Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-12-04
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP
DEFERRED ARTICLEs,I

DEFENeE OF THANKSGIVING DAY-Belov.
the reader will find a defence of THANKSGIVING
day from the pen Of an unknown lady CORES.
pondsnt, with whom we are unwilling to enter
into theological disputation, rs she virtually
proposes. We are no admirers of Law contro-
vsrsies upon religious subjects, and more ss-
Peeially on the part OF the fair sex. We, how
ever, publish her philippe for her qualification.
Sne misrepresents US in intimating unwilling
ness on our part to having society dedicate two
whole days in the year to giving thanks to Al
mighty God for the numerous blessings by which
We are surrounded. On the contrary, we are
for the dedication Of ffty-thres of the 365 days
OF the year to that end-of every Sunday, and
Christmas day thrown in. As our fair CORES
pondent utterly ignores the fact that both by
the laws Of God and man every Sunday il set
apart for giving thanks to God for the numerous
blessings We enjoy, we greatly fear that, as ye-
hsmently pious as she evidently is with refer
snse TO forms, she is one of those not uncom.
mon inVariable church-goers, who, after SER
vice, can always tell the cut of every new bon
net and hounee that makes its appearance in
the congregation; else her Sunday thoughts
would have been in a direction forcing her to
reeoilect that not only Christmas day, but one
day in every week is dedicated, both by the
laws of God and man, Tin our midstN 10 The
purpose for which she pleads so earnestly for
the dedication of still another day. We stand
corrected as to the action of the authorities of
tne southern States she names as having recon-
msnded keeping Thanksgiving day this year
Their action in the matter, however, induces
US to believe that they entertain higher re-
gard Tor their own popularity than for the ma
terisI interests Of those they govern, on the la
boring portion Of whom they cost loss, thus. Of
perhaps millions Of dollars annually.
Is industrial phase or effect is the chief rea-
son why the observance Of Thanksgiving day
Is rePugnant to Us. 1t this year cost those in
this community, least able to bear the loss at
least twenty thousand dollars-ene half in the
consequent deduction from their wages, and
the other bali in inducing them to spend money v
unnecessarily 1t was productive of at leas t
I,VoO per eentum more absolute drunkenness
among US than occurred on the Thursday of
the preceding week; and its associations, as
Kept by considerable portion of every popu-
latIon nominslly keeping it, caused the con-
sumption of quite 1000 per csntum more ar
dent spirits in Washington City on that day
These are material facts of which our fair
correspondent, who doubtless has plethoric
bank account, luxurious parlor to sit in de-
mursly after morning service on Thanksgiving
day away out Of sight Of what goes on through
out the city, is probably unaware. Yet they
are nevertheless essentially material to be con.
sidered in coming to 4 sensible judgment upon
the problem whether it will be beneficial to So
elety to multiply the days of total cessation
from the ordinary ayOcations of business lie.
We do confess to an utter repugnance to the
adoption Of New EDgland customs here smack
ing Of the peculiar self-suficiency of New Eng
land theology, which has its he or she bishop
or pope in nearly every village, who lays down
the law Of belief upon all religious, social and
politicO-religious questions, that must be fol-
lowed implicitly by all who would not be ia
booed by the little society under his or her
virtual jurisdiction. The end on't-the result
is spiritualism rife here, world d.endism rife
thsre, Mormonism rife to the right, woman's
rightsism rife to the left; and, indeed, con.
csalsd but utter inAdelity rife everywhere.
Though the Episcopal Church in this country
has sanctioned the observance of Thanksgiving
day, its origin Is nevertheless of New Eng.
land, If We are not greatly mistaken. As that
church does not make the pretension to infal-
lbility virtually claimed by each of the he and
she bishops and pOpcs in New England-hardly
any two Of whom agree-our fair correspondent
will pardon US for limiting that her church ap-
thorities may have made Q slight mistake in
yielding to the innovation.
But We must conclude, and so beg our fair
correspondent to close her eyes to every new
bonnet and founce in church next Sunday, to
thank God earnestly on that day for the nu-
merous blessings We all enjoy, and to give lib
orally to the poor Of Washington, who were so
essentially robbed on Thursday last out of
some twenty thousand dollars Of their scanty
means Of providing bread for their hungry
families by the naturalization Of Than ksgiying
day In their midst Thus will she be doing
appropriate pensnce for the grave mistakes
she has made in forgetting that every Sunday
IS a legitimate Thanksgiving day, and in adYo-
eating the legalization Of day set apart vir-
tually for idlsness, if not extravaganza, and
dissipation among the irreligious in every
American community, "whose name is Legion. y
WASHINGTON, Nov. %, less
Editor Of ths StdE E04 appear to be under
Misunderstanding a. regards Thanksgiving Day
Tue Observance Of II is entirely d. arrenf ffoTl
Canslmas ThanksgiviHg Day is for . return
ing Of thanks foe the in-gaiherng Of the haryrsis
Tor peaes, Tor the continuance Of our glorious
Union, aad Tor ali our tsmporal blessings. Christ
mas Is devoted entiTely 10 tLanksgiying and
praise for the birth OF The babe Ia iLR manger
the appearance In cur world Of the God cL7la
Jesus Christ the gre.:sst event that has ever
happened IL Is returning thsnks for Spiritual
blessings, Thanksgiving Day for temporal One
day you suppose IL ~ cient and are not vyilliny
to give two cut Of the whole thTee hundI ed an3
sl1ty-nve exclusively to the retar2ing Of thanks
% ths Givsr Of all good
f0H say the luth0ritipS througho,, 81. sor,A
have refused 70 4" lend the weight OF their conn
tenanee u the innovation 4" Tue RIItimor. an,
OF Tuesdsy, twenty third (and I suppose II rs
corTect) mentioning the States olJss. VIM tI,ix
day, the twenty rftn, a. Thanksgiving day Las
Delaware, Maryland, Moth and Sos,h Carolina
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, FLORIDA, Ken
tGeky, Tennessee, Missourf, and Texas, sman1
the Humoer The Governor Of Louisiana has
appointed December sixteenth as ThaaksgIyipy
day In thai state. Arkaosas and yir0inia IA