The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-11-19
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDA Y. MEMBER 10.
TIL an1SSGiYInE - office.
W.suINGrnS- Oct. Ell rs

WASHINGTON. Oct. Sd, 1868.
"The President has issued proclamation, inviting his fellow
citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who
and observe the last Thursday of November as Il day Of thanks
giving ami prayer"
Being a representative of the United States Gov
eminent in His Majesty's Kingdom, l would hereby
respectfully request all American citizens within the
limits of this kingdom, residing or being on any of
the Hawaiian Islands, and all those of other nation
alities who sympathize with them, 10 set apart the
day above specified by the President. as a day Of
Thanksgiving and prayer. That the people of each
locality meet ut their usual places of worship or such
other place as may be agreed on by the people.
SeafarIng men are especially requested TO refrain
from ordinary labor and recreations on that day,
and 10 unite in the services as requested by the Pres
ident. remembering the highly honorable eulogy on
sailors by Mr.. Lincoln, in which he says in sub
stance, that while many of the officers of the army
and navy, (too highly fed and pampered by the Gov
ment,) have turned traitors TO il, not 4 solitary sailor
has ever been known TO desert that flag which has
been his passport. his honor, his pride and his safety,
both at sea ami on land, throughout the civilized
world.
Our far famed and beloved country has never had
greater cause for graduation, JOY and thanksgiving
than at this moment. We have nearly solved the
great problem whether Americans, properly trained.
are capable of self government, and the decision is
evidently in the affirmative. | am happy also in
believing that Notwithstanding the magnitude and
wickedness of the rebellion in the United States. ii is,
in the providence of HIM, whose ways are inscruta-
BILE, instrumental in removing the cause Of it it is
its own cnre, and thus lays a foundation for perma-
Z uiI!Ou peace, anu uttlOiHtl ptuSttTIJ-
JAMES Mcbride,
U. S. Minister Resident, Honolulu.
Honolulu, Nov. 4, 1868.
No custom is more worthy of observance than
the time-honored one of annual national thanks
giving. It is the united voice of Il people,
acknowledging the sovereignty of the Ruler of
the Universe, and rendering their grateful hon.
age to him as such. 1t presupposcs It Christian
faith as its basis, while its observance is an
acknowledgment that the people uniting in it
are a Christian community.
This custom has for two hundred years been
observed in America, generally by proclamation
from the State Governors. In 1860 twenty States
held this anniversary on the last Thursday Of
November, and prior to the opening of the rebel
lion, there was Il general desire expressed by the
most influential papers in various parts of the
Union that. it should be changed from Il State
to I National Anniversary. president Lincoln
is the first S5vereign of the United States that
has given expression to the general desire of the
people, and has appointed the last Thursday in
November-the Doth instant-as Il day of ma
tional thanksgiving and praise In respond
ing to his call, and inviting American citizens
and others To observe the day, the American
lillINt IL ~ bAAbGr hNG' ARAN 'hhA VIM ~
, with a general response.
\ civil war may seem to some to be an unfit
period for national thanksgiving. But a glance
ut the history of the past two years will show
us much for which Americans have reason to be
grateful for respecting their country, even though
the rebellion may be far from crushed. When
the American people, by the only constitutional
mode provided, chose Mr.. Lincoln as their ruler,
and he was duly installed as such, the fiendish
spirit Of rebellion broke out. the sole object of
which was 70 wrest the government from the
hands in which it had Seen vested by the Consti-
tuition, and write on the Capitol at Washington
=. NlIGHT MAKES RIGHT" \ rebellion was com-
menced, the object Of which was and still is
TO trample on the Constitution, and make the
majority submit to the minority. Tho rebellion,
stripped of its outside garb, is simply a bloody
struggle between Il minority and 4 majority, as
10 which shall rule.
When the rebellion commenced, the govern
ment found itself crippled in every respect. Its
treasury was depleted, its army reduced and scat
tered, it's navy sent TO distant quarters of the
globe. from whence it could only take long
months to recall it: its ammunition, guns and
all taken off and scattered among those who
were designing its overthrow. Traitors swarmed