The New York herald., 1879-11-27
n ons areat duty we are still wantingi one nation.

born; whose trust we have abused; whose
faith we have betrayed; the one alien to
whom our courts of justice are utterly closed.
the Indian OF North America pronounces great
ness to be sham our justice to be mockery. our
freedom to be lie and our boasted liberty to be
fraud. Until his wrongs righted no man in all
this broad land give thanks for blessings now
enjoyed without humiliation. because of evil toll
Grated and injustice unresisted.
On this day, appointed by the President to DC oe-
voted not only to thanksgiving but to prayer VIC
may well entreat the God of righteousness III mercy
to be forgiven the trespasses we have committed
against this people. and to be delivered from the
evil of our own misdeeds.
OBSERVANCE OF THE GREAT NATIONAL FEAST
IN THE CITY To-DAY-soMETHING ABOUT
HUNGRY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CHAR
TABLE.
THANKSGIVING Day has become the distinctly
American feast but yet it is almost without trad
tions and consequently has literature of its own
In its associations there is little which the imagina
ton can grasp, and the very origin of the day has
something of the hard and stern reality OF pioneer
life But, like Christmas. the occasion has 'ts
salient features which poetry may soften into song
and custom invest with peculiar attractions ana oo
servances If inquire into the history Oh IhahKs-
giving Day the story will be found an exceedingly
meagre one but generally its celebration is traced
back to the first harvest of the Plymouth colony
1t was in the depth of hard winter
On the wild New England shore.
With the warmth of summer came smiling fields,
and in the autumn gathered rich crop OF
golden grain Then that the heart of the set
tier turned instnctivey to God in the spirit of
thankfulness, and old Governor Bradford sent four
men into the woods. to search for game, that there
might be n day of special rejoicings.
WHY EVERYBODY TURKEY"
In this fact is probably the explanation of the tur
key becoming the emblem of Thanksgiving. AL
though history is silent the point, it Is to be
sumed that it these wild birds of the woods
which served for the first Thanksgiving dinner of
the Pilgrim Fathers. This gallinaceous fowl was
consequently domesticated that it might become
part of every Thanksgiving, and it follows natu
rally that every American eats turkey on Thanksgiv
ing Day that he observes the day itself 1t is to
national feast day what boar's head and rose
mary were, and plum pudding is to the English
Christmas. 1t is said the Knickerbockers of New
Amsterdam observed days of annual thanksgiving.
it is possible to imagine the pious Dominic Bo-
gardus chanting the old Dutch Church on Thanks
giving Day
This fair and beautiful heritage of ours,
This island on the bosom of the deep
Thi, land of birds and fruits and flowers,
Where their vigils angels keep
GiOhed with & heayeRs ~ % %EoGdmsss natures smile
Where man alone is vile.
However this may be, it is certain that . recog-
nized holiday Thanksgiving is wholly of New Eng
land origin. Long before it was accepted by the
other colonies, States even, its observance
feature of New England life. and indeed it is only
within few years that the celebration Became gen.
eral and the holiday national in its character For
the future, however, it belongs to the nation
clearly and distincsively the Fourth of July and
the 22d of February and throughout the country its
characteristics and will continue t2 he much the
same.
In New York ,.ty the distinctive features of this
national holiday are moro clearly defined than
in New England, 1t originated. The tables of
rich and poor alike are graced with the emblematic
bird of thankiuluess and rejoicing. Family re-
unions common in the city homes in New
England households. Charity lifts her gentle hand
to feed the poor and the homeless the prisoner and
the pauper, this day OF the celebration of plenty.
Trade ceases, traffic stops, Wall street is deserted,
broadway puts on holiday attire. and the thousand
noises OF ordinary week day attuned to the
becoming stiffness OF half Sabbath. half gala day.
The churches throw open their portals In the
morning but close them early that appetite may
wait upon devotion; the theatres fling wide their
doors both afternoon and evening, that the head and
manly sports and athletic pastmes provided III
every direction and everywhere there is something
Characteristic of the day and the occasion. As
preparation for this national feast there was the
usual activity yesterday, and not only We're the mar
kets teeming with turkey and crowded with buyers.
but in the street cars, the "L trains in private
carriages and in the hands of pedestrians to be
the plucked fowl stripped Tor the spit. The
scene in the markets yesterday afternoon and
ing of singular and striking interest and in
dicated the foresight that is necessary when the
metropolis would feast.
POULTRY MARKETS.
The stoppage of the Eighth avenue cars on ac-
would it feared have telling effect upon busi-
yesterday in Washington Market and stall
keepers who had been preparing heavy stock for
the day, had some misevings that the withdrawal
of their Eighth avenue patronage would entail loss
upon them They were most agreeably disap-
pointed. however for all day long the market was
thronged with purchasers. and the sale of poultry
seemed brisk. The the case in
Fulton Market, and IL the quantities of turkeys,
chickens, ducks geese and fowl of every kind that
purchased during the day are any index to the
earnestness of the Offering no one can in reason
doubt that New Workers thankful for the bless
ings OF the past year. Tho at both markets,
although lively and noisy, was monotonous enough
after very short time. There is nothing beautiful
Ia the uIplumGged anatomy of turkey or q
chicken. and when nothing else for u stretch of
couple of blocks greets the eye tho view is not
tertaining. Turning from fowl stalls to where the
vegetable accessories are to be found one met with
compensation in the crisp smell OF fresh cut celery
and the odor of thyme and sage which the
market boys poked under yoar nose at "hve cents a
bunch" The comparative price or celery. sage and
thyme compared with year ago. is zone OF those
things fellah find out" for, while in other
articles sold in the markets it is admitted there is a
slight advance in those the price remains the same
the of the lunches varying according to the
listing relations of demand and supply. The prices
OF fowls steady during the day. but, is inva
riably the case on the eve OF holidly, they went
down at dark. many of the dealers fearing to be left
with perishable stock their handsespecialIy per-
ishablc in weather.
Democratic chickens from place in particular
brought 10 cents pound. and turkeys, ducks aud
geese of the same social grade IL cents. IL you
wanted wild turkey, with q gamey taste to 1t you
would have to pay 25 cents pound for 1t, and no
thanks tor your custom. for most of it ordered
In advance and could be readily marketed Philadel-
pha and Mount Holly turkeys, chickens and geese
ran as high as IL cents per pound Quail sold at 50
per dozen partridges from 81 20 IN 81 80 per pair;
.anvasback ducks, 50 80 TO S4 gfbusc, 81 so per
pair; redheads 81 rs TO 81 so: maards the same;
widgeon, 10 cents pairs tame duck from 16 to Is
.ents pound woodcock. 80 cents pairs teai duck
from 90 conts to ST. and last but not least, cram