The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-12-08
INDIAN THANKSGIVING
A Cherokee Chiefs Proclamation.

A Cherokee Chiefs Proclamation.
The following is the text of a
Thanksgiving Proclamation by the
principal chief of the Cherokee In.
dams. Some of the more highly civ
governors could learn from the red
men the true meaning OF Thanksgiv-
ing.
To tile Cherokee People:
II has long been q custom oFthe
Great American Republic to dedicate
one day of every year to the giving Of
thanks for Heavens blessings, Else
where. men enjoy similar holidays ss
an agreeable part of their religious
duty. Here, in the New World,
where the best of religions moves
parallel but never in junction with
the best of governments, the custom
of annual thanksgivings is the way
adopted by a free people to proclaim
their only Sovereign, and to acknowl-
edge their dependence upon Him
to realize and rejoice in their strength
as reminder whence that strength
comes, and the obligations it imposes.
1t is some years since the Chero-
KEGS first adopted this significant
custom of their white brothers. In
double view, they cannot esteem it
too highly. Men will bat mock the
Diety by protesting gratitude for
blessings which they purposely make
use of to do wrong. While, there
fore, our thanks will pledge our Ma
ton singly and collectively to be more
Just, true, charitable, and in all things
conscientious, than ever before, the
same result. from the same cause,
upon the great people whom we have
made our model in all things worthy,
will be our guarantee for the future.
The surviving red men have cause
for profound gratitude to the Great
Spirit for their prosperous and pro-
greasive condition in this territory. 1t
ia true their treaties provide that the
country of each tribe shall revert to
the United States when the tribe shall
become extinct. But while thanks
giving days last, and are sincerely
kept, We need not lear that a mag
unanimous people will see their gov
ernment drag and thrust the remnant
of our race into the abyss. in order to
be able to return thanks for the bless
ing of the reversion.
With the above reference to the
meaning of this noted American
Festival, and in pursuance to the
proclamation of the President OF the
United States as we'll as in accord.
ance with Sec. 9Th. Art. 6. of the
Cherokee Constitution, l, D. W.
BushyDead. Principal Chief of the
Cherokee Nation, hereby designate
and appoint Thursday the Both day
of November. 1882 as
THANKSGIVING DAY,
For the Cherokees also, in and du-
ring which time all are invited to
thank the Great Spirit by means OF
such festivities and religious Stser-
vanoes as may be found best adapted
to the purpose by each family or
neiehborheod in this Nation. Let
Us all rejoice. and in rejoicing remem-
Der. that we thus assume the Obligs-
tions of those who may not thereafter
plead ignorance for i'll doing; and.
on the other hand, that the proper
use of Heavens gifts to man will lit
him from the position OF servant only
to that of companion and co-worker
of the Divine Being IN the carrying
out of the benevolent objects OF crea-
ton.
Given under my hand and the seal
of the Cherokee Nation at Tahlequah,
Indian Territory, this the sixteenth
day OF November, in the year OF our
Lord, eighteen hundred and eighty.
two.
[sEAL D. w. BUsHYHEAD,
Principal Chief,