Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-12-02
Correspondence of the Beacon.)
WASHINGTON, Nov. %, 1886.


Thanksgiving Day was cold and IN.
pleasant. Rain fell in torrents during
the entire day. and very few persons
ventured from the shelter of their
homes, excepting those who were called
ont by necessity. The Departments
and most places of business were
closed, and the streets wore deserted
and decidedly uninviting aspect.
1t had been decided at the White
House that AS the repairs and i'm
provements upon the country residence
at Oak View" had been completed,
that the President and party of his
select friends should eat their Thanks.
giving dinner there, but the plan had
to be abandoned on account of the
weather, and Mr.. Cleveland spent his
time at the White House and was en-
gagged during the greater portion of
the day upon his message to Congress.
Mrs. Cleveland spent the day quietly
with her mother, and there were no
callers whatever.
The rain, however, did not in any
manner interfere with the annual
Thanksgiving dinners at the various
orphan asylums and charitable insti-
tutions throughout the city. Secre-
taty Whitney manifested his generosi-
~ by distributinn three hundred tur-
keys among the clerks and employees
in the Navy Department.
1t has always been the custom to
pay the employees Of the House Of
Representatives their November sal
aries upon the day before Thanksgiv-
ing. This year, however, the rule
could not be complied with, as the law
requires that the Speaker should sign
the certificates before the sergeant-at-
arms is allowed to make the payments:
During the recess of Congress it has
been customary to forward the certif-
Gates TO the Speaker at his home, in
time, SO that they may be returned to
the Capitol before pay day. For the
past few days the Speaker has been
expected to arrive in the city; there.
fore the certificates were not forwa rded
TO him. In order that none OF the
clerks should forego the enjoyment of
Thanksgiving turkey through lack
Of funds, the sergesnt-at arms made
small advances in some instances to
meet the emergency.
OF all the Thanksgiving proclama.
tions issued by the executives of the
several States and Territories, and
copies of which have been received at
the State Department, that of Chief
Bushy head, of the Cherokee Indian
Nation. is considered the most UNIQUE
and original. 1t reads as follows:
"krtcitfFre department, Cherokee Ma
ton. l. ITO the Cherokee PEOPLE
Let US again publicly confess and com.
mSmorate the goodness of the Great
Spirit, by devOting one day in this
year to thanksgiving in unison. It is
a good custom, and should impress
upon our minds truth that every one
ought to realize more and more, as the
days and hours succeed each other
in our short lives. That truth is, that
everything We have comes from God:
and that everything is good aud will
be profitable to US, even as We regard
and treat it, for the due Observance Of
our duty TO our common Father, and
our brothers. Therefore |, y. W.
Bushyhead, principal chief Of the
Cherokee nation, do now arpoint
Thursday, the 25th day Of November,
1856, as day of general hanksgivinc
and praise throughout this nation, and
recommend to all Cherokees to keen"
the said anniversary soberly, gladly
and lovingly as BELTS reasonable and
Christian people so to 10. Should