The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-05 00:00:00

AMERICAN THANKSGIVING DAY.

A day of general thanksgiving set apart by the
head of the nation, to be observed throughout the
United States, is a very happy and pleasant„' but
purely American custom. It has grown into a
solemn national festival. A morning for prayer ;
an evening for festivity and family reunions. The
habit of old was for the Governors of States, each
within his own limits, to decide on and proclaim
this day. One of the instances of the tendency
of centralisation of power in the Union, is shown in
the fact that this national holyday is now pro-
claimed by the President, and held at the same
time, wherever a few Americans can meet and
spread above them the dear flag of the Stars and
Stripes. Americans are fondly attached to this
custom, for it is their own—grown up among them-
selves, and derived from no foreign land. They
meet to give thanks for the blessings they have
received during the past year--for the fruits of the
earth gathered into their barns—and to pray for a
continuation of the blessings with which the
Great Ruler of the universe has so bounti-
fully favoured them. It would have been sur-
prising had such a day as this passed
over in London without being observed in
some public manner by the American residents ;
in such a manner, indeed, as would enable the pass-
ing stream to meet their countrymen at the festive
board. It was announced in our columns that the
Langham Hotel would open its grand saloon, and
arrangements be made for the accommodation of
some eighty guests, under the skilful management
of Colonel Sanderson. In the absence of the United
States Minister, Mr. Morse, the Consul, presided.
He was supported on the right by the young and
gallant General Ames, and on his left by the Rev.
C. W. Denison. Mr. Curtiss and Colonel San-
derson filled the other prominent places at the table.
Several ladies graced the entertainment. Amongst
those present were the following :—General Ames,
of the United States army ; G. A. Smith, banker,
London; W. W. Clarke, Mrs. Clarke, and
Miss H. Lilla Clarke, of New York ; Mr. Jacot,
banker, New York ; Van Prague, shipping agent,
Boston, U.S. ; Rev. Dr. Denison, Philadelphia ;
Colonel Sanderson, United States army, &c.
Colonel Sanderson, the manager of the Lang-
ham, furnished his largest and most elegant room
for the occasion, which was handsomely decorated
with the American and English flags, and portraits
of distinguished citizens of both countries. The
dinner was all that the taste of any one could
desire, embracing several dishes peculiar to
the cuisine of the United States. There were
forty-four ladies and gentlemen present. The
thanksgiving invocation was offered by the Rev.
Charles W. Denison. The proclamation of the
President of the United States, appointing the day,
was read by Mr. Edward Curtiss. After an ample
discussion of the good things provided so abun-
dantly by our host of the Langham,
Mr. MonsE rose and gave a brief sketch of the
history of Thanksgiving in America, and showed
some of the many causes that exist for national
thankfulness in that country. There was no day
among all the holidays observed by the Americans
which brought back so many pleasant recollections
as this one. At this hour thousands upon thousands
of Americans were gathered around the festive
board all through the United States, and he begged
to propose, as their first toast on this occasion, " The
American National Thanksgiving Day." (Cheers.)
The Rev. Mr. DENISON, in replying to the toast,
said this day was one of the national holidays of
the United States. Their banks were closed, busi-
ness was suspended, and men retired from the busy
walks of commerce, and met their families around
the family board. As Americans they might re-
joice that they were permitted to assemble on such
an occasion as this. If they could not celebrate
their thanksgiving day at their homes in America,
the next best thing they could do was to celebrate
it at the Langham Hotel, in London. (Laughter
and cheers.) It was right and proper that the
Americans in London should celebrate this day,
because there were so many ties in common be-
tween England and America that they could not
afford to be envious. They had many sympathies
that should unite their hands and hearts toge-
ther, and love should be the cement. Let them
express a hope that those who celebrated
this thanksgiving in England, while not for-
getting their homes in America would experi-
ence a new joy as they took the hand of new
friends here assembled. (Loud cheers.) There
are many reasons, said the reverend gentle-
man, why the people of the American Union should
be especially thankful at the present time. They
should not only be thankful for the great blessings
conferred on them by the increased bounties of the
season, but, above all, for the glorious peace which
had resulted in the restoration of the Union on a
just and permanent basis. They should be thank-
ful for the complete abolition of slavery in America
—that the last fetter is broken, the last bond shat-
tered, and the last captive forever free. They snouisi
be thankful that there is such a wide-spread deter-
mination among the American people to do unto
others as they would that others should do
unto them, by providing the emancipated
of their number with fair wages, and with the bless-
ings of religion, education, and civil rights. Surely
these are causes for devout thanksgiving. We feel
them here in a foreign land as our brethren do at
home. By a reference to the difference of time, we
may readily call to mind the position of those who
are participating in the pleasures of this day on the
other side of the Atlantic. Could we speak to them
at this moment, and could they respond to us
through the cable, what pleasant scenes would they
describe to us as we sit at these tables ! The gather-
ing of the clans, the coming together of kindred
hearts at the dear old household hearth, in some
cases from distances of hundreds of miles ; the
music of the happy parties as they follow the jingling
sleigh bells over the glistening snow ; the smoking
viands on the boards of the poor, that the hand of
benevolence has filled it to overflowing, the words
of welcome, of praise, and prayer that sound on
everyside ; all these unite to make America a pros-
perous and a thankful land. 0 that she may do
all she can to make other lands as free and happy
as she is, on this our National Thanksgiving Day !
This speech was followed by "Yankee Doodle,"
performed by Mr. HARRY SANDERSON on the
piano.

The ClininmAN proposed what he termed the
next dearest toast to all Americans, which was,
" Their own dear country." (Cheers.) What a
vast change had come over that land during the
last four or five years! A great war had been
brought to a conclusion, and the most gigantic
system of slavery which ever darkened the earth
had been overthrown. (Cheers.) And further,
an undertaking which had been attempted several
times had at last been successful, and America and
England were now united by the Atlantic Cable.
(Cheers.) It would be out of place for him in an
assembly of this character to point out the vast re-
sources of America ; though, for the information of
any Englishman who did not know it, he might say, in
proof of the great extent of the country, that a man
might get on the steamboat at New Orleans, and
travel 5,000 miles on the same river. (Hear, hear.)
And a vast portion of the country through
which they would thus travel contained gold, silver,
lead, and iron, and, in fact, all the riches which the
earth could afford. The valley of the Mississippi,
with its tributaries alone, furnished 30,000 miles
of navigable water. This would give them some
idea of the extent of America, to which all the
Americans present, no doubt, hoped to return at no
distant date.

A performance of " Hail, Columbia," on the harp,
by Mr. T. H. Wright and Mr. Harry Sanderson,
accompanied this toast.

Toasts were given to the President and Congress
of the United States, the Queen, International
Amity between England and America, the Army
and Navy of the Union, the Press, and the Ladies.
In response to that on amity between the two
nations, speeches were made by GERARD RALSTON,
Esq., Consul for Liberia, and Dr. JAMES EDMUNDS,
of London. Both these gentlemen spoke effectively
and were received with applause. Colonel Muter
of the Anglo-American Times, was called out in
response to the Press, but declined making a speech,