Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-11-29
Watchman 6 Journal.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 90, lS7i.
TERNs-s2oo per year, strictly in advance OF t4.n
Il not paid within three months.
Thanksgiving

The annual recurrence Of this Festival re-
minds US Of the reasons VIC have for grateful.
ness We thank the Governor Of the State,
in the first place for giving us a sensible proc
nmation. It is nothing else And for this
we are deyoutly grateful There is no SER
mon put into the belly OF the proclamation
There is no fue writing or attempt at it, even
though the Governor can write as well as
any Of his predecessors. There is no disposit
ion to make our gratitude run in the grooves
Of his own feelings nor any attempt to com
mend any special forms or reasons Of thank.
fulness He simply calls US to the Festival,
rings the bell for dinner, and permits each
one his own practical mode Of expressing his
JOY and also allows him to decide what spec
ial blessing he has occasion to acknowledge.
Many minister and many congregation
will thank God on this annual Festival for a
remarkably sensible and short proclamation
In fact, we think the Governor has done
very wise thing
We have not got over our regret that the
the President should appoint this festival. 1t
was one Of the rights Of the States, which we
are not aware anything has been done to for.
felt. 1t is a matter Of serious concern with
us, that this State institution has been swal-
lowed down by the general government.
From time immemorial it has been the priv-
lege of the Governors Of the several States,
to appoint such days as they pleased. The
people who lived on the borders Of the States
could indulge in two or three Thanksgiving
and families whose members were separated,
and residents Of different States, could renew
their delightful associations around two or
three hospitabc tables. But the majesty Of
the federal government has squelched all this
interchange of Inequalities, and has snatched
from our Governors one of the pleasantest,
and most cherished functions of their magiste-
rial Office 1t seems almost farce to them 10
indulge in high sounding proclamatons, AFTER
the President has appointed the day. To abb
, stain entirely, would be a recognition of the
right Of the President thus to trample upon
the sacred prerogatiyes of the States aud to
launch forth into the splendid periods that
once ushered in the days Of our Thanksgiving
and Fasting, would seem unnecessary and su.
pcrlluous. So our Governors are in a box
To abandon procamations is to lose that
magnificent tide of gubenatorial literature
which once swept US to fast or to feast, and
to surrender their honorable and ancient priv
iegc. To issue them is to repeat, like par
rot, the song of the President, and introduce
invidous comparisons We congratulate
Governor Stewart that he has successfully
sailed through the straits, and neither struck
against Scylla, nor hit against Charybdis
He has maintained State rights and been 10y
al to the President.
We are not, however, ayerse to having
Thanksgiving become a national holiday.
While we would not put any man, or class Of
men into strait jacket, and make them to he
grateful and happy in our own way we hold
that all should have the opportunity to be
grateful and happy for their own reasons, and
according to their own wishes. Some men
are happy on roast beef aud plum pudding
Let them have them. Some prefer chicken
and turkey and pumpkin pie. Let them, too,
have their want We cannot make an Esqui.
maux grateful for what delights a Partisan
nor a South Carolinian rejoice in what a
Vermonter enjoys. Let them each 20 their
own way, and one eat the fat and another the
lean, according as it pleases him. When we
are thankful for our own mercies, we should
not try to dictate anothers' joys. What is
pleasure to one is pain to another What is
one mans sauce is another mans poison
: profound truth that we are in danger Ct for
getting every day, and that our minister
sometimes forget when they preach their oc
casional discourses on public days. 1t is
good thing for them to remember not to in
!, sist that all men shall see eye to eye, and flu,
= their pleasure or their pain in exactly tn
same things. A few years ago Prince Napo
!. leon went to Greenland and brought back
:, few Esquimaux to crafty them with trip +
Paris aud its wonderful pleasures The
. had the run of the city. All the deicacie
n of the Palais Royal were at their service
The npauad 20 tbnir -,
a They drove to the glades and waterfalls Q
3 the Bots de Boulogne they wandered alon
the Boulevards, and amused themselves i
the Champs Elysees Nothing was spare
e from the Imperial Cirque to the Mablle tina
!, the most pampered taste could desire. A
L Paris was theirs and its blaze Of pleasure
! After few days the Esquimaux fell on thei
IS knees before the Prince, clasped their hand
d, and begged for mercy. A boon Would b
r take pity on them and grant them bool
Oh, that they might be permitted to clio,
tight the shutters of their hotel, to dwell f
time in darkness, and to feed on raw fs
II and tallow.
y 1t is of no use to try to make all man eI
= Joy the same thing Those who have ie
is the bitterness of the rule of carpet bagge
aud are obliged to pay the millions upon mi
d lions of their wasteiu and Prodigal expend
7 ture will hardly find the same cause for ieas
m ing that the carpet Dagger himself does
y Brigham Young cannot contemplate this da
: with precisely the same emotion with d
D. Newman. Mems rulers and families al
N churches and tastes and circumstances diiie
N and when we commend to them day
y gratitude, it would be wise for us to let the
ID all keep it in their own way. We can gi'
~ the text, but let them make the commentai
a to suit themselves. Yet let us hope that q
:, on whom the sun Of Thanksgiving shin
a