The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-12-06
THANKSGIVING.

Tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 7th, 1863
is the day appointed throughout TIL
United States for general Thanksgiving
Every loyal hca:: should return thaHk'
to that God who has gu;lcl our Uuiou
safely through tee terrible Storm Of the
last four years, Cor tho rcta:a Of pcac'
add the restoration Of our Cocrtry-on
and ins~pawJi,. 70 Divine Provldcnc
and the Right, VIC owe our salvation al
a Nation, add it is nos. fitting that "
Nation, with oac accord, We SHOULD
humbly bow end Acknowledge in thanks
giving and praise the powe: ofJehorah
thcGod OF Battles, and the mercy Of Hin
who has restored 10 Us eli the blessing:
OF Peace.
Not for n single su:ccss or success
sion of successes, but for dciirerancc
from war and its terrible effects. Whc
that has witnessed is ravaGes for the
past four yoa7s will oct rrjc;ec that the
tTus;on Of blood has ceased? Who will
not rejoice that brother has ceased to wei
with brothcr-thas l:phraim has ceased
to vcx Julia, and Juda Ephraim? Who,
We ask. will not rejoice that after four
years OF carnage, tho union Of these
States has been preserved, the Govern
ment .hoso.cl, and treason properly
punished?
This Nation occupies to-day higher
place in :hc estimation ofthc world than
ever before. aud it IS because her honor
has been maintained; ard ,hi, is mat
ter Of rejoicing to every loyal heart.
It is no longcr a question, shall wo
have Union or no Union ?--shall we
survive or perish? The question is cow
answered, and in such way that VIC
will not be ashamed to tell it to cur
children. .
But re not only rejoice that the war
is ended and the nation ssyod, tut We
rejoice that more than four millions o.
our follow boinss have been freed from
tho "yosc Of bondage" This is NO
small item. These four millions of I'm
fortunate creature, were denied the
right which God has guaranteed to man
the right to be free but through His
providence the chains AMI letters have
fallen of, and now they are as free as the
water that runs. Now husband and wife
will no. be separated b. the power Of the
master. Now childrca will not DO torn
from their parents, but undc7 God ,hcy
will seek higher destiny, than to go 1t
the bidding Of the master.
Now. too, the white race in this coun-
try will be upon better terms Of friend.
skip. Heretofore, We Know, tia. intel.
liscnce i;scI! Was 70: q s.llicicnt quali6-
cation to admis Quo into tho !o.dly soci.
city Of the slarcocrat. Th. question was
not, has he moral and intellectual quail.
itications but, has he slaves? Tkaak
God. this barrier to social intercourse
is gone, auI after Ii: bones which have
been 5soSca b. lis removal shall have
healed, our social intercourse will Be
much swcctcr than ever before. It is
true, these "brokcn bones may be 4
lons time healing, but.with propcs treat
meut they will doubtless heal. Aud
now with the close Of this war, may every
discoriant note be hushcd into eternal
si!cnco, and nay the Supreme Ruler o!
al! things
Bind these Statcs-one Nation!
Firm HE'LL by IAN and love,
Tn, ea.;a's brig constellation,
(whi.c Stars shall shine abore,)
To shci true lish, en- others,
Til lish, aaI lore increase,
And oil mankind, as brothers,
Praise uira rao sivc:h Peace