Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-11-18
THANKSGIVING Day.

In no psrt of our land is the annual Thanks
giving day observed with more scrupulous ex-
actnees than 3, New England IT. is in reality
| one Of the Puritan customs. which in theselat-
ter days has almost become law unalterable.
The people now look forward to Thanksgiving
with the same enthusiasm that old countrymen
| do to Christmas President LINCOLN has, by
proclamation, designated and appointed Thurs
day the oath Of November next, as a day of
Thanksgiving and Prayer to Almighty God for
His abundant blessings to us -s people. How
unlike any previous thanksgiving in thisnation
viii the coming one be. True, there viii be
family gatherings as Of yore. The children
from the east, the west, the north and the south,
win gather around the old hearth-stone, to cheer
one another, and bind stronger the cord of domes-
tic and kindred ties But remarkable will be
the instance where family shall gather and
have no vacant chair since last they met Un-
der what solemn circumstances comes Thanks
giving Day to US in 1864 Let US indeed keep
it with religious feelings, and inthe true spirit
ofthose early New Englanders, with whom it
was the principal holiday Of the year. With
our plenty let us not forget there are those who
are in very straitened circumstances among u.s.
The word of the Lord declares, 'sthe poor shall
never cease out of the land; therefore I COM
mand thee, saying, thou shalt open thy hand
wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy
needy, in thy land. Thou shalt furnish him
literally out of thy hocks, and out of thy floor,
and out of thy wine-press; of that wherewith
the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt
give unto him. ."-DEUT. XIV. H. ID.
In this county there must be hundreds of fam
lilies, who, now since their husbands, brothers
and sons have gone to be soldiers of their coun-
try, want, absolutely need the assistance which
it is our duty TO give them. Some of them
will look in vain for the return of husband, son
brother; their protector has fallen, in the sup
port of the flag, to defend us in the enjoyment
of our homes and our competence. Is it not
our duty to share our goods with them? Had
they not stood as wall between us and our
foes, where had been our plenty? There are in
our own town soldiers widows who are daily
suffering. The sum they obtain from the coun-
ty fund will not keep them in wood and flour,
to say nothing of other necessities of life. They
must have help or go to the poor house. Can a
citizen of Sandusky county have it said that one
of our soldiers wives had to go there to keep
from starying2
We suggest that public meeting be held at
Birchard Hallon Saturday evening of this week,
to make arrangements to solicit and receive do
nations, for our soldiers widows Who is there
that will withhold his mite? Contribute as the
Lord has prosperedu us. We know these soldiers
families are suffering in our midst. Let it not
be said, to our disgrace, that we have broken
our pledge to the soldier whenhe left, that his
family should not want in his absence. Money,
produce, vegetables, fruit, wood, clothing, all
these things are needed. Let us doit before
Thanksgiving day comes, and We shall be in
better frame of mind to keep it in the true spi-
rit, and God will bless us in SO doing