These Chaplains.
To conciliate, if not wholly to satisfy my respondents among the Chaplains, permit me, if you please, a word in explanation. And first, as the preachers say. I had especial reference in my article to Chaplains for this city and similar pinces. If we have Chaplains under pay, we would need, at the least, twenty. No one man can discharge the duties at the numerous hospitals. But as this would impose an onerous expense on the Government, the resident pastors will perform the duties without pay. To require pay in addition to what they get from their Churches, would develop the amor pecuniac more than the amor patriac. From the style of their replies to me, I should judge that my opponents are no ordinary men, and if they should not "resign" on account of low wages, the Government may yet find that fact out. I cheerfully admit, as they seem to intimate, that "a Chaplain without pay" gets quite as much as he is worth, and that Chaplains of first rate ability ought to receive a quid pro quo for their camp toils; but they will excuse me for believing that the Army does not need very great men for Chaplains. In my poor judgment one colporteur of piety and industry is worth a dozen first- class divines, who must have, because they can procure elsewhere, the highest salaries. The $50 per month will bring the men we need, and if they become popular because of their labors of love, the officers of their regiments — as has been done in two instances to my knowledge — will make up an "extra" purse. But I shall retire from this discussion. If the Government chooses to pay higher salaries, I shall not object. But it did seem to me that at a time like this, when the Legislature, and Congress, and our perpetual Convention, and Army contractors, and salt speculators, are exhausting the public Treasury, and raising the taxes, preachers might set an example of self- denial and patriotism. And this is still the opinion of.
A Chaplain Without Pay.
Richmond, Nov. 29, 1861.
Richmond, Nov. 29, 1861.
