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OUR FIRST
THANKSGIVINGS
The Proclamation Issued by General Washington Pro
claiming a National Day of Praise.
PROCLAMATION
Ky Tho
PRESIDENT
Of The
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
A PROCLAMATION.
"Whereas, It Is the duty of nil Nations to
Acknowledge the Providence of Almighty
God, to obey his Will, to be grateful for
Ills Uenellts, and humbly to Implore his
Protection and Favour: And wherensboth
houses of Congress have, by their Joint
Committee, requested me "To recommend
to the People of tho United States a Day
of public Thanksgiving and Prayer, to
le observed by acknowledging with grate
ful Hearts tho many Signal Favours of
.Almighty God, especially by affording
them an opportunity peaceably to estab
lish a Form of Government for their Safe
ty and Happiness.
"Now Therefore I do recommend and as
sign Thursday, tho Twenty-Sixth Day of
November next, to be devoted by the Peo-
such as have shown kindness to us), and
to bless them with good Government,
Peace, and Concord: to promoto the
knowledge and practice of true Religion
and Virtue, and the Increaso of Sclctm
among them and us: and generally to
grant unto nil Mankind such a Degree
of Temporal Prosperity as he alone knows
to be best.
"Given unto my Hand, at the City of
New York, tho third day of October, In
tho year of our Lord One Thousand, Seven
Ilundrcd and eighty-nine.
"GEORGE WASHINGTON."
The above is the proclamation that
gave us our first national Thanksgiv
ing nfter the government was estab
lished. The first Continental Thanks
giving hail been observed 12 years be
fore, December 18, 1777, the winter
following the autumn marked by Bur
goyne's surrender. This may be
QOINQ TO THE FIRST THANK8CUVINQ SERVICE.
,plo iof these States, to the Service of that
great and glorious Being, who Is the benefl
cont Author of all tho good that was, Is,
or that will be. That we may then nil unite
In rendering unto him our sincere and
humble thanks for his kind Care and Pro
tection of the Paople of this Country pre
vious to their .becoming a Nation; for the
blgnal and manifest Mercies and the fa
vourable InterpoFltion of his Providence
in the Course and Conclusion of the late
Wurj for'tho great Degree of Tranquil
ity, Union, and Plenty, which we have
lnce enjoyed; for the peaceabloand ra
tlonnl Manner In which wo have been
enabled to establish Constitutions and
Government for our Safety and Happiness;
nnd particularly the nntlonal one now late
ly Instituted; for tho civil and religious
liberty with which we are blessed, and the
means wo have of acquiring und dlffublng
useful knowledge; and, In geneial, for
all he great and various Favours he hath
been pleasod to confer upon us.
"And Also, that wo may then unite In
most humbly offering our Prayers and
supplications to the great Lord and Ruler
of Nations, and beseech him to pardon our
National and other Trunsgrefcslons; to
rnablo us all, whether In public or prlvato
Stations, to perform our several and rela
tive Duties properly and punctually; to
render our National Government a Bless
ing to all tho People by constantly being
a Government or wise, Just, and Consti
tutional Laws, directly and fnlthfully ex
ecuted and obeyed; to protect nnd guldo
all Sovereigns and nations (ebieclally
looked upon as the first national
Thanksgiving day, and the one ap
pointed by Washington as the first
after the establishment of the gov
ernment. In regard to the Conti
nental celebration, Congress passed
the following resolution: "mat a
committee of three be appointed to
prepare a recommendation to the
several states to set apart a day for
thanksgiving for the signal success
lately obtained over the enemies of
these United Stntes."
Of the very first Thanksgiving on
our shores there is no formal procla
mation extant, although we have val
uable records which tell us how that
day was kept. Long, long ngo, about
280 years ago, Plymouth's ancient
(book) of Lawes decreed that "it be in
the Power of the Governor to com
mand solemn days of humilincon by
fasting and also for thanksgiving as
occasion shall be offered." Gov.
Bradford, in 1021, exercised this pow
er by appointing a day for Thanks
giving, and this was the very first
American Thanksgiving, the Harvest
Festival of Xew Kngland. It is inter
estingly described in a letter written
by Edward Wltislow, doted December
U, 1021:
"You ihall understand that, In this lit
tie time that a few of us have been here,
wo have built seven dwelling-houses and
four for tho use of tho plantation and have
made preparation for divers others.
"We set the last spring some 20 acres of
Indian corn, and sowed somo six acres
of barley and pease: and according to the
manner of the Indians we manured our
ground with herrings, or rather shads,
which we have in great abundance, and
take with great case at our doors. Our
corn did prove well; and God be praised,
wo had a good Increaso of Indian corn,
and our barley indifferent good, but our
pease not worth the gathering, for we
feared they wcro too late sown. They
eaino up very lato and blossomed; but
the sun parched them in the blossom.
"Our harvest being gotten In, tho gov
ernor sent four men on fowling, so that
we might, aftar a special manner, re
joice together kftcr. wo had gathered tho
iruu ot our labors, xncy four in one
dny killed as much fowl ns, with a llttlo
help besides, served the company almost
a week. At which time, amongst other
recreations, we exercised our arms, many
of the Indians coming amongst us, nnd
among the rest their greatest king, Mas
easoyt, with somo 90 men, whom for three
days wo entertained und feasted; and they
went out und killed live deer, which they
brought to tho plantation, nnd bestowed
on our governor and upon the captain and
others. And although It be not always
plentlfyl as It was at this time with us,
yet by the goodness of God we aro so fur
from want, that wo often wish you part
ners of our plenty."
We believe that first Thanksgiving
scene was one worthy the painter's
brush, one worthy handing down to
admiring posterity. That little band
of white folk on the stern New Eng
land shore, together with the friend
ly savages partaking of tho au
tumnal bounty. We should like to
have looked upon the demure maid
ens and sober wives passing amongst
them the smoking platters, heaped
high with golden Indian corn and the
ilesh the hunters had brought in
from the chase. Venison and fowl
appeared to have been the chief
dishes at that first Thanksgiving
feast. It would not be out of tile
way, I trust, to suppose the fowl was
wild turkey.
The old Plymouth laws further re
fer to Thanksgiving and its observ
ance, thus: "It is enacted thnt none
shall prsume to attend servill works
or labour or attend any sports on
such days ns shnl be appointed by tho
Court 1)3' humiliation by fasting and
prayer or for publieke Thanksgiving
on penalty of five shillings."
A penalty of five shillings if one
failed to observe Thanksgiving Dnyt
Those old Puritans were about as in
tolerant ns the masters they hnd iled,
it would seem, in matters both secu
lar and spiritual. But, come to think
of it, all matters were to them, in the
final analysis, of spiritual concern.
If everybody was forced to be thank
ful, willy nuly, it was because the
old Fathers thought every one ought
to be thankful. And, to-dny, though
no fine is imposed if we neglect to
keep the day, still we feel somewhat
churlish if we do not lay down ac
customed toll, betake ourselves to
Divine service, and later to the feast
ing that for so many, many years
has followed the religious rites.
What a contrast their Puritan
Thanksgiving and ours of to-day.
The Prisclllas, with their demure
faces looking out from the encircling
hoods, walking sedately to meeting
beside the erect, dignified John
Aldens. No gay, roistering, chrys
anthemum - and - streamer-bedecked
girls and men jostling each other
I on the way to the football game. No,
life was a very serious business then,
and holidays were observed seriously,
plensures taken sadly.
For two centuries Thanksgiving
Day was a peculiarity of the Eastern
States. Now, that the great middle west
and west are peopled by men and wom
en of eastern extraction, and now when
the south hns outlived much of the
old reluctance toward tlje adoption of
anything with the Puritan mark on
it, we find we have indeed a national
Thanksgiving Day, a much nnd wide
loved holiday. In 1001, from Alaska
to our wee possessions in the South
Seas, from the Bay of Fundy to Ma
nila, Thanksgiving bells will call
American citizens to places of wor
ship, and Thanksgiving dinner gongs
will call them to feasts of good cheer.
Men of divers races and divers col
ors will take part in our great Har
vest Festival, whose first observance
dates back almost 300 years.
i.
-?, H-
H Wise Tunrkey
1
MOW this turkey lived In a wlldwood glen,
' He was fat, and smooth, and sleek;
He had ne'er borne love for the haunts of men,
But he loved tho little creek;
Yes, he loved the creek
And its water's play,
And the forest's leafy shade,
He was king of the chaso,
And lord of tho place,
Where the speckled eggs were laid.
Tfr
TN the turkey tongue of his elder kin,
A He had heard of the day of thanks,
And he hurried away as it wandered In,
To tho creek's secluded banks.
And there on tho banks
Of the little creek,
He thought with his thinking brain:
" I'm a gobbler now,
And one I trow,
Forever 1 will remain I"
9
CO he squat him down on a slippery log
- That passed through the waters slow,
And he said, while his-wattles wcro all agog,
" It's a risky thing, but all the same, you bet
your life I go." ,
And he made a sail,
A tall-spread sail,
That carried him on and on,
To the land of the leal,
And the turkey's weal.
Where other good turks had gona.
" .
a- ft-
n ND all of the turks that stayed behind,
" In the leafy wlldwood glen,
Were caught by the men who wero much Inclined
To render thanks, and then
Their heads wero cut off, their bodies filled,
Yes, With sage were their bodies filled,
And they helped give thanks
While the bells did peal,
But one gobbler was safe In tho land of the leal,
For he'd left the little creek's banks.
W. H. FREEMAN.
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God Guard Columbia
A New National Hymn Suitable for Popular nnd General
Worship on Such Occasions as Thanksgiving.
By REV. HENRY C. McCOOK, D.D., AND GEORGE BALCH NEVIN.
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332S3$Sfj22$ak3Ef& fH2Ell
OUR iNTEfAIi COJVUVIERCE.
In flany Respects It is the most Hem&fkablc in the H.stony
of the Country.
The internal eommerce of the
United States during the first three
quarters of the commercial year is
in many respects the most remark
able in the history of the country's
internal trade, while in some fea
tures there is a decline from the
high tide of activity for the corre
sponding period of a year or two ago.
Tho monthly summary of the treas
ury bureau of statistics reports that
the trunk-line movement of Hour
from Chicago points during four
weeks of September renehed an aver
age of 00,842 barrels. For the first
time in the year one week's grain
movement fell below 1,000,000 bush
els. The provision trade shows the
highest weekly average of the year,
being 31,190 tons per week.
At the five chief live stock markets
in the' west the receipts for nine
months ending September 30, were
5,230,355 cattle, 13,113,001) hogs, and
5,331,155 sheep, aggregating 23,081, ISO
head of these three kinds, compared
with 22,230,071' head for the like pe
riod of 1000.
Chicago received 213,118 cars of the
live kinds of stock, compared with
200,403 cars for the first nine months
of 1000. Kansas City's arrivals of
both cattle and hogs were larger than
for the previous year to September
30t Omaha's packing industries con
sumed 2,081,431 head of cattle, hogs
and felieej), against 2,500,0(S2 head last
year to September 30. The corre
sponding ilgures for St. Joseph are
2,020,400 head and 1.5S0.S01. .Nine
months' receipts at St. Louis in 1001
were 2,003,045 and 2,010,052 head for
1000.
TUey Cordially Airreed.
"Yes, fcir, the newspapers of this
country by their extended publication
of sensational crimes and incidents
are doing an incalculable amount of
injury."
"That's right. The people shouldn't
be permitted to read such details.
The less they know about crime and
criminals the better."
"I entirely agree with you. May
I iibIc the nature of your business?"
"I'm a green goods man."
"And I am a dealer in gold bricks.
Shake." Cleveland Plain Dealer.
'I'lioxf KooIInIi Uut'Btlona!
Benevolent Old Lady How old are
you, sir?
The Youngster Thirty-five.
lienevolent 0:d Lady Bachelor?
The Youngster Alas, j es.
Benevolent Old Lady Ah, too bad.
How Ion? X. y. Times.
What time the clouds of woe
Hung o'er us dark and low,
Thou, Lord, wast near.
Still be our Stair and Stay;
Hear Thou Thy People pray:
God Guard Columbia,
Our Country dear!
Hold in Thy Mighty Hand
Our troops by sea and land,
Jn fort and field I
Give them to do and dare;
In days of danger upare,
And guard them by Thy cure
O God, our Shield!
Lord God of land and wave,
The sovereign Peopli; save!
On Thee they wait!
Do Thou perpetuute
Thy glory in the State!
Save our Chief Magistrate!
God save the State!
The authors of the above hymn have
no desire to replace our beloved
"America" in the liearth of the Amer
ican people. Nor could they do so if
they wished, for it has a place in our
history nlmost as sacred to us as that
occupied by "Old Glory" itself.
But they do beliee, and with rea
son, that the time has come when
there is room for another national
hymn; that a time has come when,
with our broadened boundaries, our
expanding commerce, our enlarged
sphere in the alTairs of the world,
there should be another national
hymn, perhaps of secondary impor
tance, that should give recognition to
the American army and navy, to tlur
chief magistrate oT the nation, to tho
heroic services of those who pur
chased our liberty, and the times of
national calamity which have some
times befallen us. They believe that,,
like "America," such n hymn should,
contain the elements of popular and
general worship, suited to the needs
of great';p'inllc gatherings at times, pf
national thanksgiving and rejoicing,
and these conditions iye believe "God
Guard Columbiu" meets.
,
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