Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-26
THANKSGIVING.
Our National Festival To-day.
Some Account OF its Origin and His
tory-HOW it is Observed In
Various Parts Of the
Country.

days; days of festivity and rejoicing.
Rome, long after her invincible eagles had
| been carried across the world and her gods
had been reared on high Olympus, gath
cred her people In the Seven Killed City
once year in honor Of its foundation.
The mountain Swiss come down into the
valleys and have annual merTy-makings
yet, in honor Of William Tell. The heroic
Scots for long years rejoieed from The Firth
to the Clyde, and made old KennilWorth
Castle resound with wild acclaim in praise
Of the deeds Of Wallace. England and
France and Spain have their days of f s.
tiyity and rejoicing. And America has its
THANKSGIVING Day-a dag for prayers and
smiles, for reunions and socialities.
ITS ORIGIN.
The annual festival Of Thanksgiving is
eminently a Puritanical institution, which
dates back for its origin to the early colon
ial days Of New England. The settlers of
that section Of our country, by the religious
prosecutions to which they were subjected
in their native land, imbibed a thorough
and uncompromising hatred of almost
every feature lOf the established mode OF
worship. The great festival Of Christmas
has from time immemOrial been the hap
piest and merriest season Of the year in
SMeFrie Old England the period to which
old and young alike have looked forward
for a brief relaxation from the labors
and cares of their daily life. So,
upon establishing themselves in the
New World, the Puritans abolished Christ
mas as relic of POpery, or prelacy, which
they held in nearly equal detestation, and
passed laws to punish its observance. But
Aorr 80 e
thought it eminently proper that there
should be set apart some particular day in
the year on which the people should mani
fest their thankfnlness to the Creator for
the crowning mercies and favors of their
lives. The latter part of November was
the period at which the chief labOrs of the
year were ended and its substantial fruits
fully garnered. It was naturally a period
Of rest and relaxation; and what time could
be more fitted than this for returning 10 an
all-merciful Providence the thanks with
which their hearts were swelling2 For
this reason ThaIkgiVing-Day was fixed at
this particular season Of the year above all
others.
II became by degrees an established in
stitutiOn Of the State, the precise day being
fixed and its faithful observance enforced
by express legislation. The time was not
uniform, however, in all the New England
States. In two Of them, we believe, it Oc-
CURED on the Thursday next preceding the
last in the month; while in the Others it
was fixed upon the last Thursday of the
month q none of the other States of the
Union, SO far as we are aware, was the sub
jet though. an appropriate one for the in
reference Of the law-making power, the
matter having been left to the churches and
the Governors of the several States 10 des-
ignate some day for the purpose. But the
observance Of the custom was far from being
universal, until since the commencement of
our late civil war.
THE UyIvERsALITY OF THANKSGIVING.
Considering the origin and early charae-
ter of this great festival, it may be a matter
of wonder TO some that it has become a
national and universal Institution. Re
stricted az first to the Puritans and their
descendants and religious adherents, it has
in the course of two centuries established
itself on firm footing in every creed. By
Catholic as we'll as by Protestant, il is now
observed in an appropriate manner, and
even the adherents Of Judaism 60 not ig-
more it. Nearly every place of Christian
worship in the Northern States is now reg
ularly opened for special religious services,
which always have particular reference TO
the day and its grand objects. And being
one of the great events ofthe year, the min
listers Of all denominations have been &C
customed to deliver for their THANKSGIVING
sermons the ablest productions of their
thought and study.
The universal prevalence Of its Observ-
anee, however, has only been gained at the
expense Of a compromise ON the part Of its
original founders. Christmas, the very
institution to supplant which it was estab-
lished, has likewise come into good repute
with the descendants of The Puritans, and
is now almost as generally observed
throughout New England as it is in Old
England, and in the other sections Of the
Union.
THE ANOMALIES OF THANKSGIVING DAY.
The festival, as originally established,
was almost distinctiveiy of a religious
character. But this was soon changed.
The occasion, even in early times, was con-
sidered an appropriate one for family re-
unioDs-a custom which has long prevailed
in New England and in other portions Of
the country. The children Of the house
hold, who have been scattered here and
LutTC w lHdL 1AAAlClAlLAA opAAAL VI
family disintegration, BY the pre-
vast extent of ou- territory been
so thoroughly settled in so short space of
time, embrace this occasion, in preference
to all others of the year, to gather around
the parental table, and there recall in So
eial converse the joys and sOrows Of by
gone days. From this custom, more than
from any other, perhaps, the modern
Thanksgiving has derived the somewhat
irreligious character which now distinctly
marks ID. Fun and frivOlity, instead OF
devotion and sObriety, are the only aspects
which il assumes to many minds. To
enable such to celebrate the event In a
manner in accordance with their tastes,
places OF amusement Of all kinds and
characters greet the denizens Of the city
with open doors.
We have thus far considered Thanks
giving Day as an institution Of the ditfer-
ent States in their individual capacity. Of
late years, hOweTer, the occasion has re-
ceived, and in all probability it will for
many years retain, national character.
THE FIRST NATIONAL THANKSGIVING
The first national Thanksgiving dates
back to the third year of our Revolutionary
War. On Friday, Oct. 81, l777, Congress
adopted the following resolution:
"ResOlyed, That committee or three be
appointed TO prepare a recommendation to
the several States 20 set apart day for
thanksgiving for the signal success lately
obtained over the enemies Of these United
States"
As Washington was then on his dreary
march to Valley Forge, it might have been
thought the rebelliOus COlOnists had but
little for which they could reasonably be
thankful. But the battles Of Trenton and
Princeton had been fought, and the enemy
held at bay, if nothing more; while at Sar-
atoga, the army of Burgoyne had surren-
dered 70 a maR. And such was the faith
of those heroic men in the righteous cause
they upheld, that even such faint glimmers
of light were viewed as heralding the COM
ing dawn So, Thursday, the 18th Of De
cember following, was set apart ''for SOL
emn Thanksgiving and praise"
BY further order Of Congress, duplicates
of this recommendation, signed by their
President, were forwarded TO the several
States. and to Generals Washington and
Gates, the latter of whom at that time held
the chief command in the Southern army.
Henry Laurens, then President Of Con-
-eress, in transmitting this Recommendation
10 the Governors, officially requested them
to secure the adoption of such measures as
would cause each State to join heartily in