National Republican., 1877-12-01
Our Thanksgiving Over.

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and
rs ours, under the ratio Of dividend, was
about forty -five-millionth part of the af-
fair, we made the most Of our fraction. We
found much to he thankful for. Our lot
has been cast in pleasant places, and Is not
the worst in the world. Then we have an
interest in all national affairs, and must re-
view those and see what they present to
challenge our thanks. Ours is a great coun-
try-we are great nation and people-and
we find much here to look after. The ma
tional situation at the present moment is
not the source of such profound thanksgiv-
ing US il might he. We find little chaos
here. There is much to lament, and few
things to rejoice over. II is u lamentable cir
cumstance in our national history that there
should ever have been such being known
as a Bourbon Democrat in this fair land
1t seems to us that the world would have
been just rs well, ii not little better, with
out them. without their pernicious inhu-
cncc, IL is but reasonable TO conclude that
there would have been no secession, no con-
scqucnt war, no bloodshed, no loss OF life
Bihpt' SH'ii' tiih 'h'
nic ball no empty sleeves nor wooden legs
TO hobblc through life, nor thousands OF
sleeping soldiers under the green sod of
America; no war debt and heavy taxation
to meet il no alienation, and hence no call
for paciflcation and reconciliation. These
things now exist as necessity, and are the
fruits OF Bourbon Democratic sowing from
1SGo to 1865, all of which are to be la-
nented.
On the other hand we find much cause
for thanksgiving. We have populous
medley of some Gorty-Gyc millions of souls,
gathered from every nation and tongue on
the civilized globe. We should be thankful
for this, We suppose and we do try to be.
We have u lag-tbe proud emblem Of free
dom-which has never been struck to human
power, and never will be. We have n Con-
stitution that must he materialized OF
gutta percha for it has stood the wear and
tear of II century without fracture to be
acknowledged. We have u President who
entered upon the discharge of his duties and
responsibilities through door unknown to
the long line of his illustrious predecessors.
He is our President by modern invention
and contnvancc, and VIC prize him as nov
city. We have pledged our devotion to him
and his administration, in all things that
are right and in line with Republican ortho-
doxy, and We propose to stand firmly by
that pledge. Should he differ with us on
national matters, it is all the worse for his
future name and fame as the executive of u
great nation. We include the President in
our cause for Thanksgiving ns matter Of
course.
We are not 80 certain that the Congress-
Of the United States in its present shape
calls upon us for much thanksgiving. We
are not aware that we have expended much
OH its account, or shall do so until it demon
stn,tcs higher degree of worthiness. We
ore, and have been, thankful that We have
system of judiciary that is capable of
marked utilities. 1t adiudicates the differ
enccs between litigants, and has been, in part
made seTvceable IN deciding the question
"Wbo has been elected President?" when
the people got mixed and confused on that
point. In this way the machinery of our
Government distinguishes Us ns a prnlacss-
i've people, and leaves us without analogy
In view of all this we have been profoundly
grateful and profuse in our thanksgiving
for the reason that il there Is. one thing
more than another over which II born Yun-
kee reioices and gives thanks II is something
peculiar and odd.
Our gratitude has not all been expended on
national bene eiicencc-we have some home
comforts to challenge our Thanksgiving. A
Kind Providence has been specially good
to Ms during the past year. Ono grand
daughter has been added TO our flock, and