The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-18


ut the present day. ana to the annual day OF Thanks,
givinR the United States. Tins fact Is rendered
necessary, by tie text OF the yearly procamations
OF the Governors OF the States, assigning day OF
sgnea ior nationa day Of THANKSGIVING by Presi-
dent Grant In his proclamation OF the 9TH day OF
October 1859, which he states IN compact an0 terse
TIE year which now drawing close has been free
from estence health as prevailed Throughout: the land
and manufacture have successfully prosecuted their
has na a wes and
prevailed it's blessings have advanced every interest q
resorsd are obserans tho marks
ana 1 ss Sesr
inhahiant Of the land soil trod BY none but
The Supreme XsSor ' FROM Which such
ow o. tass gratitude and their 70 render
the continuance or Gods mercies.
And the proclamation Of the Governors OF States,
appointing the same day, the 18th day OF November,
as day OF thanksgiving for all these blessings and
'devoutly to implore the continuance Of Gods
mercies," are OF the same tenor and to the same
effect, ana vary only form and language as indi-
viuai taste or higher or less degree or literary
accomplishment may have influenced the writer.
But II shows that what caused the Divine command
ment Of Holy WRIT "tnat thou shalt observe
the 1east OF the ingaiherlng a. the years end,' IS
still potent In the heart aud mind or man. Yet
as tunes have changed. the causes for which we
have to render thanks have multiplied. II Is no
alone for which we praise the goodness or the
Omnipotent, Mankind, with its progressive clvill-
y,
accomplish. ana to have been able to do SO under
benign Providence Is not the least among the causes
inspiring thankfulness.
IN the United states the custom Of designating an
ally certain day IN the monta OF November as .
d. OF general thanksgiving is, If memory be not at
Iallt, OF New England growth. II was Introduced
by the sterniy deyout Puritans and for long while
the observance of the day partook largely OF the
cetic character OF Puritansm Gradually, as the
word advanced and more liberal IDEAS crept even
into tue rigorous system OF the Purtans the day OF
Thanksgiving changed more ana more into day on
QcVOt'
the shrine OF Divinity was intetmin2ed q festive
gathering OF friends ana Kindred and tue Inevitable
pumpkin PIE" assumed certain degree or import
| ance rs necessary ornament Of the table ana an
| unavoidable part OF the 'ieast." ihs innovation
once securely and permanently established II was
not long that by the side Of the ''pumpkin pieo
came the turkey" the only bird OF all tine eatnery
dinner tables Just in the Catholic States OF South
Germany, on ST. Martins day, the 18th OF November
no devout churchman would be without his roast
| goose Tor dinner.
From New England the custom OF having
Thanksgiving Day every year spread over the other
| States and annually the procamations or Gov
errors appeared to that effect. There was pro-
vision OF law for it, but the Governors obedent to
| the religious impulses OF themselves and the peo-
pie, ana following a custom already established IN
other States, did 1t or their accord, ana the
| people cheerGuliy carried out The gubernat0rlal
Recommendation. 1t is hardly more than about ten
or twelve years that many or the States these
annual proclanatlons OF the Governors were at last
gwen the effect OF law, by providing by special
Legislative enactments That the day designated Tor
day OF thanksgiving shall be considered legal holt
And 1t Is only about the same number OF years.
and probably less that tue Presidents OF the Unlied
states ever thought OF issuing thanksgiving proc
lamatlon The cause why this was done lay i'll the
TACT THAT the Governor OF each state appointed day
oua ~ 70 ls own ,naCy was 'nongs ut
objects OF the feast Ii the same day be observed by
Oil the people IN every state throughout the Union
aud IL was reasoned that II the President appointed
Il day and recommended the ''good peopen OF the
country to devote it to the rendering Of thanks to
God for his merciul protection and succor, the Gov
efnors oil the states would name the same day for
the same object and then the desired purpose Of
having general day Of the "feast or ineatheringn
would al once be gained. This superstition was cor
rect, and we now have the yearly Presidential proc
lanatlon, followed by those OF the Governors OF
states and Mayors OF Cities all naming the same day
with the President.
At present the observance OF Thanksgiving Day
has lost much, II not ALL OF the asceiicsm Of Puri.
tanic New England OF the last century. Although
the religious rites and devotional exercises the
churches are not neglected, although The ministers
every and all denominations preach their sermons
with the same fervor and more or less erudtlon and
suned more conviylal aarb. Mention ms already
been made OF the conNical pumpkin pie of the New
Highlander and OF the roast TURKEY, which, on this
day, ut the present tlme IL never missed from The
table OF any family not too poor to afford it, But the
day has expanded to widely difrerent significance
from that 1t had OF Oh. LIS not
conviviallty alone. not commanding alone
which It Is sought 70 Crafty on this
come the day specially devoted to reunion or the
family OF kinfolk and relations, around the dinner
table, ana 1t Is known that thousands shrink not
from journey OF hundreds OF miles 10 spend
thanksgiving Day. among the familiar scenes OF
youth with 1.-THE old folks a homen Friends often
separated from each other the rest OF the year. gather
together over festive meal, enlivened by a jovia
bumper. Young men who have been paying their
invited, II they be agreeable to the parents, to join
me Thanksgiving dinner and Tor that day at
dis s obtains ans mot not only "a among iho s.1's In anu
ent circumstances, 1t has even entered the houses
and tenements OF the less favored OF the workngmen
and the poorer classes generally. And II may be
said without doing any violence TO the truth that
often, aye, very Often the dinner table on Thanks.
giving Day IN the lowly habltations or the brawny
and true hearted workngman Is graced with more
manliness. more true human feeling, with hearts
Providence OF friendship Tor ones kindred than
the a!lded palaces OF the rich. Such invitations OF
the less wealthy to their friends might wen be given
In the words OF Tom Moore changing but one 70
make the application perfect
Though humble the banquet to which invite thee
na % s e
And Love serve the feast with his willing hand.
1t is written in the Book Of Books, Levltcas xiii.
29, 3o-"And when you win offer sacrifice OF
thanksgiving unto the Lord offer 1t ct your own will.
ON the same Gay IT shall be eaten up; ye shall leave
indeed a command, which deserves strict aud literal
observance. The sacrifice OF thanksgiving now
eaten up on the same day and none OF it shall be
left until tomorrow. And 1t would betoken nm
almost criminal want OF faith IN the religious srdor
and sincerity OF the people to doubt that this CON-
mand will be generally obeyed, and That little or
none OF the pumpkin pastry nor OF turkey VIII be left
ia Cana Of Galilee. turned water into wine and
INTO good wine at thar, as the 'Governor''
declared 1t to be tSt. John H., to l0l II
may be assumed as true that, temperance agitators
and total abstinence societies to the contrary not
wIthstandinR, most OF the Thanksgiving feasts TO-
day viii be literally provided with this gift OF
Heaven, specially promised TO man as a reconipense
for piety aud observation-disclosures the Lord with thy
substance and with the first fruits Of all thine IN
crease stall thy barns be filed with plen.y and
thy presses shall burst ont with new wine. n-Pro-
verbs ill.,, o, TO- And many q banaueting
hall In tins city ana country to-day may suit the de-
scripton by the enamored feramorz:
The board vas spread with fruits and WING.
Wines too, of every cline and hue
Around their liquid lustre threw;
Amber Rosolli-the bright dew
From vineyards of the green sea gushing:
4 nd shlraz winc that richly
As IL that jewell large and rare,
The ruby TOR which kubai Khan
on'er'd a ciy's wealth blusAina,
Melted within the gobiets there
Although the modern supply comes either from
"sunliv France or the vine clad hils OF The Rune