Daily Republican., 1881-11-22
Thanh SxfylnG.

President Lincoln. The State observ.
auce of Thanksgiving dates farther
back. The custom, like many othel
good customs, was originated by the
Puritans, and is intimately associated
and mixed up with prayers, pumpkin
pies and turkeys. 1t was AT the outset
q religious observance, blended with
social festivities. To go still further
back, the Jewish feast of the harvest
answered to our Thanksgiving. Inand
through all, the same idea prevailed
the recognition of Providence in the
properties of the year. The idea is
now nationalized amongst us, and
Thanksgiving may now be considered
as our National Sabbath, as it recog-
nlzes the interpositioa of God in Ma
tonal affairs. The Nation that proper
| ly observes this feast may be called a
| Christian Nation. If reasons OF graft
tude are to induce thankfulness, there
should be no lack of fervor in this years
Observance of the festival. Certainly
there is every cause why we should
give thanks from full and grateful
hearts.
The cynic may look on and laugh at
these professions Of joyfulness, and he
may ask what have We to be thankful
for? Did not God shorten the crops,
dry up the wells, parch the earth aud
create destitution and want? Did not
He allow the.assassin Guiteau to strike
down with a bullet one of the best
Presidents the Nation ever had What |
nave we therefore to be thankful for
Thank God the great mass of American
citizens of whatever creed, race or de-
nomination, has learned to trust Him in |
diversity as well as sunshine, and !
when Affections and punishments come
for either personal or national sins,
they have learned to bow to the will OF
m over-ruling power and kiss the rod
that smote them.
1t Is true that the crops during the
year have been shortened, but there is
still enough to live on and to spare If
the Almighty in the distribution of his
favors, has withheld the rains and
shortened the crops In this country,
He has poured cut copious showers in
other countries and made the crops
there to grow, that even we are the
recipients Of cabbage from Germany |
and potatoes from Ireland. We have
great reas on to be thankful, though there
IS shortage Of crops, and higher prices
in consequence, there is no lack of EN-
ployment for ali who want employment.
Every mill and manufactory resouIds
with the hum and clangor of business
industry, and although there has been
drought in the land there is still
plenty to live on.
| II is true that President Garfield has
| teen taken away from Us by an assas-
sins bullet, ana it iN true that he was
one of the best Presidents that ever
| ruled nation, but America is not
| lacking in good men. When one il
stricken down there are others to take
his place. Luther, Calvin, Kuox, W es-
| ley and other religious retormers, all
sleep in the dust, but tl!e work OF the
religious revolution they started still
| goes on. Washington and all the he
roes Of his age have passed down to the
grave, but the governmental structure
they erected to liberty still lives, and
grows stronger by age. Instead Of the
lamented Garfield to rule over the
destinies of the Nation we have Plesi
dent Arthur. Judging hlm in the light
of the past since he has been President
there are none who cannot place the
most implicit confidence in him as a
Just and righteous ruler. For this the
people have great reason to be thankful,
and this forms an incentive for a con
scientious observance of Thanksgiving
day. Let all the people give thanks
that there is no famine in the land, and
that though one good ruler dies
another good one succeeds him.
As Thanksgiving day is not only a
day for giving thanks but festival oc-
,asion when the proverbial turkey
graces the bounteous board, the poor
who cannot afford to have turkey
should not be forgotten. A division
with some poor widow and orphaus
will be the spice of THANKSGIVING.
Charity loosens up the good in human
nature, and make all who give to the
poor feel that ait is more blessed to
give than to receive"