Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-11-28
THANK SEWING.

THANK SEWING.
A soldier went INTO battle expecting to be
killed. He came out with the loss of one
eye, two fractured ribs, broken arm, and
minus one leg. While the surgeon was
patching up the frightful wounds the soldier
offered up a prayer congratulating himself
that things were no worse. In view of the
deplorable sanitary condition ofs emphis,
the neglect of every law which conduces to
health, the people of Memphis can to-day
offer up thanksgiving that things are no
worse The national thanksgiving which
the American people are called upon to OBJ
serve to-day, had its origin IN rejoicing of
the northern States over the defeat of the
rebels In 1868, after a season of great de-
preston on account Of the military disasters
of the Federal troops, a succession of victo-
ries were achieved. During the summer of
that year the hearts of the northern people
were impressed with the fear that the rebels
would secure their independence. The fall
of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, the conse-
quent opening of the Mississippi river, and
the defeat of Lees invading army at Gettys-
burg, were TO the respondent north like
grateful showers upon the parched earth.
President Lincoln, July Is, 1868, issued
proclamation calling upon the people to OBJ
serve Thursday, August 9th, as day of Civ
ing thanks, inasmuch as 1t had pleased
Almighty God to hearken to the supplications
and prayers of an afflicted people, and to
vouchsafe to the army and navy of the United
States, on the land and on the sea, victories
so signal and so effective as to furnish rea-
sonable grounds for augmented confidence
that the union of these States will be main
tanned, their constitution preserved, and their
peace and prosperity permanently Sc
cured" Another special season of thanks
giving was recommended by the President in
December, 1868, just after the victories in
East Tennessee had expelled the rebel forces
from that region of country and had limited
future military operations to a narrow
compass. But the first national thanks
giving for general mercies and blessings was
called by the President for the last Thursday
in November, 1868, in his proclamation of
October Sd, Of that year. This state paper
of Lincoln, while it was penned in harmony
with the established usage, could not of
course, have been composed without some
reference to the military events then so promi
nent in mems minds. Accordingly, in ad-
dition to ''the blessings of fruitful fields and
healthful Skies" the President desired that
thanks be given that peace had been pre-
served with all nations, in the midst of a
civil war which seemed to invite and pro-
woke the aggressions of foreign States; and
that harmony had prevailed everywhere ex-
cept in the theater Of military conflict; while
that theater had been greatly contracted
by the advancing armies and navies Of the
Union. The yearly thanksgiving now be-
came established as a national festival. Dur
ing the first few years, when the President of
the United States issued his annual procla-
nation, there was a little confusion on &C
count Of the failure of some of the State ex-
ecutives to agree upon the date fixed by the
President. In some instances governors an
ticipated the issuance Of any proclamation
from Washington, and others were unwilling
to follow where they had not led. Gradually
the whole country has drifted into the custom
of celebrating Thanksgiving day on the date
originally fixed by Lincoln-the last Thurs
day in November. But this is not the origin
of Thanksgiving in America. The first fes-
tival of the sort ever observed In this coun-
try was the celebration of Thanksgiving
day by fable colony. 1t was local incident,
characteristic of the time and manners of our
primitive fathers. 1t was an observance bya
single small community, who found no other
means of expressing to Almighty God their
gratitude for dehverance from famine. The
little band of colonists who mad settled on a
savage and sterile shore, and who were
threatened with determination by starvation
and by violent death, received succor from
home, and were blessed with a good harvest.
Their slender hold on existence was strength
ened and renewed. We can family imagine
the fervor with which they publicly gave
thanks for their temporal blessings, and the
sincerity with which the families of the colony
united in a fitting celebration of the day. The
first national Thanksgiving was foS similar
special deliverance. To-day we have many
of the material blessings which were origi
ginally the cause for the foundation of the
feast. If we were scourged, through our
own neglect aud disregard of the inevitable
and inexorabe laws of nature, we should be
thankful that a bountiful harvest has re-
warded the labors of the husbandman; that
the sympathy of the northern people rose
grandly above the petty quarrel of sectional
jealousies, typifyIng the bond which at no
distant day is to unite the republic in
love and affection. The substantial SYM
pathy which the northern people lavished
upon the south in her hour Of desolation
has filed the hearts of the southern people
with gratitude and thankfulness, which viii
no doubt be expressed to-day. This sympathy
was never half hearted or grudglngly be-
slowed. 1t came cordial, loving, warm and
fresh from generous hearts. Grateful hearts
will to-day offer up thanksgiving that in
the hour of need, such loving friends
came to our relief. And shall we not this
one day pause in the ordinary avocatlons of
life, and gather in our homes and respective
places OF re igious worship and thank the
Giver of every good and perfect gift for
youcE safng to US such friends, and for all the
blessings we enjoy. While worshiping and
feasting at our bounteous tables, let us re-
member that near our homes, in an alley or
narrow street, up a ricketty stair, or down in
damp cellars, there are human beings with
whom the world has gone roughly They
may have been to blame, but 1T will be we'll
with you to-day, if you will for this once
stoop and write your judgments in the sand,
while you give that which Will send thrill
of pleasure through their hearts, and turn
them for once to the Author of all good.
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