The Hawaiian gazette., 1874-12-02
Thanksgiving DaY.

The significance Of this New England Festival,
day, is only felt by those whose birth or ancestry
has served TO keep alive its early associations.
The New England Puritan race did not encour-
age in its teachings gaiety of any kind. The
stern lessons in the life of the first settlers among
the savage tribes were no harder experience than
those which drove them away from their English
homes. Revolving from hierarchical forms and
tyranny, they and, until recent years, their de-
cendants scrupulously disregarded all church fes-
tivals, like Christmas, Good Friday and Easter
Their first Thanksgiving was in the autumn
of 1921, when the Plymouth colonists, under
Governor Bradford, decided in this way to cele-
brate their harvest home and recovery from
savage dangers and pestilence. They sent out
hunting party, $50 they might after a special
manner rejoice together after they had gathered
the fruit Of their labors" For three days they
entertained and Toasted themselves, as also the
Indian Chief Massasoit and ninety of his men.
1t has been fashionable since the days Of the
Jameses and the Chareses, to despise the Puritan
characteristics. But no friend of Old England or
New, who has made himself familiar with their
history, has cause to regret the results Of their
work in either country. In l645, when they for
a time controlled the English Parliament and Ar
my, English freedom was recovered and establish
ed on q sohd basis. Even Hume ascribed to the
Puritans the liberty Of England, and their influ-
ence is felt to this day. The fighting qualities of
these men we're tested in CromwelI's time, and
in the French and English wars, to say nothing
of the revolution of IT'S and the Great Rebel
lion. To show the results of their peaceful la
bors, We quote a recent historian: The econom-
ical progress Of New England has been marvel
lous. Massachusetts, of which the recent sta
tistics have been more carefully collected than
those Of any other of the six States, presents q
sufficient example. The soil Of Massachusetts is
barren, and she has no natural staple commodity
Of great value 10 the markets Of the world. Yet
at the present time, two centuries and third
from the date of her foundation, her taxable pro-
perty-exclusive of property belonging to insti-
tutions of religion, education and benevolence-
amounts to thousand million dollars Equally
divided, it would afford more than eight hundred
and eighty dollars each to every man, woman and
child within her borders. From the reserved
fruits Of the labOrs of seven generations, she
could give dollar to each Individual OF the thou
sand millions of the inhabitants of the earth, and
still have all her schools, meeting houses, town.
houses, alms-houses, gaols, and literary, beuevo-
lent and scientific institutions, as nest-egps to
begin the world anew The value of the regis
tered products Of the labor OF her people for the
year ending June l. lS55-undo falling far
short of the actual amount.-was 1926 $50 6sl."
This Puritan race may have developed the
traits of intolerance and bigotry peculiar to the
date of its origin and the stern and gloomy ways
which we're the natural results Of its early neces
sites, may have continued beyond reason or
agreeableness but it always kept its practical
belief in virtue, human freedom, industry, learning
and religion. The colouists of New England
we're loyal Englishmen too, and to-day the people
Of New England and their kindred or descend
ants who, as it is estimated would include third
Of the white population Of the United States, are
as true as Euglishmen to English sentiments of
freedom, Independence, love of order, social and
domestic virtues, and Of all that makes nation
There is no real hostility between
English and Americans. but on the contrary there
is bond Of union. the strength Of which will be
shown whenever the times may require. Mutual
Of views, and better acquaintance
show to each how they may have misunderstood
the other. One of the pleasant results of the
Hawaiian life is the wearing away Of old interna-
tiOual prejudiCes.