assertion that
there was not who did not remember IT. What was
pecunary consideration, when was proposed to afford
the consultations of religion to such men IN their last and
trying hours He had sand yesterday-and he regretted
to repeat hat of the most disgraceu and des
perae character had anspred in the midst OF the army
Yes, murders, assassinations ravshments had stained
the arms of their country He spoke on the authority OF
Commodore Perry who recently passed through this city,
in all the Gulf squadronhe bushed to say itthere was
not single chaplain. The individual declared that
not one office tended much TO preserve order and sub
ordination as a chaplain. Ii a national shame for
them-proessng to be Christian nationo send forth
| their armies and navies unattended by chapains. tie
asked chaplans for those soldiers, he would have
thanked any man TO do for him had ne been IN the sol
diers' place
were allowed to the navy Experience however, had
showed the expedency OF dispensing with them IN the
army. Experience should decide the question. He
should therefore, oppose the proposition, and would
move that the bill be recommitted to the committee with
instructions strike out everything which did not relate
to the raising and the military organization OF the ten
regiments proposed to be raised On that quesuon ne
Mr.. JOHNSON, OF Maryland inquired if the gentle
motion intended to strike out the section giving
Mr. BENTON Precisely for that purpose But it
must be recollected that have myself introduced sep
arae bill upon that subject and one similar 10 1t is now
pending in the other House.
Mr.. ATCHIsoN desired to say that he was opposed
to the bill reported by the Committee on Military
Affairs He opposed to the increase of the reg
ular army He had heard no reason why volun-
teer regiments would not be as efficient They pro-
posed to create by this bill four hundred officers to
be appointed by the President As usual they would be
appointed on the recommendations OF members of Con-
gress They did conine themselves to qualifications
alone but recommended their own relations and friends
Let them raise the ten regiments, with the full compi-
ment of officers. AT the close OF the war they would
find ample reason for not dsbanding them. Their ter
ritories would then be vastly extended. and these
nfs he to q
other plea would be put in to induce Congress to retain
the regiments in service, with the four hundred officers
dependent upon them For these reasons and Others he
was in favor of the proposal of the from Texas
and could not for the amendment in its present FORM
! Mr. ALLEN said if the motion TO recommt should
prevail, when the bill should be reported back, If would
be in order present the amendment again, and IN
that they would be compelled 10 go the same round
tomorrow.
Withdrew his motion to recominlt
Some question then arising the real state OF the
amendment which had been offered to the amendment OF
Mt BADGER moved in order to obviate all difficulty,
to strike out all after the word receive leave
blank to be filed with the amount OF compensation.
The motion beng agreed to
Mr.. SEWER moved to fill the blank with "fve hun
ded dollars per annum payable monthly, with forage for
one horse, and one ration.
Mr. CASS would prefer TO give them the compensation
now allowed to chaplans at posts-caed teachers
Mr.. BENTON read from the Navy Register in relation
to the number of chapains in the navy many OF whom
Mr. DAYTON moved that the pay be that OF the chap
lans in the navy with forage for one horse.
Mr.. HANNEGAN And an allowance for servant.
Mr.. DAYTON. And an allowance for a servant He
would not have those chapains sent into the field at
rate of compensation less than that of the lowest grade OF
oficers--less than the junior lieutenant
Mr.. COLQUITT felt the very best course which they
could adopt would be for them TO make allowance of
raons for chapans and then leave the churches sup
ply and support the chapains. They would then have
suitable to discharge the solemn duties OF the
oice-not who desired easy situations and for
|
between whom and eternity there was but plank, as if
they realized the responsibility they incurred He be-
eved also that they would get better ministers by making
the compensation low had been suggested BY
the gentleman from Arkansas They would then have
who did not go for honor emolument, but from
love OF the Redeemers cause and the souls OF men.
Mr. CRITTENDEN could not imagine that a servant
was necessary They could not make Methodist min
lister in his State unhappy than by attaching
such an appendage to HIM But he would give him two
ratons and forage for a horse.
! Mr.. SEWER. Well, sur, then I'll put down two
tons A taught
Mr. BERRlEN deemed it of primary Importance that
this OCCASION their sanction to the amendment of the
gentleman from Indiana. They should sanction the
principle OF it. What was that principles The eonsti-
tuition forbid them from interfering with matters of
ligon But had they, therefore, the right to send the
soldiers beyond the pale of religions That the ques
Congress provide for those soldiers. He had looked
at the duties OF the chaplain different light from other
gentleman. They had argued though his chief pre-
fogative to preach. He believed that the most i'm
porant duty of the chaplain would be TO minister
the consolation of religion 10 the soldier in his
last moments. For the purpose of enabling them
to do this they must place them such circumstances
that peysoual wants lyoul1 MT harrass