The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-12-08
BEL AIR, MD FRIDAY MORNING. DECEMBER 8, 1866.
A Thanksgiving Difficulty.

The people are accustomed to tho an
nuai inhlctlon OF thanksgiving proclama.
lions about this season of the year. 1t is
an excellent custom. 1t gives officials an
opportunity to exercise their rhetorical
power and religious fervorence, cramped
and subdued by their onerous duties dur.
ing the rest of the year. Gov. Anderson
has discharged his pious battery with more
than usal labor, if not with unusual effect.
he Is quite positive that the people ought
to be thankful for multiplicity of bless
lngs which they never before possessed
But we shall not discuss the proclamation
as literary performance. President
johnson has appointed the first Thursday
IN December as day of thanksgiving !;
Governor Anderson has appointed the last
Thursday IN November as an appropriate
season for similar demonstrations. Wheth.
er our blessings have been SO numerous
and 80 great as to require two days to pay
them off with thanks, or whether there is
occasion for special thanks for State bless
ings one day, aud National blessings on
another, we have not been informed; but
that two royal potentatos should conflict
upon matter of ceremony must be ex-
tremely affecting to the ultra patriotic. -
In China and Japan difference in rela-
ton to ceremony is regarded as good cause
for hdr' Kari; the most sensitive party to
the dispute generally retires and dis
embvwels himself with the official wea.
pom; but We have improved upon the
eelestials, in this respect, and nothing so
deplorable need be feared.
In case, however, of man being too
poor to celebrate both days in an appro-
PIRATE manner, to which shall he give the
preference? To the day appointed by the
President of the United States or that de.
signatcd by the Governor of Ohio? Is Ohio
as great as the Union /? or are they equals
10 which is allegiance first due? To a
man impressed with the Importance of
ceremony and inspired by desire to be
strictly correct in his loyalty and his OBJ
servance of respect to the conflicting pow
ers that be, these are perplexing questions
The issuance of thanksgiving proclama-
tion should be regarded as the exercise of
sovereign right. We know Governor
Anderson hates the name of State soveign-
ty, and repudiates the odious hercsy of
State Rights; still he must admit that
when Whitfield down to fine point, he
has no right, under bis own theory and
the rules Of ceremony, to fly into the face
of the sovereign and supreme authority by
appointing different day from that pre-
viously designated by The President
for the celebration of Thanksgiving
Very serious misgivings (instead of
thanksgisings) afflicts the loyal upon
these points, and there is grave necessi-
ty for the PRONUNCIATION Of another procla-
nation, stating explicitly which will be re-
coguized as the highest standard of loyal.
ty-the observance of the Presidents or
the Governors thanksgiving day. BY
celebrating both with equal reverence and
zeal there will be an indirect encourage
ment of the reasonable idea that the State
governments are the equals of the Federal
Governments thing which no loyal pa.
triot can contemplate with patience the
celebration Of the Governors day will be
an offence to "the government )" while to
celebrate the Presidents day, and ignore
that of the Governor, will be an outrage
upon the loyal Executive of Ohio. We
can gee no other way for the strictly 10y
al to avoid the perplcxiug difficulty than
to adopt the policy of the jackass that
starved between two stacks of hay, and re.
move all cause of compliant by fasting and
praying for their multitudinous transgres.
sions upon both days Crisis, Of Coluns-
bus, Ohio.