The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-17

drcd years ago. He fad loaded a big
gun for too small game. DR. Kerr did
not look upon this n1atterEas 4 question
OF the establishment Of a religion. 1t
was as different as the State going into
the business of manufacturing stoves and
The State buying n stove to heat Il room.
For one he would be willing to amend the
bill 50 as TO allow the chaplain To be
chosen for all time from the> Baptist
Church.
DR. Pollard: 1.-The Baptist Church
would decline to name him. I"
Dr Kerr said IL did not matter which
denomination should have the chaplain.
II was simply matter of providing
some one to teach these poor uHfortu-
mates The story OF the Cross: TO point
them TO Christ. and to comfort them in
their dying hours.
air. Mason presented Hon. George D.
Wise. whom he said would speak upon
the constitutional phase OF the question.
Captain Wise said 1t would be useless to
address himself to the proposition that
this proposed act was in violation of the
Constitution. There was absolutely
nothing in the Constitution to forbid the
appointment of chaplain. The United
States Government provides chaplains
for soldiers and sailors He reminded
Dr. Hawthorne that DR.. Jones, d!stin
Eu:shed minister of the Baptist church,
was chaplain Of regiment during the
civil war. He was chaplain by appoint
ment. and attended the sick and com
forted the dying.
Captain Wise made a powerful arsu-
ment in favor of the appointment OF Il
chaplain. He reminded the committee
that notwithstanding what Or. law
thorne had said about sentiment being
so Overwhelmingly in opposition to the
appointment of a chaplain, he City
Council had recently by practically a
unanimous vote rejected the principle
advocated by DR.. Hawthorne and made
appropriations to denomina tional institu-
tons.
DR. PITTS VIEWS.
Few DR.: r. II. Pitt strongly opposed
the bill. He had. while student at
Richmond College, gone Sunday after
Sunday to teach The cony-icts the way to
God The Doctor believed the convlcts
are getting better religious training un-
der .he present system of voluntary
work than they would secure under the
act proposed.
DR.. Pitt appealed to the committee to
let the bill die II ought TO have died.
lie said before it was born.
While Mr.. Mason was replying briefly
to DIR. Pitt, he was asked by Chairman
Morris as to the conditions prevailing
at the penttentiary. Mr.. Mason replied
i
crowded condition of the cells, as TO
make him ashamed that he was a Vir-
ginian. He said lie could not tell even
q crowd OF men of the awful conditions
prevailing in tie prison.
Rev Y. a. Goodwin, in brief talk in
fay7Jr Of the bill. said if any man in the
LEGISLATURE should vote against the bill
to provid4 additional cells for the con-
vlcts, he would hate to see such man
!, nh iSar of nd
DIR. PODLARD'S REASONING:
Rev. DR.. john Pollard spoke against
the bill in very earnest and forcetul
address. He argued that the passas" OF
this act would be a serious blow at re-
ligious liberty.
The question was asked Dr. Pollard II
he Thought the State had right to force
cony-ictS TO attend religious service?
The Ioctor replied in the negative.
"Then you do not think the State has
the right to close places of business on
sunday?'' asked Mr.. John NJ. Taylor.
Dr. Hawthorne replied to that question
fv saving the state had no right to close
the places of business on religious
grounds, but it did have right from
the standpoint of civil liberty.
Upon what is civil liberty based:
asked Judge Watkins.
Upon political economy, saad Dr.