Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-12-01
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 26.
THANKSGIVING.

THANKSGIVING.
Editor Rutland Herald Thanksgiving
has past, the first ever observed in Wash
ington as a legal holiday. Early l awok'
that morning with mind filled with scene
of other days, and at the usual hour be
took me TO the Congregational church OF
Tenth and G. streets, hoping as this i
composed largely of Yankees and has
live Yankee pastor, to get good ole
fashioned Thanksgiving sermon, full o
devout gratitude for the mercies of thu
year. AS was walking up Pennsylvania
avenue found my friend Petro standing
upon the street. He told me that he hat
just read in paper that the Governor o
Connecticut had non -concurred with tn,
Presidents appointment, and that Their,
would be no Thanksgiving in that Stat
on account of the total failure of thu
pumpkin crop this year, and he asked MI
what was the point Of that joke. ex
planned it's meaning SO as to convince him
that its application was purely local, al
also the origin of observance of the day
and invited him to church. Now he il
about as much churchman as Yankee, and
ought not to be accused of prediction in
either direction. He is a queer soul,
wish I could tell you more of him.
By dint of much urging l dragged him
along with me. The regular pastor was
away and the desk was supplied by g
fresh importation from n. Fl. The speaker
took occasion to give a denominational
discourse in which our national freedom
and Congregationalism were set forth
as sort of Siamesed twin offsprings of puri
tanism, drawing severe comparisons upon
other denominations, such as the modern
papacy of the Episcopal. The iron
chested communion of the Baptist. the
Iron wheel" of Methodism, ETC. For all
of these l knew that Petro had no particu.
lar love, and did not think him sufficient.
ly posted to notice that humble gratitude
was not the burden of the discourse. AS
we past ont asked show do you like the
sermon 2"
Very appropriate TO the occasion I
shonld say-full of Thanksgiving, Il
thought had convert, but didn't just
see how he applied it,
How so ?
Why, the sermon is embodied IN a
single passage of scripture that I have
heard Of
What is. the passage to which you
refer ?
"Lord thank the that I am not like
everybody else," cor something to that
effect
A grave silence followed. gave up
trying to impress him with Puritanism.
We were then crossing the street, where
upon the other square stands st. Mat
thews Catholic Church. All of the Ca
tholic community had turned out to give
welcome to Archbishop Spalding, who
had been invited here by the various So
oieties of this city and Baltimore, upon
his return from Rome, where he has
made himself conspicuous by advocating
the dogma of Infallibility in the Ecu
menioal Council The streets were choked
for squares around by the crowd. Mar
shals in gay attire, and chariots of great
pretentions, common carriages, and pc
destrians all formining an immense pa
geant. Turning to me Petro broke the
silence by asking SIS Puritanism any
thing like Catholicism ?"
Not in the least, in fact they may be
said to be the poles Of the great religious
world. Why do 20 ask that
SWELL, can't see why they should
take your Thanksgiving day to fire their
big gun on"
This was thrust under the fifth rib.
My only way out of it was to make it a
matter of fact, SO explained to him with
all honesty, that they probably selected
this day because of its being a general
holiday, when people could leave their
business.
/ tried to tempt him home to dinner by
picturing to him the real Yankee pudding
and pumpkin pie Ia Vermont, which
awaited me, but he was immovable, and
had he come he would doubtless have lost
respect for his friend when he saw the
folding doors opened, the piano rolled
back and all hands, big and little, indulg-
ing in the old-time diversion, 'Blindman's
Buff I have known this man for three
years, and to me he is the unfathomable
mystery Of Washington.
GEN. BUTLER's SPEECH.
Gen. Buffers speech upon our foreign