Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1867-03-28
CLERICAL NUIsANCEs.

reflections upon subject which for
a long time past, has been associated
Ia the public mind with ideas sug.
gestive Of mockery and "bpnkum, "
Our legislative bodies, State aud
National, says the Republican, have
a why Of delegatiog the duty Of
making prayers to cbaplaius. Ii 1t
we're not so, we fear that the aggre.
gate Of praying in those assemblagos
would show lamentable disproportlon
to the number of members. The knowl
edge that the religious duties of Sen.
ate or House dovolve upon qualified
professional, no doubt eases tho con
science Of many an individual Sena-
tor and Representative, and lessons
tho qualms with which, after the
reading of the journal, he proceeds
to the regular business Of eadding
taxes on the people, diving into tho
public Golfers, manufacturing party
capital, and blowing his own impli-
Gated personal horn. Besides, it is q
pleasant conceit to say prayers IN an
authoritative and body.politie man
ner, thus setting upon them, 50 to
speak, the great seal Of State. 1t is
like the functional certificate ---"A
true copy Inky Finger Chief
Clerk"--for we can almost Imagine
after the ministerial amen the words
-"Oficial Attest, Rev. + Founder.
Chaplain"
Usually, we believe, the Honorable
Senators and Representatives pay lit.
tic or no attention TO the prayers,
members, preferring to busy them.
selves with thoughts of when the
preacher is through how to get the
Speakers eye, an object Of great omul
alton among the lawmakers aud par
ticularly the speecbiliers of the land.
But occasionally there will be found
new member who makes it u point
to reverentiy listen to the ChapIain's
voice, and sometimes things are heard
that to say the least, are startling.
Some pious gentleman (of this class
as we suppose), has recently discovered
that the Chaplain Of the Massachue-
etts Senate has been in the habit OF
calling down the frowns of Providence
upon those members who vote for u
liquor iceDce law, such members
being assumed to be Legislative cmis-
saries of the devil, and coming in for
due report to tho Throne of Grace.
The zeal of the Chaplain in the d-
rection indicated has set the Senators
to debating q resolution against per-
sonalitles in prayers, which, at our
last advices from Boston, was still
calling for a large quantity Of Bay
State cloquoncc.
These legislative CbapIains seem
to take delight, in the interest Of re
ligion and as vice gerents Of the Most
High, in singing out particular bills
and measures to be prayed for, and
launching the curse of the church
upon other bills and measures which
do not appear to them to have the
moral inspiration. A Rad,
lcaI Legislature--we designate Rad.
ica Legislatures for the reason that
unfortunately that description arc the
most common-invariably elects
Radical Chaplain, and as the OK
knoweth his owner and the ass his
crib, the Chaplain considers
he would not be doing his whole duty
connecting it with Radical
politics. We have noticed that those
Chaplains who put the most Radical
politics into their prayers generally
stand the best chance of reelection
when the time comes. THEY know
The tricks and the manners of Radical
Legislatures, and, as contemporary
remarks on kindred subject, dixie
other politicians, they belong to the
bread and buttpr hripodo ~