marking September 7, 1774, as the first recitation of a legislative prayer in the Continental Congress. Id. at 27. On May 11, 1775, the second day of the next session of the Continental Congress, Reverend Duche again delivered the opening prayer. 2 Journals 12 (1775).
When Continental Congress delegates met in July of 1776 to proclaim the Declaration of Independence, they changed the nature of the chaplaincy from that of invited minister to that of officer. Reverend Duche was "appointed chaplain to Congress" and was requested to open each day's session. 5 Journals 530 (1776). Upon his resignation, the Continental Congress voted a stipend of $150 "for the devout and acceptable manner in which he discharged his duty," and elected two new chaplains on December 23,1776. 6 Journals 886-87,1034 (1776). In 1784, the delegates decided that the elections for these offices should be held on an annual basis. 27 Journals 683 (1784).
The inclusion of chaplains among compensated congressional officers continued upon the convening of the First Congress in April of 1789.2 On April 7 and 9, within days of obtaining the initial quorum, both the Senate and House formed committees to determine the manner in which chaplains would be selected. The committees reached agreement, and the first Senate and House chaplains were elected on April 25 and May 1,1789, respectively. 1 J. of the Senate ("Senate J.") 10,16 (1789); 1 J. of the House of Representatives ("House J") 11-12, 26 (1789).
2 In June 1787, more than one month after the Constitutional Convention began, Benjamin Franklin moved that each day's session be opened with prayer. His motion was not acted upon "not because the Convention was opposed to prayer, but because it was thought that a mid-stream adoption of the policy would highlight prior omissions and because 'the Convention had no funds'" to compensate a chaplain. Marsh v. Chambers, 463 U.S. 783, 787 n.6 (1983) (quoting 1 Max Farrand, Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, at 452 (1911)); see also 5 Jonathan Elliot, Debates on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution 253-55 (2d ed. 1836).
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