The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-07-13

Fa her George ID. Hell imauu's caudl
dacy for Congress IN the Chicago dis
trict recalls the fact that only one
Catholic priest has ever occupied y
seat ia the halls of Congress 90 the
Rev. Gabriel Richard, OF Michigan
Not oily was he the ouly Catholic
priest ever elected to Congress, but
be WAS also the OF ly member who
ever came direct from a prison c, II
to seat in Congress.
Father Richard WAS not elected as
a Representative, but As Il delegate
representing the then Territory OF
Michigan. This was in 1923. He
served with distinction, delivering
several exceptionally able speeches
on important issues. He WAS a man
of grea, earning, a thorough French
and Euglish scholar and conversant
with Spanish, German and Italian,
and he had mastered the language or
dialect of the several tribes Of Indians
of Michigan. He was a man Of med
ium slze, with sharp features, and H
bulging forehead, was slightly bs III,
had Il wiry frame, and was quick 10
speech and action. A native OF
France, be received orders st Cath
ollc seminary in Paris 10 1890. Eight
years later he came 10 this cOuutry
and for a time was professor of matb-
ematlcs in St Mary's {, lege, Mary
land. Afterward ne libored as II
missionary in Illinois, and finally -
Gated AT Detroit, Mich. While pastor
OF ST. AIMS church 10 that city. he
began the publication OF Catholic
paper. II became bis duty as pastor
to excommuuicate q parishioner who
had been divorced from his wife, and
TINS act, together with articles pub
lished ia his paper caused MIN TO be
prosecuted FOR defamation Of charac
ter. 4 fne Of y 900 or imprison
ment for long period was imposed =,
and beng poor himself and major
ty of his parisbioners being French
settlers OF small means, he was forced
10 90 to person, where he remained
until he was elected to Corg gress.
Father Richards career was re-
msrkstle one in many other partcu-
lars II was be who visited the grave
of Father huquette, the great mis-
sionary priest OF the rthwest, and
planted cross over It on which be
cut the inscription. " Father Mar.
quette died here May 9, 1873" Many
years after this the State Of Mlchi-
gan erected a monument on the spot.
The connection of Catholic clergy
men with the United States Senate
and House of Representatives has
been Only limited, there being nc
record of Catholic priest in the ca
paclty of Congressional chaplain
prior to 1899. la that year the Rev
Constantine Pise, d. d., pastor of St
Mathews church. Washington, was
elected chaplain Ct the Senate at the
instance of Henry Clay. Father PIse
was a native of Maryland, and was
educated at Georgetown College. On
being graduated he entered the So.
ciety of Jesus, going to Rome to study
theology, and there he was made q
doctor of divinity by the College OF
the Sapienzs in 1882. He left st.
Mathews church and became pastor
of the Church of the Trsnsfiguration
in Mott street, in New York, and
later of ST. Peters in Barclay street.
From there he went to Brooklyn and
established the Church of St. Charles
B1rromeo, where he remained until
his death in 1888
Father Rider, S. J., while president
of Georgetown College on two occa-
slous opened the Senate with prayer
in 1910 Records show that the late
Father Boyle OF St. Patricks church,
this city, was the last priest who Of
fered prayer in the Senate cham Der,
now the Supreme Court room.
A Catholic chaplain was never
elected by the House If Represents
tives, but during one session, when
the House failed to Il ct chap sin,
Father Boyle slternsted with two
Protestant clergymen in Offering the
opening prayer. The sign OF the
cross was made for the first time in
the new hall of the House by a Father
Aiken, and of this the Georgetown
College Journal of 1859 says:
"On January "a, 1859. the Rev
Charles Stonestreet, s. j., pastor of
St. Al)ysius church, opened the
House with PRAYER. Speaker Der
conducted him to the Speakers desk
Father Stonestreet. clothed in his
casscock, and wearing his beads,
made a large sign of the cross and
read the prayer of chbishOp Car
roll for the authorities. The prayer
over be flushed with a devout sign
of the cross. AS Father Stonestreet
loves the republic and prays for it
from the bottom of bis heart, he read
the prayer with great deal of feel
ing" One month later the same
jpurusl said " Today Father Stone
street, vested in his religious habit.
opened the United States Senate with
prayer. The President of the Senate
introduced him into the hall"
Father Mathew. the great apostle
of temperance, addressed the Senate
in 1919. Unintentionally be created
a sensation by reason of his opposi-
ton to slavery and his supposed de-
nunciation of shareholders. Southern
Senator's opposed admitting him
within the bar of the upper house,
but Henry Clay cbampioned his
cause, as did William II. Seward,s
the vote resulted 80 to Is in favor of
comforting an honor never before
given to any foreigner except Gen
ersl Lafayette.
Robbed the Grave