In one essay, Madison asked the question, “Is the appointment of Chap*lains to the two Houses of Congress consistent with the Constitution, and with the pure principle of religious freedom?”
He then answers himself: “In strictness the answer on both points must be in the negative. The Constitution of the U.S. forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion. The law ap*pointing Chaplains establishes a religious wor*ship for the national representatives, to be performed by Ministers of religion, elected by a majority of them; and these are to be paid out of the national taxes. Does not this involve the principle of a national establishment, applicable to a provision for a religious worship for the Constituent as well as of the representative Body, approved by the majority, and conducted by Ministers of religion paid by the entire nation[?]”
Concludes Madison, “The establishment of the chaplainship to Cong(res)s is a palpable violation of equal rights, as well as of Constitutional principles.”
