Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-21
From the State House.
A Row about Praycr-Chapiain Cud-
worth Called 10 Order w oman Suf-
frage Debate-EaOOsac Tunnel and the
Railroads.

BosToN. March 30, 1872
The storm which has been for some time
brewing over the head of our worthy chaplain,
Mr. Cudworth, for his peculiar prayers, burst
to-day in a way that was anything but pleasant
to him. The preliminary thunder clap came
from the mouth of Hon. Moses Kimball, who
rose in his seat a minute or so after Mr. Cud-
worth had concluded, and inquired of the speak
er if it was in order for any person not mem
Der of the house to discuss matters before it.
This was intended as a singing rebuke, which
was followed by the prompt statement of the
speaker that it was clearly not in order for any
person not member to participate in the
discussions. The chaplain, who, if not a bril-
liant man Intellectually, is a sincere and honest
one, exhibited some surprise and uneasiness in
his scat beside the speaker, aud in moment
went over to Mr.. KimbalPs place, in the sixth
division, and assured him in a tone not devo-
tiOna that he would gain nothing by what he
had done. But first | ought TO reproduce fol-
you the prayer, which l took down in short
hand in the expectation that it would be rich
contribution to the inyocations of the session
Mr.. Cudworth put the matter thus:
The earth is thine, Lord, and the fulness
thereof, the world and they mat dwell therein.
And now that another of the worlds great cues.
tons presses into this chamber for an answer
"What can we do for woman ?'-and camor
answers, "Let her vote, "-clamor answers
again, Don't let Der vote, "-camor thunders.
clamor whines, clamor prays. cIamor ieers
Shall we hear the jeer of clamor? God forbid
If there be any stain of a right withheld from
those bright blessed beings, who, as mothers.
wives, sisters, daughters, companions, friends,
make up so much of the happiness of the COM
mOnwealth homes, give us wisdom clear enough
to see and will strong enough TO expunge that
STAN IRON the records OF our otherwise prosper
GUS state. Amen.
Mr.. Kimball having made his point and indi.
rectly rebuked the unlucky chaplain, the matter
might well have ested here. But this was not
the way our great Debating club purposed to lei
the matter rest. With misjudged zeal, Porter
Revere and Newell of Boston undertook TO re-
prove the Boston member for the bluntness OF
his rebuke, and pretty soon that rather impul-
sive radical, Col. Loring OF Fitchburg, offered
resolution, declaring that the house did not
sympathize with the manner in which Mr..
Kmbal had spoken, but on the contrary it met
with the unqualified disapproval Of the mem
bers, and he offered this, not out of peculiar
friendship for Mr.. Cudworth, but in order to
make stock for the woman suffrage cause, which
be feared had been endangered by the iniu-
dicious orison. The speaker allowed the debate
to run on, the leading members being
evidently anxious TO free their minds.
MIR. Loring himself was ruled out Of order
for the criticism with which he opened his reso.
luton, and then, after a declaration from Merritt
OF Springfield, that chaplains were unnecessary
and useless appendages, Mr.. Kimbal took the
hoor aud told the members who wanted to cen
sure him that he had said nothing about the
chaplain, that if others saw fit 10 applv his re-.
mark he could not help il, that great complaint
had been made upon the floor Of the house on
account Of the manner in which the chaplain
had endeayored TO influence the action of the
house, and that he should make a point of or.
der in the middle of a prayer if he wanted to,
say what they might about it, Mr. Cogswe
of Yarmouth said that topics had been discussed
in prayers in a tone Of levity which did not be-
come the Office, and which was calculated TO i'm
press the house with the idea Of responsibility IL
the divine being, but Mr.. Thompson Of Glouces
ter, reminded the house that too great matte
had been made of the affair. He indicated
plainly that he did not fancy the style OF pray
ing that the house had been accustomed to. II,
preferred prayers such as he could Join in anC
was of opinion that special prayers like specia
legislation were bad. Referring TO the "poin
OF order that had been raised, that the chaplain
had no right to address the house on matters 0
legislation, he wittily suggested that the chap
lain might be considered unparliamentary in no
addressing his prayers 10 the speaker Til,
| speaker decided the resolution inadmissabie
and then member who had the bad taste tC
move an appeal was sqnelched beneath unani
nous vote sustaining Mr.. Sanford.
All this postponed the real business of the ac
ternoon, for which a battalion Of suffrage seek
ers were in waiting in the gallenes-wheh wa
the resolve to amend the constitution s,
as to give women the right 10 vote an,
hold office Mr. Towne Of Fitchbarp, who /
chairman Of the special committee on woma,
suffrage, took the door and spoke at length (,
favor Of the resolve. He met the several ohioc
tons that had been urged by the opponents q
woman suffrage, rciuting them one by one, an
closed with an eloquent plea for unresircte
suffrage, which was greeted with applause b
the handsome women who looked down frol
the galleries Among the listeners wer
the wives Of Speaker Sanford and M
Towne. Messrs. Mutt Of Natick, Smit
Of Boston, Breed Of Lynn, Hoyt Of Atho
and others, spoke in favor Of the resolve. III
only opposers were the delicately nurturcd Nj
Quincy Of Boston, son Of Hon. Josiah Quincy
who Is utterly hostile to the movement to nal,
voters Of women, aud that Bgrt warrior Cap