Evening star., 1944-12-31
Capital Sidelights
By Will p. Kennedu.

The Seventy eighth Congress sine died
in a prayerful mood after having wit
messed an unprecedented number of
sermons and religious speeches printed
In the Congressional Record. The House
ordered printing of new edition of
the Chaplains Prayerbook containing
the invocations for the Seventy seventh
and Seventy eighth Congresses. This Is
the sixth biennial edition containing
the prayers opening the daily session by
the Rev. DR.. James Shera Montgomery
The House previously had published the
prayers OF the late blind chaplain, the
Rev. Henry I. Couden and the Senate
had printed the prayerbook of the late
Very Rev. Ze Barney Thorne Phillips
D. D.
Many persons do not realize that
while there always has been preserved
a strict separation of church and state,
this Government from the very start
has invoked divine guidance When the
Constitutional Convention was getting
nowhere, Benjamin Franklin suggested
that they should seek assistance from
above and a chaplain was selected.
One of the first things both House and
Senate did on organization under the
Constitution was to select chaplains.
When arrangements were being made
for George Washingtons Inauguration,
Congress practically ordered that the
members Of House and Senate should
accompany the President to divine
services to be conducted by the chap
lains. When the Capitol was being
built, the carpenters shop most appro-
priately was used for Sunday services
for the people of the neighborhood as
well as the workmen. Regular Sunday
services were held in the House Chamber
when the first unit of the Capitol was
built and also in the. Treasury Building.
~ Xxx
In the session of Congress Just closed,
the House Rules Committee took full
control of the legislative program as
never before. Lewis Deschler points out
that for the first time since the rule for
calling the roll of committee on "calen-
dar Wednesday" was adopted, there was
no such call in the last session-for the
first time in quarter of century. ,
Elihu B. Washburne-one of the four
famous brothers, born in Livermore,
Me-, who served in Congress from
different States-was President Grants
Secretary of State for six days, resign
ing to become Minister to France. He
was succeeded by Hamilton Fish. On
the declaration of the -Prussian
War, Minister Washburne protected with
the United States flag the legations of
the various German states in Paris;
remained in Paris during the siege and
was the only foreign minister vino con-
tinued at his post during the days Of
the Commune. He protected not only
the Germans but all the foreigners left
by their Ministers. This same Elihu B.
Washburne and his brother Cadwallader,
while serving in the House, respectively
from Illinois and Wisconsin, were par
ticipants in one of the greatest free
for-all fights in the chamber, during
debate on the admission of Kansas.
That was the one tight In which little
attention was paid when the mace was
ordered out by the Speaker. 1t was
Cadwallader Washburne who stopped the
fight. Representative William Barks-
dale of Mississippi was holding Mr..
Grow of Pennsylvania. Representative
John F.. Potter of Wisconsin thought
he was hurting Mr.. Grow and struck
Mr.. Barksdale, who thought the blow
came from Eihu Washburne and swung
at him. Cadwallader Washburne
rushed to his brothers defense and
grabbed Mr.. Barksdale by the hair, but
he was wearing q wig which same OF
in the hand of the amazed Cadwallader.
When Barksdale recovered his wig he
slapped 1t on his bald head hindside
fore-and the fighting members roared
In laughter.