The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-11-26
Thanksgiving Day.

The occasional observance of a day
of thanksgiving, formerly recommend
ed by the civil authorities, was not un.
usual in Europe, and such day was
observed in Leyden, Holland, Oct. 8,
1875, tho first anniversary of the de-
liverance of that city from siege. In
l60S the Pilgrim church, exiled from
England, went to Holland, and remain
ed there till 1920, when it sent off the
Mayhower colony TO New England.
After the first harvest of the colonists
al Plymouth in 1921, Gov. Bradford
sent four men out fowling, that they
''migbt after a more special manner re-
ioice together" In July, 1923, a day
of fasting and prayer was appointed
on account of drought. Rain came
abundantly while they were praying,
and the governor appointed day OF
thanksgiving, which was observed with
religious services. The Charlestown
records show similar change of fast
day into thanksgiving in 1851 on ac-
count of the arrival of supplies from
Ireland. In June, 1852, Gov. Win-
throp, of the Massachusetts, Bay colony
recommended day of thanksgiving
on account IF action of the British
privy council favorable to the colonies,
and invited the governor of Plymouth
colony to unite witn him. There is
record of the official appointments of
days of thanksgiving in Massachusetts
Bay in 1888, 1884, 1887, 1888, and
1859, sometimes of more than one day
in the 81 ne year, and in Plymouth in
1861, 1868, 1850 (wheu the form of
the recommendation indicates that it
had become an annual custom), 1859,
and 1890. The earlier of these ap-
pointments were at different seasons of
the year, and for special reasons, par
ticularly for the arrival of ships with
provisions and new coloDists but the
later were more generally for the har-
vest, and were in the late autumn or
early winter. Occasional thanksgiving
days were appointed by the Dutch
governors of New Netherland in 1914
| l645, 1866, and 1864, and by the Eng
lish governors of New York in 1855
and 1850. During the revolution
thanksgiving day was national insti-
tuition, being annually recommended
by congress; but after the general
thanksgiving for peace in 1884 there
was no national appointment till 1889,
when President Washington, by re-
quest of congress, recommended a day
of thanksgiving for the adoption of the
constitution. Washington issued
second thanksgiving proclan alton in
1895 on account of the suppression of
insurrection. President Madison, by
request of congress, recommended
thanksgiving for peace in April, 1915.
But the official recommendation of
thanksgiving day was mainly confined
to New England, where regular annual
proclamations were issued by the gov
ernors of the states, and the day was
observed almost universally with relig
ious services, and was the principal
social and home festival of the year.
The prayer book of the Protestant
Episcopal church, ratified in 1889, rec
ommends for day of thanksgiving the
frsG Thursday in November, unless an
| udy OS dppoibt'u py ouS SiFh
authorities. There was occasional rec
ommendation by other religious bodies
and various local customs prevailed III
different parts of the country but the
day was not regularly recommended
by the governor of New York till 1917
and its adoption in the southern states
was much later. In 1855 Gov. John
son of Virginia recommended day
of thanksgiving; but in 1857 Gov.
Wise, being requested to do so, public
ly declined, because unauthorized to in
terfere in religious matters. In 1858
thanksgiving proclamations were is
sued by the governors of eight of the
southern states. During the civil war
President Lincoln issued proclamations
recommending special thanksgiving for
victory in 1862 and 1868, and a nation
al proclamation of the annual thanks
giving day in 1858 and 1864. Since
that time sucA proclamation has been
issued annually by the president, as
well as by the governors of the states
and the mayors of the principal cities ;
and custom has fixed the time for the
last Thursday in November.-1ht
american Cycl0p@did.