Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-11-26
HISTORY OF THANK SEWING DAY,

HISTORY OF THANKSGIVING DAY.
The earliest thanksgiving service
was held by the Church of England
men. The Popham colonists, who,
on the 9th of August, 1906, o. g..
landed upon Monhegan, near the
kennebec, and und4 the shadow of
high cross. listened to q sermon by
Chaplain Seymour, giving good
thanks for our happy meetings and
safe arrival in the country" Next
we pass to Plymouth, where, in 1921,
the autumn after the arrival, q nota-
bic Thanksgiving was held. The
brief accounts present joyous pic
ture. As we learn from Winslow,
the harvest being gathered, the Gov
ernor sent four men ont fowlipg,
that so We might. after a special
manner rejoice together" and the
traditional turkey was added to the
abundant venison. The people gave
themselves up 10 recreation and
pleasure, and the great chief Massa-
soft was feasted for three days with
his ninety swarthy retainers. Posi-.
bly, on this first Plymouth thanks
giving, there was more carousing
than we suppose, while there is not
the slightest indication of any religi-
GUS observance OF any kind. Massa.
soft and his braves, no doubt, en-
joyed it all greatly. as the thanks
giving idea was entertained by the
Indians before their contact with the
whites, and in their celebrations
there was much excess. How much
| comfortable warm water the grave
and venerable elders themselves con-
sumed during these three days of jol-
lily, Bradford does not say.
In 1922 there is no mention OF
thanksgiving, but in 1923 day was
kept, not, however in the autumn, as
harvest festival, but in July, upon
the arrival of some provisions. From
that day on, nothing more is heard of
thanksgiving at Plymouth for nearly
half century. So far as the colonial
records go. they indicate that the
day did not find revival until 1868,
when there was some kind of
thanksgiving. Again, on July %,
1850. there was a thanksgiving for
the accession of William and Mary.
In 1890 an autumnal thanksgiving
was held, and the next year Plymouth
Colony was merged into Msssachu-
sets and SO passes out of the story.
If any festival can be said to have
been established, it was established
in imitation Of the customs across
the sea. Distinct religious societies,
however, may have kept occasional
thanksgivings, as the people at Barn
stable observed thanksgiving On
December %, 1886, and December
IL, 1889.
In the Massachusetts, Colony the
first thanksgiving was held at Boston
July 8. 1880. 1t being special occa-
sion, having no reference TO harvcsts,
and again in February, 1881, there
was, as we before noticed, day of
thanksgiving In the October fol-
lowing q thanksgiving was held for
the safe arrival of Mrs. Winthrop
and her children"
In all these various appointments
we do not find the thanksgiving that
we know to-day, nor do we detect
any full design against Christmas.
On June ). 1852, there was thanks
giving for the victories in the Pala-
innate, aud in October another for
the harvest. In 1887 there was a
thanksgiving for victory over the
Paquota, and In 1888 for the arrival
of ships and the harvest. The
thanksgiving days from 1854 10 1854
numbered about twenty-one or less
than one In every two years. The
celebration Of 1876 had special refer
ence TO the victory over King Philip.
From this time until the revolution,
thanksgiving OF some Kind occurred
nearly every other year, and even
twice in the same year, as in l142.
Some of these days were appointed
BY the Royal Governors, while again
they were ordered by the King or
Queen, or by the home Board of
Trade. After the close of the
American Revolution tendency to
make Thanksgiving Day regular in
stitution In New York, was at once
apparent, and Governor John Day,
in i7a5, issued a proclamation for the
eleventh of November. This act,
however, was seized upon by politi-
clans, who maintained that he was
seeking TO ftatter religious preiudices.
At an early period, also. the
Mayors of New York City were &C
customed 10 appointa day Of thanks
giving in accordance with the recon-
mendations Of the Council, and that
of December le, 1893, appears TO
have been the first SO ordered. Act
the observance of the day until Gov.
Clinton's time was more or less
broken. The festival was kept, how
ever. by Episcopalians, according to
the provisions of the prayer book,
other religious bodies at the same
time following their own preferences.
Gov. Ciinton's course, Ike Gov.
laws. excited criticism. At the east
end Of Long Island there was no
murmuring because the day did not
coincide with local custom Ii APP
pesrs that the people of East and
Northampton observed Thanksgiving
on The Thursday after the cattle were
driven home from the common pas
lures at Montapk Pelnt, the day OF
the return of the cattle being liked
annually, with due solemnity, At the
town meeiiag. lIenee there was q
| collision. and the herdsmen were
divided, striving as the herdsmen oil
Abrams cattle strove with those OF
lot; But this was no case oil an I'M
movable body opposed TO an IRE
sistible force and therefore the op-
ponents OF Clinton gave way, though
no, without many expostniafioas'
Here was the beginning OF the move
nent which led 10 the first Presl'
Dental proclamation naiionaiizing
Thanksgiving Day.