Evening star., 1895-06-10
A COLORED CHAPLAIN
Effort Being Made to Secure That
Office.
LEGAL PREACHERS ARE CANDIDATES
The Matter Being Urged by COL
ored Newspapers.
SOME LEAD ERS OPPOSED
SOME LEADERS OPPOSE

Inc announcement that kentuckyS con-
gressional delegation was working up SEN
timent in that state favorable to the selec-
tion of colcred man as chaplain of the
next House of Representatives has renewed
the activity of the friends of the local
pastors here who are candidates for the
place. The idea of having a coIored chap
lain originated in this city, and the names
of DIR. w. H. Brooks of the Nineteenth
Street Baptist Church, DR.. ]. T. Jenifer of
the Metropolitan A. NJ. E. Church and
DR.. Alexander CrumEell formerly rector
of the st. Lukes Protestant Episcopal
Church, were presented for consideration
The discussion Of the subject was begun
Immediately after the last congressional
election. and the colored press throughout
the country said that this place should be
allotted to the colored constituency on ac-
count Of the fidelity which it manifested for
the party in those states where the colored
voters hold the balance Of power.
Voting by Coupons.
The Rev. r. c. o. Benjamin. preacher,
politician, lawyer, editor, author, poet etc.
who formerly edited colored paper in
Alexandria, was named by the colored
press. but he recently withdrew from the
contest and wrote a letter to the Rev w
H. Brooks of this city saying that he with
u
his friends to support the pastor of the
Nineteenth Street Baptist Church. The
different journals edited by and for the
Baptist Church have since then been urg-
ing the claims of Rev. Mr.. Brooks. Many
Of the colored papers are issuing coupons
with their papers asking the colored people
to name their choice for the chaplainship,
and they have agreed that the divine that
receives the highest number of votes shall
be supported by all of the colored papers
in the country for the place.
Dr.. j. T. Jenifer of the Metro
large constituency behind him in the A.
NJ. E. convention. DIR. Jenifer is one of
the most able divines cf the convention.
and the fact that the A II. E. Church has
secured for men of its denomination the
Liberian mission. the chaplainship in the
army, the postmas tership at Welbeforce,
Ohio, and other lucrative places makes the
friends of DR.. Jenifer believe that the
church will have sufficient influence to land
him in the chaplaincy in the next House.
Dr.. Alexander Crummell, formerly of the
st. Luke's P. Z. Church, is the most able
churchman of the colored race, and his
friends have thought that that distinction
ought to entitle him to the place. There
has been only one occasion in the history
of the country when a colored clergyman
has opened the House with prayer, and the
person was DIR. Henry Highland Garnet,
who represented this country as minister
to Liberia, and who was long and init
mate friend of DR.. Crummell.
ESSmeu Icing OrSeu.
While colored people of Washington be-
lieve that if any 'colored man gets the
place it will be some Washington divine
there are candidates in many of the states
who want the place, and DR.. W. B. Der
ricks of New York, DR.. George w. Bryant
of the equal rights councils, and other men
who have done much service for the re-
publican party, are being urged by their
friends.
hat 1ao Jar
for is an extra session of Congress. They
believe that if an extra session is had, with
the present sentiment in favor of a colored
chaplain, they will win. In the meantime
they are perfecting a strong organization,
and, whether an extra session is held or
not, when Congress does convene they will
present themselves and ask for the chap
laincy.
There are those who believe that no fight
ought to be made for the chaplaincy, but
for some position such the superinten-
dent or assistant superintendent of the doc
ument rooms, the assistant Sergeant-at-
arms or assistant doorkeeper, to which Do
sitions some patronage Is attached. They
argue that if the chaplaincy Is given to
the colored people only one man will be
taken care of, while if one of the other
positions is secured others of the race can
be provided for.
May Get Some Other Place.
The consensus of opinion is that some
place other than the chaplaincy will go to
the colored constituency. In conversation
recently with Star reporter a member of
the Pennsylvania congressional delegation
when asked as to the probability of the
selection of a colored man as chaplain eX-
pressed the belief that there would be no
colored chaplain. He said that it was
about understood among the members of
the next House that the chaplaincy would
go to a divine from Kansas, who took an
important part in the admission of that
q n ia Union w M hell
that time in the doctrine of free states
and advocated it throughout the state He
further said that this divine's connection
with the admission of Kansas into the
Union would have the effect of securing for
him many votes which would otherwise go
for some colored man.