Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-11-29
kPa o SMITH. Secretary of State.
Thanksgiving.

Our old New England holiday, now a
national holiday. is close at hand. The
stir of preparation for the Thanksgiving
dinner is heard in the land. The festive
turkey hangs high. but pumpkin pies will
be few and far between in this section OF
the country. The summer drouth was
felt severely by field and garden crops,
rendering scarce and dear many articles
indispensable in the makeup of a genuine.
idiosyncratic New England dinner. Never
theless the feast will be spread as usual.
abundant, appetizng, hearty and whole
some, enjoyed by everybody but the dys-
peptic. whose rebelious stomachs. how
ever. will not be the worse for mingling
in the social festivities of The occasion.
The reunion of families at Thanksgiving
is one of its brightest features. From far
and from near the members of the family
gather under the root-tree ofthe place which
they cal home. The old and young
mingle there. The former renew their
age, the latter learn the pleasures and
duties of kinship, and can realize and are
thankful for the substantial blessings with
which the kind All Father has crowned
the year. Sorrows and troubles are sof
tened, joys are enhanced. domestic ties
are strengthened, love of country and rev.
erence for God are promoted by these an
nual meetings In the olden time our
forefathers observed the occasion with
more solemnity than we. as u time partic
ularly to remember and acknowledge
their dependence upon Providence, and
when fun and frolic were not proper or
changed. The treacherous savage no
longer threatens the husbandman as he
labors in the field. fleets of vessels sail
every sea to supply food where crops fail,
railroads traverse our country in all d.
rections exchanging the products and sat
isfying the wants of all sections. so we have
no fear of famine or slaughter as our
fathers had to render lite anxious and
hard, and we can therefore celebrate our
Thanksgiving in lighter mood than they,
not doubling that innocent. joyous mirth
is becoming and acceptable and compati-
BILE with true reverence and thankfulness
for the blessings of the harvest and
freedom from pestilence and other ma
terial evils.
However men may differ in their relig
ious beliefs. all should have feeling OF
thanktulness for the abundance of the
year. 1t is a good thing for everybody
that the country smiles with plenty. that
no pestilence RACES in our borders.
The pantheist. atheist, infidel, has the
same reason to rejoice as the christian.
The benefits are here. in grauary. cellar
and barn, without distinction of religious
belief, to meet the necessities of mankind
in general. No theological creed or bubble
or rank scepticism is considered in the
giving of the bounties over which we re-
joice and hold our Thanksgiving. The
earth has brought forth for all, the COM
mon Father spreads the feast for all.
and the joy and thanksgiving should be
as universal as the bounties bestowed.
Gradually men are being brought into
closer relationship as the years roll on.
Iron highways spanning the continents,
swift vessels cleaviug the waters in all
directions, steam, electricity, human SYM
pathy, the ways of trade. the progress OF
thought and charity, all these and many
more powerful agencies are drawing ma
tons and peoples and communities nearer
together, so thst in thanksgiving for har-
vests and all material blessings Europe.
Asia and Africa may join with America.
and the islands of the sea equally rejoice.
Congress Will meet next Monday. The
members are gathering at Washington.
The November elections will change the
ideas and plans of parties in some measure
although the new Congress does not
come in until March 4th. There will
be an effort made probably to abolish |
the internal revenue system, but 1t is not
likely to succeed. The tax on whiskey
and tobacco will doubtless be maintained, |
although Judge Kelley, chairman of the |
Committee on Ways and Means, is in
favor of striking it of. As this sessio n |
will close March Srd. the time Of its exist |
encc Is short and If the necessary business
II transacted the time for speech-makine
and triding viii be very short