Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-11-24

their President, were forwarded to the
several States, and to Gems. Washington |
and Gates, the latter of whom at that |
time held the chief command in the |
Southern army. Henry Laurens, then |
President of Congress, in transmitting |
this recommendation to the Governors,
officially requested them to secure the |
adoption OF such measures as would |
cause each State TO join heartily IN the |
celebration -
The observance of the day in the main
army under Washington was particularly |
impressive. The Commandments chief |
halted his whole column, and requested |
every officer and soldier s'to attend, with |
reverence, the solemnities Of the day."
The chaplain of each brigade conducted
religious services, which wel'e fully at
tended; and thus the world vras presented |
with scene which, for moral gradeur,
has but few counterparts In history.
= THE SECOND NATIONAL THiNKsGIvING.
About year subsequent to this event,
Congress adopted similar measure, re-
commencing that Wednesday, Dec. 80,
IT'S. be set apart " to be observed as q
day of public thanksgiving and praise,
that all the people may, with united
hearts, on that day, express just sense
or Gods unmerited favors, particularly
that it has pleased Him, in His overriding
Providence, to support US IN just and
necessary war for the defense of our
rights and liberties, by affording us sea-
sonable supplies for our armies, by dis
posing the heart of powerful monarch
to enter into an alliance with US and our
cause, by defeating the counsels and evil
designs of our enemies, and giving US
victory over their troops, and by the con.
| tinuance of that Union among these
States which, by His blessing, will be
their future strength and glory"
Congress likewise set apart, as day
of national thanksgiving, Thursday, Dec.
8, 1779.
THANKSGIVING FOR THE FAILURE OF ARM
| oLD's TREASON.
On the 18th of October, 1880, Con-
gress again recommended that Thursday,
the 7th of December following, be OBJ
served as a day of Thanksgiving to Al
mighty God for the blessings with which
He had crowned the nation, more espec-
ially," as the resolution ran, Sin the late
| interposition of His watchful Providence
in rescuing the person of our Command
er-in-Chief and the army from imminent
danger, at moment when treason was
ripened for execution"
THANKSGIVING FOR THE CAPTURE OF LORD
CORVALLIS AND HIS ARMY.
Still recognizing the hand of Provi-
dence, as manifestly interfering in behalf
of the cause of independence, Congress
again recommended as day of Thanks
giving for the capture of Lord CORVALLIS
and his army, Thursday, the 18th of De-
cember, 1881.
OTHER REVOLUTIONARY TKANKsGIvINGs.
At the conclusion of the war, Congress
set apart the second Thursday of Decem-
Der, 1888, for thanksgiving, on account of
the cessation of all hostilities by sea and
land"
Thursday, October 10, 1887, was sub
sequently chosen bya committee of the
delegates of the States then assembled in
the Constitutional Convention, for re-
turning thanks for the general pacifica-
ton which then prevailed throughout the
world, and particularly on account of the
'definitive treaty of peace between the
| United States of America and his Brit
annie Majesty, whereby finishing touch
was put to the great work of peace, and
the freedom, sovereignty, and indepen-
dence of these States fully and complete
ly established"
On Thursday, November &c, 1882,
another national thanksgiving was OBJ
served, on the recommendation of Con-
gress.
THE FIRST THANKSGIVING BY PRESIDENTIAL
PROCLAMATION.
Congress being, hitherto, the supreme
executive, as well as the supreme leglsls-
tive branch of the Government, it had
fallen within its sphere to establish the
National Thanksgiving. But, during the
Presidency of Washington, the suppress
sion of the Whisky Rebellion in Western
Pennsylvania was considered by him as
an occasion which warranted a similar
observance. He therefore set apart Thurs
day, Feb. 10, 1875, as day of Thanks
giving "for the seasonsble control which
had been given to a spirit of discord, in
the suppression of the late Instruction"
THANKSGIVING FOR THE CLOSE OF THE WAR
OF 1912.
The close of the second war with Great
Britain was also recognized by the ma
tional authorities as an appropriate occa-
sion for the return of thanks by the en-
tire nation. President Madison, there
fore, by request of Congress, set apart
the second Thursday in April, 1916, as a
day of thanksgiving, ''more especially
for the restoration of the blessings of
peace"
SINCE THEN.
From that date up to the outbreak of |
the late Southern rebellion, we be-
lieve there were no regular Thanks |
giving days recommended by national
authority. The nation, at times, was |
called upon to engage in fasting and
prayer for the ayerting of threatened |
disasters.
During this interval some of the States, |
especially in New England, observed
yearly Thanksgiving by proclamations |
in each particular Commonwealth, but |
the day was not universally kept until the |
breaking out of our late civil war. From |
that time to this the President has con-
tinued uninterruptedly to appoint by proc
lamation an annual Thanksgiving, which |
has been cordially seconded by the Gov
errors of the several States.
This, then, is our Thanksgiving Day.
1t possesses this year double signific
ance. 1t is both the national and State
Thanksgiving, President Grant having set
it apart for all the States and Governor
Senter proclaimed it for Tennessee. From
the golden gates of California to the
waters of the Chesapeake Bay, our peo-
pie are invited by their Chief Executive
to return thanks to God for all his mer-
cies and bounties, and our Governor in
vites US to do the same. Let US do so
sincerely and cordially, and in the hope
that the next annual Thanksgiving may
find US happy and prosperous as a nation,
as States and as people.
CONFEDERATION.
The Warren House, In McNIinnville,
EvrN gruEv